Adopting a dog when you have kids

Your 8-year-old son and your 1-year-old pooch are playing in the room next to you, when suddenly you hear a growl coming from your dog. You race into the room and find your son trying to get the family dog to sit in a chair. Your son explains they were just playing a game and Fido needed to be sitting in that chair.

Luckily you were nearby, but things could have gotten out of hand; your son could have been bitten.

Young children are not able to interpret a dog's language, and the dog is incapable of communicating in other ways. Almost all dog bites are a result of failure on the parents' part to recognize and prevent potential problem situations.

Although dogs are capable of learning to control their behavior and not bite, and older children can learn to leave the dog alone, adult supervision is essential. Small children should never be left alone with any dog, no matter how reliable he has been before. Small children don't recognize a warning, such as a growl, when they hear one and very young children (under the age of 6) don't know what a growl means. A responsible adult needs to be on the scene to prevent any aggressive behavior by the dog and to keep her child from putting himself in danger.

Not every dog is right for a child and not every child is right for a dog. Your child will need to be trained on how to treat a dog, and Fido will need to be trained for tolerance, besides strict obedience training when around your child.

So, plan on spending lots of time training your dog and your child when bringing a new dog into your home with young family members.

Obedience training and socialization are absolute musts for a dog that will be spending time with children. Remember that a dog will act according to his instincts if he doesn't receive proper training or if that training isn't kept up through regular practice. Your dog needs to be taught to obey commands under all conditions no matter how distracting. Just like when your dog responds to "come" could save his life one day, an immediate response to the command "leave it" could save a child from serious injury.

The best approach to adopting a dog when you have children is to wait until your child is over 5. Researchers have found that children 7 or older can be ready to start developing a rewarding relationship with a new furry friend.

Take your time when looking for a dog, educate yourself about dog breeds. Finding the right dog for your child requires some detective work. Certain breeds can play a genetic role in a pet's personality and there are certain breeds that are more suitable for kids.

All ages of dogs have their advantages and disadvantages to consider. Puppies require more time and care and will need training not to play bite, and jump up on your kids. And a puppy's baby teeth are razor sharp until around four months of age when they get their adult teeth. An older dog may have pain and medical issues that limit their patience, especially around children. So the best choice for most families is a young adult dog that has previously lived successfully with children. You need to look for a pooch that obviously loves kids and doesn't merely tolerate them.

According to the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, families with very young children should look for a dog no smaller than 25-30 pounds, because a sturdier companion will not feel so vulnerable around children. And in general, very large dogs are often a better choice than very little dogs when the family includes babies and toddlers. Many of the large breeds such as Newfoundlands, hounds and retrievers, are generally more easy-going and are less likely to be hurt when accidentally stepped on or tripped over.

Dogs can help teach a child responsibility, patience, empathy and compassion. But remember, no young child is capable of properly training or completely caring for a new pooch, so the parent should always ultimately take full responsibility for the new dog.

Remember that a dog's basic temperament, instincts and training have the biggest effects on how that dog reacts to the world around him, and his levels of tolerance. A dog will react to situations according to what his instincts tell him unless these instincts are overridden by consistent training and socialization throughout his life. Remember to teach your children how to behave correctly and safely around all pets.