{"id":3438,"date":"2017-11-28T06:51:35","date_gmt":"2017-11-28T12:51:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.diamondpet.wearewoodruff.xyz\/?p=3438"},"modified":"2023-09-20T14:09:43","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T19:09:43","slug":"rescue-dog-adoption-tips-having-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/blog\/adoption\/rescues\/rescue-dog-adoption-tips-having-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Column: Should You Adopt a Rescue Dog If You Have Small Children?"},"content":{"rendered":"

You can never predict how a dog will react to a new environment. It\u2019s not uncommon for some dogs to be content at the shelter and a little testy in their new home, or vice versa. If you have young children, this could be a real concern since you\u2019re not sure how a newly adopted rescue pup will react when they\u2019re tested after you bring them home. As someone with a young child and three rescues at home, I\u2019ve talked many times before about the importance of thinking the process through thoroughly before adopting your first rescue.<\/p>\n

In general, adopting from a shelter is a great idea that could benefit everybody involved, even if you have small children. However, from my personal experience, bringing a rescue dog into a home with small kids means you have to take extra steps to ensure the safety of your children as well as your new pet.<\/p>\n

In many cases, a shelter does not fully know the dog\u2019s past. This means that there could have been issues in the pet\u2019s life that could change their disposition towards children. Preparation and education of the children is key before adopting a rescue, and it\u2019s imperative for parents to pay close attention to how a new canine and children interact for the first few weeks.<\/p>\n

Before you bring a rescue dog into your home, consider the age and maturity level of your children. Toddlers are not able to understand why they should act a certain way around a dog, which is why some shelters often recommended to wait until kids are a little older before adopting a rescue. Fear aggression in dogs is one of the most common reasons<\/a> things can go wrong. No matter how much you try to explain to your toddler why they shouldn\u2019t push a dog to their limit, they will often do it anyway because it seems like standard play. However, if your child is old enough to understand the signs that a dog is communicating, a rescue can be a great opportunity to learn about responsibility, communication, respect of boundaries and how to raise a pet.<\/p>\n

While educating your kids on animal behavior is the most important part, <\/strong>there are a few factors to consider before adopting, some of which could help predict if the dog will be a good fit for your family.<\/p>\n

These factors include:<\/p>\n