Should Fido Join Your Family?

My friend, L, came to me with a dilemma. Her little boys had been begging for a dog for months, and while she had started looking around for a pup, she was still hesitant. She asked me for my opinion, but since we had our dog long before the Little P’s made their appearances, I wasn’t sure what to tell her. So I questioned two experts to help us determine when the time is right to welcome a furry little brother or sister into a home.

The most obvious sign L might not be ready? She’s letting pleasing her children affect her dog decision. “Too many parents want to get a dog for their kids, but the parents have to want the dog and be motivated,” said Cindy Kuschel who runs Cindy’s Critter Camp in Maryville, Ill. and has rescued and placed dogs for 25 years. “Nine times out of 10, the kids will lose interest within a week. Sometimes a stuffed animal is all a young child needs if he’s begging for a dog.” In fact, Kuschel noted that in most cases, parents are encouraged to wait until children are at least 5 years old or older before introducing a new dog to the family.

Even more important, parents need to determine if they themselves have the time to train, exercise and care for really, another child in the family. Too often, balancing a household and chasing toddlers leave parents with little time and energy to take Rover on a much needed walk or give him the parent-dog time he deserves.

For those parents and their children willing to make the commitment to a new dog, a commitment almost as significant as bringing a new little human home, measures must be taken beforehand to ensure the dog is the right match for their family’s time commitments and energy level. Mom, for instance, may want a teacup poodle, but kindergartener Junior might consider him just a fluffy action figure.

Said Becky Krueger, Director of Education & Public Relations at the Animal Protective Association of Missouri (APA) via email, “Puppies and adult dogs are adorable, and it’s hard not to fall in love with them, but when you are looking for a dog, make sure your choose with your head. Do your homework – research the breed, check with your city/municipality to see if there are breed restrictions, if you rent your home, check with your landlord. Also, take into consideration the dog’s age. An older dog may be better suited for your family and lifestyle.” (ED Note: A good resource for those looking for an older dog is the non-profit St. Louis Senior Dog Project www.stlseniordogproject.typepad.com)

Time to train

Krueger suggested that when a family does make the decision to proceed with adoption, parents must visit with potential dogs first to gauge each pup’s disposition, energy level and obedience level before introducing them to their children. On a follow-up visit, parents can observe how their children interact with the dogs, and kids can learn about dog care and responsibilities from trained APA adoption counselors.

As always, training a dog is imperative to the safety of both the dog and the family members. “Everyone in the family should be very involved with dog training,” said Krueger. “In order for the training to be a success, everyone must be consistent. But, just like with the care of the dog, the parents are responsible for the training – however, children should have an active role as well.”

And no matter how well you train your dog, both Krueger and Kuschel agree – when young children and dogs are in a room together, parents must be as well. Preschoolers need to be protected from the pet just as the pet needs to be protected from the preschooler. “I always say kids and dogs are like kids and swimming pools,” remarked Kuschel. “They’re great together, but parental supervision is needed at all times.”

With Kuschel’s and Krueger’s advice in hand, I shared my findings with L and her husband. They thought about the issues and agreed – they’d revisit selecting a dog after the back-to-school craziness slowed down, do their research, and when the time is right, adopt one of the thousands of dogs that need a loving home and two warmhearted little boys.

By Nicole Plegge, Lifestyle Blogger for SmartParenting