My family may have overcommitted on the dog front. We have three, who total about 400 pounds in weight, and are an integral part of our family. While not every family may want to go that route, many families have a dog or are thinking about getting one. While I obviously love dogs, there are some things to consider before introducing a dog to your own family.
Plenty of families have a dog and later add a baby or child to their family. If a dog is settled in a family and gets the amount of exercise it needs, most dogs are happy to accept a baby as theirs to protect.
On the other hand, if you have human children before buying or adopting a dog, you need to consider their relative developmental stages. Do you have a baby who is likely to tug a dog’s fur or poke their eyes if not supervised all the time? A puppy will naturally nip, so you may want to consider an older dog who has shown they remain calm around children. Alternatively, you may want to wait until your child is old enough (between 3-5 years old) to understand how to interact with a puppy.
Also consider where you get your dog. Our first dog, a Great Pyrenees mix, came from a local shelter. It was a debate we’d been having: rescue or breeder? Rescued dogs may have had bad life experiences, and need more careful handling. They may be older and more difficult to train. They’re often mixed-breed, which is fine (and may help avoid health problems like hip dysplasia), but if they are puppies you may not end up with the size of dog you were expecting.
When Reuben showed up on the website, we were thrilled — he was 11 months old, so mostly grown, but young enough to adjust to our house. And he had done well in foster homes with children and other dogs. He was also clearly mostly a single breed, so we hoped his natural predisposition to guarding small children and animals would work in our favor. It did! He was gentle with our infant and toddler, and we were able to supervise their interactions consistently for the first year to ensure the kids didn’t push the dog too far.
We got our first Great Dane puppy to keep Reuben company. Since we are lucky enough to have a large fenced in area, we weren’t worried about having to walk two large dogs regularly, but that’s definitely a big consideration in dog ownership.
This time we went with a breeder so we would have ownership of Junie’s young puppyhood and know she would adjust well to both our young children and our first dog (Great Danes can be grumpy occasionally). We made sure the breeder was responsible, saw pictures and videos of the home and the parents, and did a video call to make sure the dogs in the home were comfortable and well-socialized.
We picked a big breed to keep up with our existing big dog, and thought about how much fur we wanted to brush regularly, and what kinds of energy levels we were looking for in our family. Pyrenees and Danes are both fairly low-energy when they’re grown. Something like a Lab or a Beagle would need a lot more exercise. If you’re not super familiar with different dog breeds, the American Kennel Club has extensive information on each breed on their website.
Ask yourself all of these questions before you consider adding a furry friend to the family. A dog’s environment is important to ensure a happy and calm life. If you have more questions, consult a veterinarian or canine specialist for more information.
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Our third dog is our problem pet. He came from the same litter as Junie, but was adopted out to a family which promptly had a baby and lost the time to properly socialize a puppy. Of course there are families who can make a baby and a new puppy work — just be conscious of how much time and energy you have to devote to both.
When Hershey started hoarding baby clothes and threatening their toddler, he got returned to the breeder. The breeder did a lot of work re-socializing him, which helped, but after another few months without finding him a good home she asked if we would consider adopting him. Our kids were older by then and understood how to respect a dog’s space, and our yard made it relatively easy for us to absorb another dog.
We first did a trial visit. The two Great Danes didn’t seem to remember each other, but after a few rounds of meeting one person and one dog at a time in the front yard (neutral territory), we were able to let all three dogs loose in the back yard. Seeing them frolic as a pack was lots of fun, and the Chewbacca noises the Danes make when wrestling make me laugh every time.
Hershey is still our neediest dog. We’re careful to give him space when he eats, because that’s when he feels threatened most easily, and we monitor carefully when the kids are petting or hugging him. (He is, of course, their favorite dog of the three.) He’s the dog most likely to destroy something if we leave the house for too long, but having a pack around him seems to help. And being able to leave the dogs in the yard (weather permitting) when we’re gone helps too. We’re glad we’re able to make it work for him.
Allergies
As high as 20 percent of the world’s population are allergic to dogs. While many people think it’s dog hair that causes the allergic reaction, it’s actually their dead skin cells, called dander.
If someone is allergic to pet dander, the most common reactions are sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes. For people with asthma, coughing and wheezing can also occur. For minor symptoms, over-the-counter allergy medications usually work very well. If you have any concerns about allergies, it’s best to talk with your child’s pediatrician before bringing a new furry friend home.
If you have a child who is allergic to pet dander, does that mean you shouldn’t adopt a dog? Not necessarily. While no furry pet will be 100 percent hypoallergenic, there are dog breeds who produce less allergens than others. These include Poodles (and any Poodle mix such as Goldendoodles, Schnoodles and Labradoodles), Schnauzers, Shih Tzus and Bichon Frises.
If you do decide to adopt a dog — whether it’s hypoallergenic or not — keeping them well-groomed and bathed frequently will help reduce allergens. To help prevent the dander from getting in your child’s nose and eyes, make sure they wash their hands well after petting or playing with the dog. It’s also a good idea to keep the child’s room off-limits to the dog.
Whether you’re thinking of welcoming a dog into your home, or if you just live in a neighborhood with lots of dogs, the following safety tips are important to teach your kids.
Getting a dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences for families, especially when children are involved. However, it is always important to teach kids how to interact with their furry friends and be thoughtful about your decisions leading up to bringing a dog into your home. Ultimately, it is not just about getting a pet, but creating a loving home for everyone in it.
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