When training the family dog, you must teach your dog to be tolerant and accepting of children. Kids often pose a challenge to a dog's obedience and temper. Children flail their arms, speak (and sometimes yell) in a higher pitch, and are often not gentle with their touch. Your dog must know to walk away from children who grab their ears, go for their toys, or even touch their food.

Before you have kids (unless you already have them), introduce your dog to children. The younger your dog is when he first meets a child, the better. Supervise the interaction to ensure the meeting is a positive one for both child and dog! If the first kids your dog ever meets are a pair of six-year-old twins who use him as a punching bag, it should come as no surprise that your dog may end up having issues with children. If your dog has any aggressive or dominant tendencies, it is a good idea to seek professional training before you have kids.

Once you have children, do your best to make time for the dog. Spend 30 minutes with the dog while the baby sleeps. This will mean a lot to the dog, who probably feels a little jealous at all the attention the little one is getting. You should also include the dog, or at least allow him to be present, during many activities you share with your child.

Training The Family Dog and Teaching the Kids
Tolerance should be taught both ways. When integrating a dog into a home with kids, or bringing children into a home a dog has already settled into, you as the adult have a responsibility to teach kids respect for the dog. It is the right thing to do for the dog, the children, and you as the owner. Dogs deserve the right to sleep in peace, eat without someone stealing their food, and not have their tails yanked. After all, growing up with a dog is not just a fun experience for a kid. It should teach them responsibility, care, and affection.