Dogs and Pre-Schoolers

This week I took my dog, Leskie, into my sons pre-school for a show and tell. I did a short talk on a dog’s needs and how to behave around them, then we showed off some of her tricks. The biggest crowd pleaser was getting her and my son to high five me at the same time :-)

Me and Leskie at pre-school

Me and Leskie at pre-school

Although I had never done this before Leskie was very calm and took it all in her stride (she is six now!) and my son was so excited to show her off. The children were around three or four years old and were so well behaved, they listened intently, gave answers and asked questions politely and even gave Leskie some treats.

Talking to the preschoolers about dog care

Talking to the preschoolers about dog care

 

Preschoolers learning how to greet dogs correctly

Preschoolers learning how to greet dogs correctly

My key goal was to impart some safety measures onto the children and teach them appropriate ways of interacting with dogs. Many accidents amongst children and dogs are due to a lack of supervision and education. It is never the dog’s fault.  Here’s some of my top tips for how children should interact with dogs.

Do:

  • Be kind
  • Ask the dog’s owner if they like kids before approaching
  • Stroke the dog’s backs or chest with a flat hand
  • Walk calmly around the dog
  • Throw a ball for the dog to catch
  • Pull a toy on string for the dog to chase, let go when they catch it
Peas in a pod

Peas in a pod

Don’t:

  • Play with the dog unattended
  • Stare at the dog for too long or closely
  • Run towards dogs
  • Handle dogs heads
  • Pull dogs tail, fur or ears
  • Climb on or hit dogs
  • Take toys/bones off dogs
  • Disturb dogs when eating or sleeping
  • Shout around them (dogs have very sensitive hearing)

 

Pro Dog School. Reward the good, prevent the bad.

About the Author: Holly Keeling. Dog Trainer in Sussex, England. Mother to furrbaby Leskie 5yrs and little humans Teddy 3yrs and Louie 1yr. Outdoor lover. A blog about raising kids and dogs and my life as a dog trainer. View more blogs here.

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Holly

Holly Keeling. Dog Trainer in Sussex, England. Mother to furrbaby Leskie 5yrs and little humans Teddy 3yrs and Louie 1yr. Wife to Tim. Outdoor lover. A blog about raising kids and dogs and my life as a dog trainer.

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