Respect Where You Live

Dogs naturally will not pee or poop where they sleep, (where you sleep is another issue.) Generally speaking dogs keep their area clean and pick the same favorite spots to go.

This is a good lesson for your children. We have our "young males" clean up after themselves any time they plan on leaving a room. They also make their beds and keep their rooms in order.

Teach them to take pride in how orderly they keep their house and they will learn to respect your stuff, neighborhood, any other people's property.

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Got an idea on how training your dog might be similar to training your kids? Let me know be leaving me a comment. Maybe we will republish it as a blog entry.

Scream Like a Baby If They Bite

Biting should never be tolerated with your dog, especially if you have kids in the house.

Kids and dogs naturally bite when they are young. Dogs are teething and need something to chew on when they are pups. It's also a form of play. Toddlers bite out of frustration. They don't have the words or skills to get what they want and they learn quick that biting gives them back control.

When your dog bites or nips, let out a loud high pitched squeal, (yes I know it's hard for you burly guys to do.) Next turn your back on the dog, don't make any eye contact, don't touch the dog and don't play with the dog. This simulates how pups play and react to each other when biting just a bit too hard on each other's ears. Trust me...it works.

For kids, replace the yelp with a low, stern voice or fain pain. Walk away and refuse to continue playing. If they are six or under, they may not understand causing pain to someone else, but they will definitely understand that play time is over.

Think I am wrong? Should you just bite back? Let me know your tips or funny things you have noticed in raising both dogs and kids.

The Videos Are For You, Not Your Mutt

You wouldn't put your dog in front of the TV to learn new tricks, so why expect your kids to become geniuses by watching TV?

A study mentioned in Time Magazine by Dr. Zimmerman and Dr. Christakis at the University of Washington, notes that language development may actually be delayed by watching Baby Einstein DVDs.

"The more videos they watched, the fewer words they knew," says Christakis. "These babies scored about 10% lower on language skills than infants who had not watched these videos."

I can say honestly I failed here. My children had almost every Baby Einstein ever made and they loved them. But too redeem myself, my dog has never watched a dog training video...yet.

For more resources on kids and television, check this out.

Don't Give 'Em Chicken Bones

Chicken bones are too small for dogs and can cause choking. They also splinter easily. Only give your dog bones that are bigger than their mouth and are solid like cow bones or compressed rawhide (not rolled.) For your kids, I don't recommend you give them dog bones, unless they have been really, really good.

Tip: Try quartering grapes or slicing hot dogs lengthwise to prevent choking in toddlers.

Establish Clear Boundaries

Establishing clear boundaries keeps your dogs (and kids) safe. Teach your dog not to run out when the gate or door is open. Do this by opening the door without being seen. (Hide behind the fence, window, or other door.) When they try to get out, spray them in the face with water and walk them back in. Your dog will hate it, but your kids will love it.


The trick with kids (and dogs) is to be consistent. Never let them pass without you saying its ok. And don't forget to lavishly reward good behavior.

Thoughts? Is this a dumb idea? Got a better one. Click comments to tell us your thoughts on this.

Raising Rusty

Don't Piss On the Carpet

The first few days of having a dog are the most important. This is when you establish the two most important things:

1. Who is boss
2. Where is it ok to pee

Take your dog (I mean child) to the same place every hour and a half to go potty. Each time they succeed, praise them excessively. Start by limiting Rusty's movement. Keep him confined in a cage, small room, fenced area inside, or limited area outside. A dog won't go where he sleeps and this helps limit the damage.


OK. Don't put your child in a cage or small room and good luck trying to limit his/her movement. For kids, wait for them to be ready. Just because your child is 2-3 years old does not mean he/she is ready. You'll just have to be patient. It may take a few weeks for both.

Raising Rusty

An Introduction

Hello,

My name is Ryan Lee. I have a great dog and some fantastic kids. My neighbors have said, my dog is the best trained dog on the block. She listens well, behaves, and seems overall quite happy. Our childrens' teachers, oddly enough, said the same things about our kids.

As I was learning to train my dog I realized there was quite a lot in common between raising a well-behaved dog and raising well-behaved children. My plan is to show you how knowing how to train one can easily help you train the other.

OK. I know you are thinking, he isn't really suggesting we should treat our kids like dogs, is he? Not exactly. Don't take everything I say here literally, but do keep an open mind and be prepared to laugh. The similarities are sometimes a bit closer than you think.

Raising Rusty