puppies and little kids - advice?

[TJ]

We are picking up our first mini goldendoodle puppy tomorrow. He is 10 weeks old and we're naming him Finn. :) It's been almost 10 years since I've had a puppy, and I've never had a puppy and kids at the same time. I'm a single mom to two boys, ages 2 and 3. They have been around adult dogs a lot but never a puppy. 

Any advice on how to get this to go as smoothly as possible? We have a crate, an x-pen, a fenced yard, and I'm never out of the house for more than 3-4 hours on some days (usually just an hour or two)...I'm hoping this isn't too much for me to handle!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Good luck. We have a group on this, always do, and there may be more. Lots of discussions on this topic too.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/kidsanddoodles

[TJ]

Thanks! I'm new to this site and hadn't even seen this yet!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'd suggest the Puppy Madness Group. Lots of help and support with the typical puppy issues that drive people crazy, lol. .

[Adina P]

You are brave ;-)

I have two under 3 years old, and dogs that are 2 and 6 y.o.

My best advice is that you should feel free to separate pup and kids as needed.  You'll have to be prepared to redirect all three of them constantly.  When I got my 2 y.o. dog she was a little older than your pup and I only had a 7-8 mo old child.  I spent a lot of time with puppy outside and baby in my arms or in the outdoor swing.  That way puppy could play, pee, poo, play, pee, poo and I didn't have to worry about anything.  Then puppy would come inside and either would be crated, expenned, or tethered to the couch leg where she would be near but I didn't have to worry about her doing something out of my sight.  That was how puppy spent her first week with us.  Gradually I gave her more freedom in the house, in short increments. 
You could do the most puppy play, care, and all that while your kids nap (if they still do) and then have more 'chill' time when kids are awake (puppy tethered to you or couch leg)--keep in mind that at this age pup could chew through leash, so no unsupervised tethering.  It's like having another 2 year old basically...in my opinion.  A 2 y.o. with ADD and sharp teeth =)

[Christine & Camus]

Adina, Love the description - A 2 y.o. with ADD and sharp teeth. 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Adina's advice is perfect! The only thing I would add is that as you train you puppy, you need to train the kids that squeezing a puppy like it is a stuffed animal isn't allowed - ever!

When my daughters were 5 and 3, we got our Maggie, a Bearded Collie. We had a GR who passed away a few months before we found Maggie so they were used to having a big dog in the house. The huge difference was that Maggie was a herding dog. She had to keep 'her' kids safe and when they were on the swings, she went nuts. She would jump on and nip their feet and legs. I had to make a rule which could not be broken without serious consequences (spending some time in their rooms - back then there was no TVs in their rooms, years before computers and IPods) - never play in the yard if Maggie was out there and I was not. It was my responsibility to keep everyone safe so Maggie was on leash or inside the house if the kids were playing. 

Have fun and enjoy this time. It will be hectic but if you stay on a routine with the puppy and follow Adina's advice, you should stay sane!

[BG and Gavin]

Teach your kids the game "make like a tree and look for rain."  That involves them freezing in place, folding their arms and looking up to the sky.  When puppy is too wound up (nipping, jumping etc.) tell the kids to do this.

[Emily & Wispa]

Both puppy and kids need training how to live with one another.  Kids to be gentle with puppy and puppy to be gentle with kids.  Wispa seemed to instinctively know what babies are different than adults, and she acts very calm around our 15 month old nephew and 2 and 3 year old nieces.  Except when Henry, our nephew, grabbed her ear.  Then she yelped super loud and Henry started bawling.  Taught them both a bit of a lesson, though.

Can't help but share this photo again, though:

[Shannon and Finn]

I can say that the biggest challenge with our Finn and my kids is getting everyone to leave each other alone! They are always pestering each other and puppies have sharp teeth. The kids cried a lot when their hands and bums got nipped because Finn would chase them anytime they would turn around. Almost every shirt and pant in our house has holes from his quick attack! Keeping the puppy on a leash to train him will help you get through it. Since you have very little ones I would also recommend keeping the dog in a toy free zone since the kids will want to play without toys being swiped and chewed! Be prepared for the frustrations and chaos, it will get better. I use baby gates to separate and a leash for training Finn not to chase when the kids are playing. He is a sweet, generally calm puppy but he is still a pup who wants to play. He needed time outs on his leash when he was getting crazy and the kids were running. Also it's good to set a quick rule about not hugging or laying on the puppy. Its hard to do because kids want to give love but it overwhelms puppies. I think I repeat this rule 500 times a day. I have a "pet Finn with one hand only" rule with the kids. Finn is a lover so he makes it tough! Good luck and I hope you drink wine at the end of long days! Puppies grow fast so strict training from the get go pays off quickly, unlike my kids who require much more work. ;)

[Shannon and Finn]

Also, reward the puppy when he is behaving. I do this with the kids too. A lot of people with kids and puppies struggle with the unwanted behaviors and I think forget about the importance of rewarding everyone for the good, I know I did.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

A good way to cut down on the nipping, grabbing clothing (while it's being worn, lol), and stealing toys is to make it a rule from day one that you never ever play any game with the puppy that involves holding anything in the air over him and encouraging him to jump up and grab it. Ditto with treats; he sits and the treat is handed to him, no "sit up pretty". I would also not play any games that involve the dog pulling anything from your hand, including tug-of-war, and do not forcefully pull toys away from the dog . (Unless of course he has something inappropriate). This last one can be tricky with little kids, but it's crucial. Tell the kids that the dog is not allowed to take their toys and they are not allowed to take his. When you play "fetch", the dog must always drop the ball or toy before you throw it, do not wrest it out of his mouth.

And it goes without saying that you never allow anyone (males are usually the culprits with this) to play games that involve the dogs mouth on their hands.   

[TJ]

Thank you all again! So many good suggestions, I am making a list so I can have it handy when I introduce him to the kids tomorrow. I decided that his "official" name is Phineas, but we'll call him Finn for short. :) Here is a pic of our baby!