Introducing Your Dog to Kids

Establishing a positive pack when you have a new working dog coming into your home is essential for peace and harmony. In every pack, there is a hierarchy and an Alpha leader. Teaching your working dog early on who’s the boss can help them understand where they fall into the pack. Your working dog wants to be accepted and wants to please you but does not know how just yet.  Your child, or the children in your network, should be perceived as one of the pack leaders. Brute force or physical contact by any family member as a means to communicate boundaries will only create frustration, fear, and chaos.  This first introduction is a crucial point for imprinting and building trust through mutual respect. One way to accomplish this is to ensure you and your family have discussed beforehand what those boundaries are and how they will be enforced.   For example:  Will the dog sleep in the crate here or over there?  Who will feed the dog and at what time?  What commands will we use? These questions are just a few to think about because the entire family is responsible for being consistent in setting the “boundaries or rules”.  (Pro-tip:  Some boundaries or rules set by the family may evolve as the dog and family adapt to their new way of life. Just be mindful that stability and consistency will lay the groundwork for the rest of the dog’s life with you). 

Introducing a working dog to kids can be an exciting and rewarding experience for the family, children, and the dog. However, it’s important to ensure a smooth transition of the new member into the pack by starting with a  positive experience.  Here are some valuable tips to help you introduce your high-energy working dog to kids in a calm, engaging, respectful manner.  (Pro-Tip:  Children should never be left unattended or unsupervised without an adult at any time.  Dogs can test their boundaries if they become fearful or feel there is not a pack leader around.  This leaves room for the dog to potentially move their way up in the pack by challenging a small child). 

First, it’s crucial to recognize that working dogs are often full of energy. Children too, are a bundle of energy and can be unpredictable.  What this means to you as the Alpha; This means high energy, intelligent working dogs and unpredictable children promote dueling energy that is relatively not stable.  When there is instability for a dog and they become fearful go into flight or fight mode.  I would expect them too.  I would expect this of anyone or any dog who has just entered a new environment without knowing anyone and everyone speaking a different language.  You may ask yourself, How can we as a family pack prevent this instability?

Simply you must drain the excessive energy from both parties before the introduction.  Let’s start off by saying we need to drain some of that energy to set the stage for a successful introduction.  Whether it be a brand new puppy or an adult dog, all dogs require an outlet that stimulates the brain and works them physically.  Take the dog on a controlled walk, throw a ball, or start off with some basic training i.e. sit, lay, and recall.  In about 20-30 minutes your pup will have drained that bottled-up rocket fuel and have released those feel-good chemicals.  They now will be more receptive to meeting the new pack.  (Pro-Tip: Do not forget that the kiddos have balled up energy and they need will need an outlet before the introduction.) This is the time for setting your pack up for success, take all the time you need to prepare. For us crazy humans….We sometimes forget that just a little preparation on our part can play a vital role in the dog’s ability to more readily adapt to new situations in the future.  If you want to achieve this calm, controlled environment you must take the time to set it up.  There are several audiobooks and paperback books available out there that are inexpensive and would be a great addition to my blog post on introducing a new dog into the family. 

It’s important to ensure a smooth transition and establish a positive relationship from the start.

Another important aspect of introducing your working dog to kids is deciding on the area where everyone will meet.  Dogs are highly perceptive creatures, so both children and adults must be on the same page about how they will interact with the new dog, in addition to the space they will meet in.  Indeed, most people will resort to their living room or an area indoors for a first introduction.  This can be more convenient and ideal when the dog will live indoors with your pack, however, it may not be the best option.  Meeting in an outdoor space that is fenced would be my first choice.  The outdoor space allows both parties to approach at their will and also retreat if they feel they need to.  No pressure is the goal and will result in a positive experience.  You will notice the dog naturally move toward your pack to become a member of it.

Regardless of where you choose to introduce your working dog and kid(s) a discussion with the kids before the event should include not chasing the dog, picking up the dog, or allowing the dog to be on the same level with them.  The dog should not climb up on the couch, chair, or table to sit with the kid.  We want to promote a “pack mentality” and hierarchy.  If the dog is on the same level with the kid the kid is not a leader within the pack.  A pack leader does not allow his other pack members to sit on the “same level” with them.  Just remember, every minute you are interacting with your new dog, you are essentially training them to acclimate accordingly.

In closing, clear boundaries are an absolute must!  The new dog may be cute, fluffy, and have the new puppy smell which is irresistible but it will grow and mature into an adult dog that has teeth and is bred to work. The time is now to provide consistent, clear communication for mutual respect and a lifelong relationship of happiness.  With all the excitement of owning a new dog, the gradual introduction allows the dog to associate a positive experience with the new pack and feel safe to thrive.

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