Searching for Reading Material

[Melissa Lowman]

First, I want to say Happy New Year!!! Good Riddance 2013! (Had to be said)...now to the point. Recently I purchased Raising puppies and Kids Together by by Pia Silvani and Lynn Eckhardt. While very informative it is geared more toward raising puppies and toddlers. Does anyone know of any good reference books for raising puppies and older kids (9 yrs old)? I keep having conversations with my son on how routines, etc. will change, what he will be RESPONSIBLE for in helping to raise our new addition and his response is always..."I know mom". Hmmmm, right. He's nine! He doesn't know squat about raising this puppy. I don't want to sound like the "nagging" mom so I'm asking everyone here for any helpful tips, book ideas, etc. for my boy. I feel I need to kind of train him before this puppy. 

Does that sound strange? Am I thinking about this too much?

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Not sure about reading material, but I was just going to suggest once you have your doodle, to
Enroll him in puppy classes and take your son so he can learn how to work with your new puppy also.

[Wendy and Myla]

What a great idea!  Maybe you could enroll him in the class with the puppy and you could watch!  That way he would really feel responsible!  My grandson goes with his other grandma to agility training and absolutely loves it - he is always telling me what to do with Myla!

[Melissa Lowman]

That's an absolute must ! ;)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

IMO, it's a mistake to expect any child of any age to be responsible for any part of raising a puppy. The responsibility is always the adults', and should be. 

[Melissa Lowman]

I understand your point of view, and I will be primary owner/trainer ALWAYS. BUT he will be expected to HELP with going for walks, exercising puppy with us, learning to be more responsible himself regarding picking up his toys, shoes, etc. He is getting older and more is expected of him. This puppy, while a family pet, and hopefully therapy dog, is also going to be his playmate. I feel my son needs to learn appropriate behaviors when giving commands and appropriate play, and boundaries. 

[Jennifer and Jack]

Awww I think it's great getting your child involved with raising the puppy. It can teach them responsibility, love, and a whole bunch of life lessons.

I think including them in the training and things like that gives them a sense of ownership and a vested interest. Of course a nine year old can only "help" because they are really so young to be able to take full responsibility of the dog...... But helping teaches great values. When Jack went to puppy classes we had lots of families there. It was great, the puppy had one teacher which would need to be an adult but the kids also learned so much.

Recently I had a nine year old stay with me for a bit..with their family and I allowed him to feed Jack of course with my supervision ....he played with him under supervison and took him in the yard to play. Not allowed to walk him alone.


I think the more he is vested the more he will want to be playing with the puppy.....they can be great friends, a little puppy though at first is like a newborn and they bite a lot, nip a lot and that can cause your nine year old to react in a way that may scare the puppy..........

With you knowing you are in charge of all the real puppy care, as your son proves himself responsible he can earn more privileges.....feeding ..poop scooping, brushing etc....


Congratulations on the new puppy ....also you can check out the library for books on how to care for puppies that are age appropriate.....also some training books so your child knows what to do when nipping and other normal puppy issues come up.... You can have him help pick out collars leashes toys.....

Your son may get bored after a while and not want to always participate but I know lots of kids around that age that the dogs sleeps with them at night and they are great friends.

[Melissa Lowman]

Jennifer, Yes exactly my thoughts. That's why I was  looking for reading material for myself and my son actually. So he understands better what I'm talking to him about. I'm this future puppy 's mom and of course I will constantly be supervising but it is important to us as a family to have him involved more and more as his confidence increases and he proves himself as you had stated.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Yes!!!! It can be so much fun and life is all about learning opportunities..... I don't have any children but Jack has been raised a round them and he loves them.....

I know you are going to be a great doggie mom....already doing research.....when is your puppy coming? Did you pick out names.....

I was given a puppy shower for. Jack....I have given more baby showers then I can count so my friends gave me a puppy shower. And I got a lot,of great gifts for Jack

Maybe your family can have a puppy party and get to pick so e present a for the puppy. ..get a cake..read some books....I am all about making everything I can a fun learning experience.

[Melissa Lowman]

We will not be able to bring this puppy home until May/June. As for names.....UGH! What started as a list of 8 possible names (4 girl, 4 boy) has increased to a whopping 50!?!?!? It has become an entire family affair. Kaleb is set at this point in time on Riley or Rosey. I too believe in positive learning opportunities, that's the PT in me, I'm just wired that way :).

[Jennifer and Jack]

We seem to be wired the same....good for you planning so far in advance!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Hi Melissa, My oldest daughter's first word was DOG and she begged for a dog from the time she could talk. My youngest daughter was petrified of dogs. Well, I promised my oldest that when we got a house, she could get a dog and I don't think the ink was dry on the contract when she reminded us of our promise. I was panicked because I worked and really didn't want to take care of one more thing, but we had made a promise and so at the age of 10 she got her dog. While we were waiting to get our puppy, she made sure to tell all of us and especially her sister that she was the only one who could walk the dog, feed the dog, and care for the dog. That probably lasted ONE week and Hershey became my dog and really, my youngest daughter's dog. The daughter who was petrified of Hershey bonded with her and Hershey will always be her heart dog.

I think nine is a nice age for a boy to get a dog, but just know that while you can encourage your son to help with the dog, the majority of the care will fall on you. I still talk about my daughter and the fact that I had to do everything for Hershey and all she ever says is, "mom, I was 10. You should have known better." LOL She is 29 now and has two dogs of her own and has turned into a wonderful dog owner.

I don't know of any books, but I wrote this blog that you might enjoy.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/profiles/blogs/before-fudge-and-vernpar...

[Melissa Lowman]

Thank you for sharing that with me Laurie. My son has  also pleaded with us for a dog for many years. Fish no longer pacify him. He adores his grandparents dogs, BUT they belong with the grandparents, not us, and are old now. So they cannot play the way he wishes they could. His Aunts dogs are an entirely different story. While one  is older, the other one is almost one yr old and their neighbors own a black lab. The boys are constantly running between yards playing with those dogs. I'm not sure who exhausts whom more lol! Our son says "Mommy fish just don't cut it any longer. They don't play EVER." Well, I can't dispute that and he is an only child who I feel takes pleasure in reminding us how lonely he is (no sibling, no dog, NEVER a cat, and few children his age in our neighborhood). So I get it I understand his wants, wishes, etc. Another child sadly is not n the cards for us. I know he will be a good buddy to this puppy that will no doubt change our lives forevermore. 

I am also a realist and know who will be up at Oh-dark thirty walking a puppy for potty training, and all other aspects of puppy care for the most part (big neon arrow pointing to my head), but Kaleb also needs to be a helper and wants to be  involved which we encourage. So really only time will tell if he loses interest in helping  or more true to his nature thus far in his life try to bulldoze us and become the nurturer/protecter. That's a story for another day, but I believe in a prior life he owned a wildlife rescue.  But as far as training Kaleb before the pup comes home is concerned, it's all about establishing new routines, waking earlier, volume control as he's a typical boy, not running thru the house as if a herd of cattle were hot on his heels, picking up after himself so the puppy doesn't gobble it up on th  blink of an eye...that kind of training. Do you see where im going with this..."nagging" mom. I want him to "get it" without me "nagging".