Welcome to Parenting Kids and Dogs 101, a limited series podcast for parents who live with kids and dogs, or plan to. I'm your host, Michelle Stern, the founder of Pooch Parenting. I'm not just a certified professional dog trainer and former teacher, I'm a mom too. In each episode of this series, I hope you'll feel like I'm chatting with you, one parent to another, about life with kids and dogs, answering common questions my clients ask me, and giving you simple solutions to make your life easier and safer.

I hope you'll subscribe and join me for the whole series, and don't forget to grab the accompanying workbook at https://poochparenting.net/podcastworkbook/

What does dog jealousy look like?

• Every dog is unique and communicates differently.
• Jealousy is how a dog likely feels.
• Dogs can demonstrate jealousy by demonstrating a variety of behaviors, such as pawing, barking, licking, hovering, getting into your space, inserting their bodies between you and another person or dog, destructive behaviors (such as chewing inappropriate items).

What to do to prevent dog jealousy around kids

• Try to identify if your dog's needs are being met.
• Provide your dog with lots of enrichment, such as opportunities to chew, sniff, dig and exercise.
• If you can, give your dog some focused attention, such as when your kids are at school or asleep.
• Ask your dog for an alternate behavior. For example, if they are jumping on you, ask them to lay on a mat instead. Or if they are pawing you, ask them to spin so that they have something less harmful to do with their feet.
• Use management equipment such as gates or pens to limit where your dog can go if you are doing something sensitive with your child, such as changing a diaper on the floor or doing arts and crafts with the kids.
• Set up predictable routines for your dog so they know what to expect and can worry less
• If your dog displays his jealousy by demonstrating "naughty" behaviors, it's especially important that you never leave the dog and child alone.
• Even if you are in the same room with your dog and child while you are cooking, folding laundry, checking email or scrolling social media, you aren't fully paying attention. Being "there" isn't enough to keep your dog or child safe.
• If your dog is frustrated or acting out, you can't let your guard down (or even leave "for just a second" to go pee). If you aren't there, you aren't able to keep anyone safe.
• If it's impossible for you to give your dog some focused attention, get help! Can you hire a dog walker or have a neighbor take your dog on outings.

Thank you for listening!

• Want to learn more about Pooch Parenting and how we can help you?
• If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts.
• Worried about Growling? Get my free guide: ABC's of Growling: https://poochparenting.net/abcs-of-growling/
• Looking for QUICK answers to your dog and child questions? Just ask and my custom tool will give you the answer: www.poochparenting.net/askpoochparenting

Welcome to Parenting Kids and Dogs 101, a limited series podcast for parents who live with kids and dogs, or plan to. I'm your host, Michelle Stern, the founder of Pooch Parenting. I'm not just a certified professional dog trainer and former teacher, I'm a mom too. In each episode of this series, I hope you'll feel like I'm chatting with you, one parent to another, about life with kids and dogs, answering common questions my clients ask me, and giving you simple solutions to make your life easier and safer.

I hope you'll subscribe and join me for the whole series, and don't forget to grab the accompanying workbook at https://poochparenting.net/podcastworkbook/

Enrichment Builds Relationships

• Not all playtime with kids and dogs has to involve them touching each other
• Kids can be involved in the care of their dog and this builds relationships too
• Kids can stuff food toys like Kongs and Toppl's, spreading ingredients on lickimats, making enrichment toys out of the items in the recycling bin
• Making enrichment food toys for dogs can improve kids fine and gross motor skills
• Spreading ingredients can be excellent sensory input for children because it involves the scents and textures of different ingredients

Safe Games and Playtime for Kids and Dogs

• Kids can throw balls or pieces of food from the other side of a barrier
• Toddlers and younger kids can roll balls on the floor or over the top of the coffee table while the dog chases it on the other side
• Games like Freeze Dance or Red Light Green Light are fun to play as a family with the dog and rely on rewarding the dog for sitting or laying down when family members go still
• Blowing meat-flavored bubbles for dogs

Thank you for listening!

• Want to learn more about Pooch Parenting and how we can help you?
• If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts.
• Worried about Growling? Get my free guide: ABC's of Growling: https://poochparenting.net/abcs-of-growling/
• Looking for QUICK answers to your dog and child questions? Just ask and my custom tool will give you the answer: www.poochparenting.net/askpoochparenting

Welcome to Parenting Kids and Dogs 101, a limited series podcast for parents who live with kids and dogs, or plan to. I’m your host, Michelle Stern, the founder of Pooch Parenting. I’m not just a certified professional dog trainer and former teacher, I’m a mom too. In each episode of this series, I hope you’ll feel like I’m chatting with you, one parent to another, about life with kids and dogs, answering common questions my clients ask me, and giving you simple solutions to make your life easier and safer.

I hope you’ll subscribe and join me for the whole series, and don’t forget to grab the accompanying workbook at https://poochparenting.net/podcastworkbook/

• Changes in routine can be difficult for dogs
• Dogs like predictability – it helps them know what to expect and to relax, knowing that YOU have things under control
• Practice ahead of time – especially before big life changes

Helping Dogs to Adjust to Start of School Year Routines

• Try to plan ahead as much as possible to make your routine as predictable as possible.
• The more frantic you feel, the less well you will be able to attend to your dog or children’s needs
• For school, try packing lunches and prepping breakfast ingredients in batches ahead of time and laying out clothing the night before
• Give your dog a frozen toppl or kong while you are busy; keep them behind a barrier so they don’t get in your way as you try to accomplish morning tasks
• Use a programmable coffee maker so that you can wake up to hot coffee already made

Helping Dogs to Adjust their Routines Before Baby

• Adjust your mindset and admit that your baby will likely take priority some of the time (you still love your dog and will be amazing as a dog parent, but if there is a diaper disaster, you will attend to that first before feeding the dog)
• Practice feeding and walking at slightly different times of the day
• Set up safety equipment in advance – will the dog be in a new zone some times of the day that they aren’t in now?
• Identify where you want your dog to sleep and practice any changes early so that your dog does not make any associations to the change with the arrival of baby

Thank you for listening!

• Want to learn more about Pooch Parenting and how we can help you?
• If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts.
• Worried about Growling? Get my free guide: ABC's of Growling: https://poochparenting.net/abcs-of-growling/
• Looking for QUICK answers to your dog and child questions? Just ask and my custom tool will give you the answer: www.poochparenting.net/askpoochparenting