Have a baby on the way or considering bringing a new dog into your home with young children? Here are some helpful articles and resources to help keep everyone safe.
Check out www.familypaws.com.
This is an excellent website that offers expert resources for young families with dogs. If you have young children, this is a great source of information. An informative article on the topic can be found at www.safety.com.
I encourage all my clients with young children to really consider basket muzzle training for their dogs. Some people have a negative connotation to basket muzzles thinking they are only for aggressive dogs. In reality, they are simply a fence for your dogs teeth. They are an extra layer of protection when children and dogs are interacting. Even the most observant parent can become distracted for a split second. The basket muzzle is a nice backup safety measure. If introduced properly, dogs can learn to enjoy wearing a basket muzzle. They quickly learn that it is associated with food and attention.
My favorite brand is the Baskerville Ultra muzzle. It is durable, yet comfortable. It allows the dog to eat, drink, pant, and bark:
This is an excellent video that demonstrates the simple steps to introducing the basket muzzle in a positive way.