Help with Puppy & 4 Year Old

You've gotten some really good advice, so I'll just add a couple of thoughts. Supervision is primary as others have mentioned. Daycare would be a good idea to help your pup learn to play nicely with others (assuming the facility is well run) as well as to give your pup a break and a chance to blow off some steam.
My last thought is that training is crucial, even a breed known to be relatively even-tempered with children must be trained. Not training your dog is not fair to your dog or to any member of your family. You all need to put the time in to help your dog understand safe boundaries and behaviors. Every member of the family, including your daughter need to be part of the training - a puppy class is a good start, but don't stop there, it would be like sending your children to kindergarden and then quiting.

Good luck!

Hi!
www.4pawsu.com has a sheet/page for rules for children and dogs. I just finished their puppy kindergarten class and they have an excellent staff. My kids are 5 and 3 and my son (3) is a little rough with the puppy sometimes, but the puppy is really great about it and acts like a wolf mama would, if it's really out of line, the puppy will take their arm in his mouth but not bite and gently growl and they've always gotten the message.
4 paws welcomes children at home helping to train the puppy, but remind the parents that you have to supervise and set limits. Our puppy is also a little rambunctious, so they welcomed the kids playing hard with him before class because he was lots calmer in class when they did. When we walk, my kids like to walk on the right of me (dog on left) and hold the loose end of the leash. Makes them feel like they're walking the dog. Just be firm and loving, maybe do some training when your 4 yr old isn't around or is asleep so they don't feel like they're not getting the attention they should. :)
Good luck!

HI K.!

I suggest "Tails Are Not For Pulling". It's a GREAT book (it's a kids book btw) and it has suggestions in the back for parents.

http://www.freespirit.com/catalog/item_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID...

good luck! Enjoy your new puppy!

T.

Hi K.,

I'm a professional dog trainer and a board member for KADIE, Kids And Dogs Interactive Education. We have some rhymes for reminding kids how to treat dogs at our website at www.kidsanddogs.org.

I also just got the book "GOOD DOG! KIDS TEACH KIDS ABOUT DOG BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING", by Evelyn Pang & Hilary Louie (sorry about the all-caps, I just copied from the website). I've only had a chance to look through it briefly but it looks good, and I know my daughter and husband read a little of it last night. It's at
http://www.dogwise.com/ItemDetails.cfm?ID=DTB1029&Aff...

In my classes, I see a lot of little kids having a hard time dealing with all the attention the puppy is getting, especially if their main experience of the puppy is someone who knocks into them, mouths them roughly, and steals or destroys their toys. I find even young kids can help with the training if, for example, you get them to yell "There!" every time the puppy does a desirable behavior (like sit, lie down, look at you, etc.). If you (the adult) follow that with praise and/or a treat (food, toy, etc.) then the pup's behavior will improve - and the pup might even start paying more attention to the child to "make her" notice her good behavior.

I hope this helps!

Hi K. -- waht, exactly, is your daughter doing (or not doing) with your pup? Just so you know -- Goldens are extremely sensitive, kind, and gentle beings and can have their feelings easily hurt -- If you provide more info, I may be able to help -- I have had 4 fantastic goldens in the past 30 years -- please feel free to contact me off this ____@____.com
S., Oakland

My advice is to supervise all interaction to make sure it is positive for your puppy and your daughter. Let your daughter help with feeding, etc. Let her pet him/her after you exercise/play with the puppy so the puppy is tired. Take your puppy to training class and if possible, to a doggie day care so the puppy can play with other puppies and not hassle your daughter. Good luck!

K.,

It would help to know how they are around each other.

Blessings...

Just like children, your daughter and your puppy will create their own relationship with their very own set of rules and boudaries. Let it happen. As long as she is not genuinely hurting the dog, the dog will just learn who she is and isn't that one of the best things about pets? they accept us for who we really are.

Hi K.!

A new Puppy!!! How cute :o)

Well, I'm not really sure what the issue's are, but your daughter is old enough to "know better" when it comes to knowing how to treat friends/animals. As far as treating her new pet, the learning will start with you.

I remember when we first got our dog (as a puppy), it was hard to "train" the dog without the kids thinking mommy was yelling all the time. I had to be very careful, or they would start "copying" the way I would talk to our dog.

I am not sure why your daughter would need to "feel better" about your new puppy, unless she's afraid of dogs. If that's the case, it might have been too soon to get a new puppy for her.

Good Luck to you and your family!

:o) N.

Hello,
I did my master's paper on young children and humane treatment of housepets. I'd be happy to talk to you and hopefully help you out, but I'm out of town at a funeral. Please email me at ____@____.com, and we'll stay in touch. I have some suggestions for you. I'd say the most important thing is supervision, not surprisingly. But there's lots more. I'd also be willing to do some research to help you. L. Nicodemus

I would put her in charge of feeding it and giving it water. Also walking the puppy or teaching it simple obedience tricks with your supervison. By being responsible for the puppy she might have different feelings towards it.

Take Stephanie up on her offer is my first suggestion! I've trained my own dogs, but haven't had a golden and each breed has it's own quirks. The book that was suggested is a very good idea. I personally think 4 is a bit young for a dog. Even though this is a golden, which are GREAT dogs, do NOT leave the two alone together! It isn't fair to either of them since someone could get hurt. A crate is not unkind to the dog and gives it a place to go if it is overwhelmed. My dogs use theirs all the time by their own choice. If your child is afraid of the dog, the best thing you can do is to get the pup trained to not jump on people, etc ASAP. Puppies can be pretty rowdy and mouthy with sharp!! teeth. If she is mean to the dog, you have to train the child. As previously noted, there isn't a lot of info. Hope this helps.