# Puppies and Kids - Suggestions?



## SandraDee (Oct 19, 2010)

We just got our new little puppy five days ago. My kids are 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 years old. They are great with the dog, except when it comes to him being in his crate.

We are trying to get him crate trained so that it is just easier for us when we go out, and easier for the puppy if he needs to have a break from the chaos in the house.

Right now though the problem is my kids just won't leave him alone when he is in there. If he goes in there to nap and we leave the door open, the go and bug him until he comes out . If we are going out of the house and we put him in there, they go and stick their fingers through the door and bug him and get him all hyped up and barking.

So its not really a dog problem, its a kid problem. I've tried to get my kids to understand but they don't care, they just want to be with the dog.

Any suggestions what to do?


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## Crazy Kian (Aug 10, 2009)

put them in there too ;D.... I joke.
Can you not let them know that the puppy needs his sleep so he can play with them later.... I'm reaching here as I have no children. :-\, sorry


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## scooby (Mar 23, 2009)

I to have got 2 boys who love playing with Scooby, we had Scooby's crate in the kitchen so if he wanted to go in he was out of sight of them cause usually they'd be else were in the house playing, it didn't always work i found my youngest sat reading to him on one occasion, but i'd say stick with the rules for the kids and i'm sure once the newness has worn off abit they'll leave him be. Good luck


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

I have 3 young children who specialize in space invasion & dog annoyance! Just like with the puppy, they are in training too. The 2 dog crates are in our bedroom which means the kids are in & out. Out of respect for the puppy & safety, I have been giving time-outs, removal of privledges, and taking away toys. My youngest just turned 3, and she is slowly getting it. If I can not be supervisong, I shut my bedroom door. Again, braking of the door boundary is met with consequence. I also reward & praise like crazy at the slighest show of respect by the kids. My youngest gets stickers or an m&m sometimes. The kid thing can be tiresome & irksome, but I knew we would face the issue when we got the puppy. I feel it is imperative for the kids to learn to respect the crate/space of the dog. If I let it slide (I know my dogs won't act agressively), but what if we are somewhere else with someone else's dog? It has been a challenge for us too, but I am prepared to try/do whatever is necessary. The nice flip-side is the kids are learning to show more respect for Mom & Dad's space too  Best of luck!


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## Moose (Oct 2, 2010)

we got Moose when I was 6 months pregnant with our 1st, so we've been lucky with crate training being when the baby was still in utero ;-) 

BUT my oldest is now 4, my daughter is 2, and my youngest is 11 months AND I also run a home daycare and have a 10 month old and a 15 month old running around here, at all times. I am firm when it comes to respect towards the dog, and his things. our dog has very odd habits, and doesn't deal well with change...of his things. He has two big dog pillows and if they are moved, even an inch from where they normally are..he gets very anxious. The kids get a time out if the beds are moved [because kids loooove to see dogs get anxious, especially when they've caused it] and if I catch them smacking him for no reason [...also a favourite habit of theirs] that's a BIG time-out and removal of priviledges. Moose will allow them to do anything, they can even take his food and he just stands back and waits until they move onto other things. 

I would put your dog's crate in an area that can be out of sight to the kids- because chances are, if they can't see him relaxing in his crate, they won't go searching for him ...all the time. But be consistent, and make sure the pup knows that when you're disciplining the kids- you're not disciplining him.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Can I say it? Crate the kids!  ;D I'm just kidding. That's a difficult situation. I would be real carefull. At some point any dog will bite. Be very careful not to let that behavior continue. I say kids one room, and the dog in another. The dog needs to be left alone in his crate or bed "anytime" he goes there. That's his place, and when he goes there he is giving us a signal. "*LEAVE ME ALONE*"


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## SandraDee (Oct 19, 2010)

Linescreamer said:


> Can I say it? Crate the kids!  ;D I'm just kidding. That's a difficult situation. I would be real carefull. At some point any dog will bite. Be very careful not to let that behavior continue. I say kids one room, and the dog in another. The dog needs to be left alone in his crate or bed "anytime" he goes there. That's his place, and when he goes there he is giving us a signal. "*LEAVE ME ALONE*"


Ha ha, my 2 year old gladly climbs in there when the dog has vacated the area, not sure how she would feel if I shut the door though 


My 4 year old is really great with following the rules. We had a discussion about how the crate is going to work and she is good. She won't go in the same room as it, if he's in there, and she doesn't run straight to it when we get home, she ignores the dog, until I've gone and let him out.

The other one is a different story. We've implemented time outs if she bugs the dog or even goes near the room if he's in the crate. 

When I was about 10 we had a V that was very very protective of his crate, and he did indeed bite my Dad, so I'm all too familiar with it, and I don't want to have a dog that is so territorial over the crate or that frightened that it comes to that. So I know that the kids need to just leave the dog. Its hard to reason with a 2 year old though


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Terrible 2ssss :


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## christine (Oct 19, 2010)

I have 5-year-old triplets. We got our Vizsla puppy about 2 and a half weeks ago. So far training the kids has been harder than training the puppy, but I expected that.  Fortunately they are old enough now to understand the rules and (mostly) follow them. And know that there will be consequences if they don't! As you well know a 2-year-old child has very little impulse control so I think you're just going to have to be consistent and not let the kids around the dog unsupervised. Sounds like you're making progress with your 4-year-old and I agree with the time-outs for the 2-year-old. At that age sticker charts and rewards also worked pretty well for us. Maybe if she goes through a day with no dog-related time outs she gets a sticker, and after x number of stickers she gets some kind of special treat? But if she just can't control herself around the dog I think for her safety and the puppy's you might need to find a different place for the crate that she can't get to.

Good luck!

-Christine


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Ahhhh yesss the old sticker trick! ;D Mine went to chips after stickers and then to quarters. The more chips you have the more influence on what's on TV or what's for dinner! ;D


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