Giving your Kids a Puppy

Puppies are playful, cuddly, furry and fun. They can make a great companion for your kids. Choosing a pet is an important decision. With careful consideration, your family and pet will share in a mutually beneficial relationship. Dogs can be a wonderful part of your family and teach your children important lessons about friendship, love and life.

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CMVA) stresses the importance of taking the time to carefully choose a puppy. They recommend a series of temperament tests to ensure that the puppy you choose will blend well into your family and provide a great experience for both your children and the dog.

1. Separate the puppy from the others and step a few paces back from the dog. Crouch down, clap your hands lightly and call it over. Puppies that come quickly with their tails level or down are most likely to respond well to training. If the puppy comes quickly and tries to bite you, it will probably be difficult to train. Puppies that come slowly or not at all, will in all likelihood be overly shy or anti-social.

2. Give the puppy a good rub. Pet its shoulders, back, neck and head. Touch its ears, muzzle and feet. Aggressive puppies may anger, growl, jump at you or try to take a bite out of you. An adaptable puppy will wiggle and lick at your hands. These puppies will enjoy the attention. Submissive pups will roll over, bare their bellies, turn away and quite possibly urinate. Shy guys will ignore you, struggle or walk away from your caress.

3. Roll the puppy onto its side or back and hold it gently until it relaxes under your hold. Aggressive puppies will struggle violently, growl, cry and try to bite you. Easy to train puppies will probably struggle but should calm down quickly and not attempt to bite you. Submissive puppies will just lie there.

Families with children should ensure that they choose an adaptable puppy. If the puppy is too aggressive or dominant, it will be too hard to train and perhaps try to harm a child. But on the other hand, a submissive, shy puppy will need gentle handling and may need to be protected from the rough and tumble handling of a child.

Here are some more tips to help you choose a puppy that can be a life-long mate for your children.

Questions are key - Whether you choose to buy your puppy from a dog breeder, pet store or adopt one at an animal shelter, ask a lot of questions. Staff will have noticed certain behavioural traits as they have worked with the dogs. Find out information on the dog's parents. Ask if temperament testing has been conducted on the puppy and so on. Find out as much as you can.

Avoid the unknown - Try to avoid buying a puppy where the origins are unclear. If someone can't or won't tell you where the dog was born and raised, do not make a deal. The CMVA says that many puppy mills are in existence that specialize in producing loads of puppies in poor, unhygienic conditions. These puppies are often unsociable and unsuitable for pets, especially for children. Report any discrepancies to the SPCA for further investigation.

Return agreements - Before you purchase a puppy, come to a return agreement with the seller. You should minimally expect to be allowed to take time to have the pup examined by a veterinarian to ensure that it is healthy.

Choose carefully and don't be swayed by judgments such as "but he's so cute" or "Oh please, can we have him." A wise decision will lead to a fulfilling relationship and a family pet that thrives and grows alongside your children.