Your kids have begged and pleaded
with you, and finally, you've decided to give in. You’re getting a new dog.
If it’s your family’s first dog
or only current dog, it can be a big undertaking particularly if you’re a mom
with kids. You have to ensure that you’re prepared for the dog, your home is
ready, and also that your kids are up for the challenge.
It’s one thing for kids to beg
for a puppy and it’s quite another for them actually to have one. Depending on
the age of your kids, you may be most concerned about ensuring they learn to
treat the dog gently, or if your kids are older your priority may be making
sure your kids are taking on some of the responsibilities of caring for the
dog.
The following are some things moms
can keep in mind as they’re getting themselves and everyone else ready for the
arrival of a new family member.
Will Your Dog Be Left Alone During the Day?
An important and often overlooked
element of bringing a new dog to the family relates to what will happen during
the day when you may be out of the house or working, and your kids are likely
to be at school.
Dogs including new puppies as
well as dogs that have been adopted can respond differently to being home
alone. Some dogs may seem to enjoy it, while others may experience issues like
separation anxiety.
One option that can work well is
hiring an on-demand dog walker. According to Wag!
Walking, which is a dog-walking service, the benefits of hiring someone to
do this include the fact that it’s convenient and you can also get an activity
report after every walk.
If you hire a dog walker, it
provides stimulation that’s so important for your new dog, and there are also
opportunities for socialization if your walker visits a dog park or other
places where dogs are present.
If you’re not going to go with a
dog walking service, you might think about a doggie daycare. It’s important for
dogs to feel like they are around other animals or people during the day.
Otherwise, you may come home and find some not-so-great surprises waiting for
you.
Is There a Specific Place Your Dog Can Initially Spend Time?
When you first bring a new
dog into your home, you’re going to be going through the housetraining
process, and there are going to inevitably be some accidents along the way.
It’s a good idea to have a designated part of your home where your new pet can
spend time that it’s not going to be a huge nightmare to clean if there is an
accident.
Good places can include the
kitchen or the laundry room. You can use baby gates to keep your new pup
contained while you work on housetraining. Just like you at one point baby-proofed
your home, you’ll need to do something similar before you bring a dog home.
Think about electrical cords, chemicals and household items, and breakables. Of
course, if you still have young kids, these things might be taken care of.
The goal when you bring a new dog
home during the initial weeks should be keeping them in your sight as much as
possible. Over time this won’t be the case, but at first, it’s best.
If you’re going to be crate
training, you should have everything set up and ready to go
before you bring your dog home.
Help Your Kids Prepare
You want to make sure your kids
are prepared for the new arrival, and a lot of this is about teaching them how
to treat a dog. You also want your kids to understand that a dog is going to be
uncomfortable coming into a new environment, so it’s important to teach them to
be quiet and calm around the dog, at least initially.
If you’re adopting
a dog from a shelter, prepare your kids the best you can for the fact that
the dog may be timid or may react strangely to certain things depending on
their history.
Finally, make sure you set all rules for the dog
up front, possibly before you even bring it home. You want to let your kids
know where the dog can and can’t go, and you want to stick with a plan. Of
course, things don’t always go according to plan which you likely well know if
you’re a mom, but dogs tend to do better in consistent environments, much like
your little ones.
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