Kids & The New Puppy

If you are bringing a new puppy into your home in the near future and have kids, they are likely very excited. While seeing the excitement in your children’s eyes is fun as a parent, it presents some challenges. Take a look at a few things that you need to deal with before you bring your puppy home to meet the family.

Have A Talk With The Kids

The very first thing that you need to do is tell the children what to expect. When a young child hears “puppy” they think about the endless amount of play time they will have with their new furry friend. They do not realize that the puppy is much like a human infant and has many of the same requirements, primarily meaning rest.

Teach your children that they can play with the puppy but they need to be gentle and they need to give the young dog plenty of time to sleep. It may even pay to set up play time limits so that the puppy is sure to get plenty of rest.

Set Up A Puppy Safe Space

A newborn puppy has absolutely no business getting free range of your entire home. Before your puppy arrives, you should section off a small area of no more than 200 to 300 square feet. Any more than this will overwhelm your new puppy and simply allow them to get in trouble.

Inside of this space, you should also set up a safe place for them to nap. If you plan on kenneling your puppy, an open kennel with a warm blanket is ideal. This will give your puppy a quiet and dark space where they can feel safe.

Start Learning How To Train Your Puppy

If you are new to puppies, you should start doing your research immediately. Training a puppy begins immediately and it is not all about potty training. You also have to teach the puppy how to interact with your children. Being lower to the ground and smaller in size, your puppy may see your child as a peer. You need to teach them, in a nice way, that your child is a step higher than them in the pack. Fail to do this and you can have quite a few injuries caused by an over zealous pet.