#186 Kids & Dogs: A Training Partnership

Ever watched your child and dog interact and wondered how to transform those sometimes chaotic moments into meaningful training opportunities? The magic happens when we understand that perfect obedience isn't the goal—communication is.

Chapters

• 0:00 Safe Kid-Dog Training Introduction
• 0:41 Leash Walking Tips for Children
• 1:22 Creating Space for Confident Training
• 2:03 Simple Interactive Training Games
• 3:21 Building Communication and Empathy

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

So let's talk about how we can involve our kids in the dog training process in ways that are actually safe, effective and helpful, but without overwhelming the dog or the child. Dogs and kids can be great together, but training sessions can sometimes become a little chaotic. Kids are still learning body awareness and timing and impulse control, and the dogs are still excitable and jumpy. So that means we have to set them up for success both of them. So when it comes to leash walking, here's my go-to. If the child is walking a small dog, I have them keep their leash hand tucked into their jacket or their pants pocket. This gives the leash a consistent anchor point and it prevents the child from accidentally rewarding pulling. And if the child takes their hand out of their pocket, allowing the dog to pull, you don't have to start yelling. Don't reward pulling, don't let him pull, but instead just remind them that their hand isn't in their pocket anymore. Issue solved Training can be intimidating for small children because they're usually face-to-face with the dog and even a jumping puppy can get into their space. So it's okay for your child to sit on a tall chair or step stool or even stand on an ottoman when they train. This should keep the dog out of their face, allowing them to learn how to cue and reward confidently, and it's a great way to teach cues like sit down or even leave it, without the dog being right there in the child's face. You can also teach the dog to touch a target, like a wooden spoon or the child's hand, and then have the child hold the target. It's a simple, low pressure and super fun way to get them to interact. The child gets to ask the dog for something without needing perfect timing or a loud voice. Or you could let your child be the treat dispenser. You cue a behavior, the dog responds and the child delivers the treat. That lets them feel involved without being responsible for the timing or training mechanics. This also helps them identify appropriate behavior and then they get some practice about the timing of delivering a reward treat. You can even let your child help introduce your dog to the place cue. Maybe give the child five to six treats. Let them show the dog the treat and then have them toss a treat on the place object. When the dog gets the first treat, toss the next treat and then continue until all the treats are gone. The dog doesn't have to get on the place object at this point, but they usually will eventually.

Speaker 1: 3:23

You can also ask your child to narrate the dog's good choices. Encourage your child to spot and name. When the dog is doing something right, like laying down, quietly, sitting, politely, ignoring a distraction. It turns the child into an observer and helps them learn what appropriate behavior looks like. But letting your child help with the training it builds empathy, responsibility and confidence. But the goal isn't perfection. It's not even really training. It's to help your dog and your child learn how to communicate with each other. So start small, keep it fun and always supervise. And subscribers, click the link in the episode notes to download your free printable guide Six Fun Ways Kids Can Help Train the Dog.