When it comes to puppy training, it really helps if everyone in the family is on the same page — so no one accidentally undoes all your hard work. Here are 7 expert tips for puppy training with children that will make the whole process a lot easier, and a lot more fun.
Consistency is the key if you want a well-behaved dog that can be trusted around your children. Get it right, and the bond between your dog and your kids can grow into a genuinely special friendship.
But it’s pointless spending weeks on puppy training if young children end up working against you without realising it. Teaching your dog to sit calmly by the dinner table instead of begging is one thing — it’s a whole lot harder if the kids are slipping him treats under the table the moment your back is turned!
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Puppy Training As a Family
#1. Teach Your Dog How to Behave Correctly Around Children
Before your children start helping with puppy training, make sure your puppy already knows how to behave appropriately around them.
You can do this by giving them plenty of positive socialisation — exposure to children, adults, and other animals, in calm, controlled settings.
Many puppies get over-excited when they meet new people and end up jumping up or nipping at noses. To avoid this, train your puppy to sit before anyone greets him. It’s a simple command to teach, and it hugely reduces the chance of him jumping up and accidentally hurting or scaring your children.
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Tip #2: Teach Your Children How to Behave Around Dogs
Just as important as your dog staying calm around the kids is your kids staying calm around the dog.
Teach your children to be respectful of your new puppy — how to interact with him gently, and what signs to watch out for.
Here are a few things worth teaching your children:
- If a dog jumps up at them, turn around calmly. Help them understand why — running away while screaming or shouting will only make the dog more excited and more likely to jump again.
- If a dog bares its teeth or growls, walk away immediately and stop interacting.
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Tip #3: Make Sure Your Kids Are Fully Involved
Getting the whole family involved in puppy training — as long as everyone stays consistent — can be a lovely bonding experience.
That doesn’t mean leaving your children to train the dog alone, though. Stay close by to supervise, help them give instructions properly, and make sure each command is followed through fully.
Children as young as three or four are capable of understanding how to give a simple command like “sit,” and it’s important that the dog learns to respect and listen to the youngest member of the family just as much as the oldest.
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Tip #4: Let the Children Use Different Commands
Some dog trainers recommend giving children different command words to the ones parents use, since kids can be inconsistent in their phrasing — and once a dog is confused by mixed commands, it’s genuinely tricky to retrain.
So, for example, you might use “wait” and “here” with your dog, while your children train the same behaviours using “stay” and “come.” As long as each command is used consistently by the person using it, the dog will learn to respond to both.
Tip #5: Encourage Your Children to Ignore Unwanted Behaviour
The most effective training approach is positive reinforcement — reward the good, and calmly redirect the bad (as long as no one is in any danger).
For example, if your puppy starts chewing a shoe, simply remove the shoe and hand him one of his own toys instead.
Children tend to react loudly if the puppy grabs a favourite cuddly toy, but it helps if they learn to either tell a parent calmly or, if they’re old enough, remove the toy quietly themselves — rather than shouting or chasing the dog, which can turn it into an exciting game for him.
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Tip #6: Teach Your Kids How To Use Treats
Dogs are surprisingly intuitive, and they quickly work out who’s likely to hand over a treat and who isn’t.
Children should understand that a treat is only earned once the puppy has fully completed the command he’s been given.
If a child rewards him halfway through a command — or just because they’ve grown bored of practising — it makes the dog harder for the rest of the family to train consistently.
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Tip #7: Some Easy Tricks for Your Children to Teach Their Dog
Children can lose interest quickly when it comes to essential-but-repetitive commands like walking on the lead, staying, or heeling. They tend to enjoy teaching more playful tricks instead, so here are a few fun ones to try together:
- Sit – a fun, easy and rewarding first command for your child to teach.
- Shake hands – kids love the novelty of “shaking” in exchange for a treat.
- Roll over – a great party trick to show off to family and friends.
- Fetch the “…” – watch your child have great fun teaching the dog to bring his lead or a favourite toy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can children start helping with puppy training?
Children as young as three or four can start giving simple, single-word commands like “sit,” as long as a parent is supervising and helping to keep things consistent.
Why does a puppy respond to some family members but not others?
Puppies pick up on tone, timing, and consistency. If commands, rewards, or reactions differ from person to person, the puppy can get confused about what’s actually expected of him.
Should children and parents use the same training commands?
Not necessarily — what matters most is that each person is consistent in the words they use every time. Some trainers even suggest giving children their own set of commands to avoid mixed signals.
What should a child do if a dog growls or bares its teeth?
Walk away calmly and stop interacting straight away. It’s worth practising this response with your child before it happens, so it feels automatic in the moment.
How do you stop a puppy jumping up on children?
Teach the puppy to sit before greeting anyone. It’s a simple command that goes a long way toward preventing excited jumping, especially around younger children.
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