# Socializing with small children?



## HeidiGS (Jul 8, 2013)

So, as you know I was going to get a puppy back in March. Well, I did he's 6 months old now and I've gotten him socialized to almost everything. What is a good way to socialize to toddlers and other small children? Keep in mind that I'm a minor so I do have my limits as to where I can go and what I can do. He's not aggressive at all, he just doesn't know what to think of them. I don't know anyone with a toddler so I need help because its not like I can just go up to a random person with my 75 lb GSD pup and ask to borrow their kid. LOL. Thanks in advance if you answer.


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## Myah's Mom (Mar 25, 2013)

I don't have any small kids, and neither do my close neighbors. As soon as Myah had her shots, I took her to the park and playground regularly. Very regularly! I taught her "go say hi!" in a happy voice and she started to get a kid following. I would get texts from families who would ask me if I was bringing Myah to the park, so they could plan to come at the same time!

Of course, there were shy kids and cautious parents, which is normal. But they would watch the confident kids having fun with her and soon relaxed.

I always kept her on a leash (following leash laws).

Here she is when she was about 5 months, I think.


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## Athena'sMom (Jan 9, 2014)

I always get asked "can I pet your dog?" The way I handle socializing my two German Shepherds with small children is place my female in sit/stay and my big 7 month old male in down/stay because he is very large and very much a pup. Always have your pup on a leash with little guys. One jump could knock down the toddler and scare their parents and worse accidentally hurt the baby. Puppy's do not know their size and strength. Good luck!


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## Longfisher (Feb 28, 2013)

*Big Dogs and Toddlers Don't Mix*

I regard it as being too dangers for strange toddlers or children under the age of perhaps 10 to be near large dogs. Children, in particular, don't know how to behave around big dogs which can lead to a bad situation.

LF


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I have the kids toss treats on the ground for Seger. After a couple times, he learned they were mini pez dispensers.
I never allow them to feed the treats directly. He's to much of a gator for that.


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## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

I don't let children I don't know socialize with my dog. My dog is very sweet, but I don't know how the kids were taught to be around dogs. 

My grandson is 22 months (almost 2). He is around my dog. My dog is wonderful with him, but I never leave them unsupervised. One time my grandson laid down on the floor and my dogs head was on the floor. He got about 2 inches from his nose staring into his eyes. My dog did not even react, but I told my grandson not to do that and had him move. If he does that to another dog it may react in a bad way.


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## Moriah (May 20, 2014)

One thing I did was have pup in a down position and had kids pet his back. I continually feed him treats myself as he was a land shark and it kept pup focused on me. In this way, pup had kids touching and talking to him, but it was controlled. Another adult monitored and continually reminded the children to pet "nice."


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I have a pup that is wary of kids if they run up to him. It's made socializing hard. I found that if I have the kids turn their back to him and let him approach and sniff, he quickly warms up and then all is fine. Once he sniffs then he is all wiggles and kisses. 

I do this with kids I know and parents that trust me. It is helping a lot. 


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