Over 8,000 dogs trained

Dog training for families with young children

With small children in the house, the goal is not a dog that does tricks. It is a dog that can be ignored: settled in the corner while homework, tea and chaos happen around it.

Family suitability is the first thing we test on every dog we place, and it has been for over 8,000 dogs.

Call 07471 862689 Send an enquiry

Families with young children: dog training for families with young children with Harlow Dog Trainer

What we get called about most

●Jumping up and knocking toddlers over during greetings

●Mouthing hands and clothes during rough play with children

●Stealing food from low hands and coffee tables

●Guarding a bed or a spot the children walk past

●A dog with nowhere to escape to when the house is loud

●Children giving cues the dog has learned to ignore

Teach the settle before you teach anything else

A dog that can hold a bed or mat for twenty minutes solves half of family life. It means the dog is out of the way at tea time, at the front door and when friends come round, without being shut away.

Rules for the children, not just for the dog

Children are half of every dog and child incident, and they are the half you can brief.

●Nobody disturbs the dog on its bed, ever, including to be affectionate.
●No hugging around the neck, no climbing, no faces close to faces.
●Food stays at the table, not walked around the house.
●One adult supervises when dog and small child share a room.

Reading the warnings

Dogs almost always warn before they escalate, and the warnings are quiet: turning away, licking lips, a hard still stare, whale eye. Telling a dog off for growling removes the warning and leaves the bite. If your dog has started growling at the children, that is the moment to ring, not later.

How the programme runs

Step 1

Family assessment

We watch the household as it actually runs, with the children there.

Step 2

Settle and place training

The single highest value behaviour in a busy house.

Step 3

Greeting and door work

No jumping, no charging, no bowled over toddlers.

Step 4

Child handling session

We coach the children, at their level, so the dog gets consistency from everyone.

Families with young children training in Harlow and Essex, assessment work

Families with young children training in Harlow and Essex, structured obedience

Families with young children training in Harlow and Essex, real world proofing

Want a dog the children can live around safely?

We work in your home, with your family, so the rules stick after we leave.

Three generations of the same family, over 8,000 dogs trained.

1-2-1 Training Call 07471 862689

Common questions

Is my dog safe around my toddler?

No dog is safe unsupervised with a toddler, however good it is. What we can build is a dog that is predictable, has an escape route and gives clear warnings.

My dog growls at my child, what should I do?

Separate them today, do not punish the growl, and book an assessment. A growl is information and losing it makes the dog more dangerous, not less.

Can children be involved in the training?

Yes, and they should be. We give children simple, achievable jobs so the dog responds to them too.

What breed suits a family with young children?

Temperament matters far more than breed. We assess the individual dog rather than trusting the label.