How to Safely Introduce a Puppy to Children & Dogs to Babies
Dogs and children can have a loving relationship when introductions are done right. Find out how to get their relationship off to a flying start.
Just like our children, our dogs are part of our families. It’s only natural that we want them to get on and become lifelong friends but that needs careful management from the start.
If you’ve recently got a new puppy or had a new baby, you may be wondering about dogs and children and how to begin the relationship. At Purina, we’ve put together this useful guide that tells you how to introduce dogs and children, and the first steps you should take to create the building blocks for a loving, understanding friendship.
Bringing a New Puppy Home to Children: A Step-by-Step Guide
For a puppy - especially one who hasn't seen many small children – children don’t look like the adults they may have met. They make sudden jerky movements, often smell different, and frequently produce some very odd noises - all of which are things that can intimidate, frighten or excite a puppy. This is why if you have children, finding a puppy from a breeder who has similar aged children in the house can help make the introductions easier.
For older children:
- Your children should already be used to child-friendly dogs - whether they belong to other family members or to friends - and so already know how to behave around them. If not, this is an ideal first step before you bring your puppy home.
- For their first meeting, choose a location in a familiar room where the puppy doesn’t feel cornered and where they feel they can easily escape if they feel they need to.
- If possible, have two adults present, so that one can focus on the puppy and one on the child (especially if young) so you can always make sure that both are happy. If you have multiple children, it can be less overwhelming for everyone, especially the dog, if the introductions are phased with one at a time.
- Get your child to either sit or kneel on the floor, then allow your puppy to come to them - but only if they want to. The puppy needs to be able to approach in their own time and not feel they are being forced into a scary situation.
- For the first meeting, let the puppy explore your child themselves so they get a chance to sniff them, see them, hear them - and realise they are safe and just like a human only smaller!
- If the puppy doesn’t want to approach - or doesn’t immediately - don’t force them or even encourage them. This should be your puppy’s decision when they think this new person is safe.
- Make sure there is no grabbing, squealing or hugging!
- If your puppy is happy and enjoying the interaction, you can ask your child to gently stroke their head and neck, avoiding sensitive areas like the ears, tail, feet and stomach.
- If either are getting over-excited, use baby gates or a crate/play pen to separate them and repeat the introduction when they are more relaxed.
- Having your puppy in a playpen in the same room as the family, can give both a chance to get used to each other without the pressure to interact.
By keeping introductions gentle and low-key, and fully supervised, both the puppy and your child can begin to gain confidence with each other, and this will help get the relationship off on the right foot.
If your child is old enough, encourage them to join in with dog walking, grooming and training as the puppy grows up – this helps encourage the bond between them.
Preparing Your Dog & Home for a New Baby
When considering how to introduce a dog to a baby, it’s important to remember it’ll be a huge change for your dog. They are used to being the focus of your attention and may not understand why things have suddenly changed. In turn, while you are excited about the birth of your baby, it is important to remember that your dog still needs your attention too.
Set up stair gates
Do some work with your dog long before the baby comes home. Set up baby gates in key doorways, and practice leaving your dog while you go from room to room (leave them with a treat or something to chew as a pleasurable distraction) so they begin to get used to not being able to follow you everywhere. These gates will be invaluable when the baby comes home as when you need to, you can keep your dog at the other side of a gate, but they don’t feel shut away, and can still see what is going on and see where you are. They can also get used to seeing the baby but from a safe distance.
Crates can be useful
If they are crate trained, setting up a large crate in your main room will mean your dog can relax in the crate while you are focused on the baby but will still be with you and be part of family life. You could use a large puppy play pen too.
Practise this before the baby comes home so there isn’t suddenly a change in routine.
Changes to their routine
Try and get your dog used to a new routine that’s centred around caring for your baby (feeding times and sleeping times) before the birth, and give them a chance to get used to the other objects that come with a baby, such as you walking with a pushchair. Practice as much as you can before you have to do it ‘for real’ – when you will have lots of other things to think about!
Refresh their basic training
In the run-up to the birth, remind your dog of simple training exercises such as not jumping up (especially when you are carrying things). This will be important when you are carrying your baby around the house.
If you are finding any of this difficult or if you have any concerns, contact a trainer or behaviourist to help you before your baby comes home.
Get them used to baby sounds
Use sound effects of a baby crying so your dog gets used to the new noises.
Post-Arrival: How to Introduce Your Newborn Baby to Your Dog
Once your baby comes home you can help your dog get used to their new family member with our handy tips listed below:
Get them used to your baby’s smell
If you have the baby in hospital, let the dog smell something from you from the hospital (such as a blanket) that smells of the baby before they come home.
Make time for your pup
Try to not to treat your dog any differently (difficult though that can be) – and make sure they still get your attention and have plenty of opportunities for ‘dog time’. They still need your attention, walks, and games, and behaviour problems can arise if they are neglected, bored, frustrated or under-exercised - or just that suddenly you are not paying any attention to them.
Keep them busy
When you’re busy with your baby, keep your dog occupied with enrichment toys – and play with your dog or just interact with them when your baby is asleep.
Remember they still love you and need your love in return.
Get help, if you need it
If to start with you’re not able to dedicate enough time to exercise your dog, find a dog walker or enlist the help of a family member to either walk your dog or babysit your baby. If your dog knows any of your friends or family and is used to spending time with them, you could even let them have a few days away with them while you get the baby settled in the house.
A new baby is a busy and exciting time – but managed well, your baby and your dog will become the very best of friends.
The Golden Rule: Never Leave Children & Pets Unsupervised
Never leave a puppy or dog and a child alone together; regardless of how tolerant your dog is and how well your child has adapted to the house rules. Accidents can happen. You might not know if your dog is in pain and therefore has a lower tolerance to the noises they’re normally used to. Your child could accidentally fall over onto the dog and frighten them. We all have off days and for the safety of your child and your dog, their relationship needs to develop under supervision, rewarding calm and gentle interactions on both sides.
If you have any concerns about the behaviour of your dog with your children, keep them separate and consult an accredited and experienced behaviourist immediately who can help you.
Learn Dog Body Language (and don’t expect your children to be able to)
Another factor to consider is that when children are very young, they don’t have the social skills to recognise when a dog is feeling uncomfortable or a puppy is getting worried. They’ll also struggle to identify dog’s body language and won’t understand when they’re telling them to back off or getting annoyed. It’s important that as a parent and potential dog owner, you learn how to read dog body language so you can tell when they are feeling worried or uncomfortable. By knowing this, you can prevent any misunderstandings or accidents happening either with your own dog or dogs of family and friends. Some of these signs can be quite subtle, but once you start looking out for them, you will be able to see them clearly.
Signs of an anxious dog:
- Yawning.
- Licking their lips or nose.
- Showing the white of their eyes.
- Holding their ears back.
- Looking away from the child (or whoever is touching them) or just trying to escape or walk away.
Your child, especially if quite young, is very unlikely to spot these signs so it’s important that you do. By being able to do this, and not to expect your dog to be happy being hugged, grabbed or chased, you can prevent your dog feeling overwhelmed, scared or defensive. In most cases where a child is injured or bitten, it isn’t because the parent wasn’t present, it was because the parent didn’t know what signs they were looking for.
You should explain to your child that you should always treat the dog gently and never grab, hug, or pull at your dog.
It’s also a good idea to tell them never to wake a sleeping pup or disturb the dog when they are eating or have a treat.
That’s our guide for introducing dogs or puppies and children. Looking to add a four-legged friend to your family? Read our guides on the best dog breeds for families and kids, and puppy socialisation, next.
FAQs
Purina Editorial Team
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