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/

Ignore Social Media Trends

• I blame social media for putting too much pressure on these first types of interactions with new baby - that they should be "photo or social media worthy"
• instead, consider this just one moment - they have a lifetime to build relationships
• prioritize safety. Put down the camera and be fully present
• be sure the dog is behind a barrier and or leashed when the baby is carried into the house
• if the dog is calm at a distance, you can bring them closer on a leash
• Reward calm behavior and move away if dog is too excited

You won't know how your dog will respond to your new baby

• If you have had a traumatic birth, you need to be careful how your dog greets you when you come home.
• Please limit dog kisses to the baby - why risk it?
• Not all licks are kisses - sometimes licking is a sign your dog is stressed
• Some dogs are predatory and respond differently than you hoped for
• Sign up for my newly recorded Paws to Pacifiers premium program to get a crash course on how to prepare your dog and life for baby and get a year of support inside The Pooch Parenting Society. 

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/

Why Your Child Might Accidentally Hurt or Provoke your Dog

• It's important for parents to understand normal behaviors in kids that accompany different developmental stages. 
• Kids are curious and want to explore "what happens if"
• We need to react calmly and move our child away.
• Next, we need to explain why we do or don't do certain things, and then use management to prevent dangerous or unkind interactions in the future
• Natural consequences could include having less access to the dog
• It's also important to identify if your child is afraid of your dog or uncomfortable around them and is asking for more safe space (by kicking at or swatting at the dog) 

How can I teach my children to respect and interact safely with our dog?

• Model the behavior you want your kids to demonstrate
• Most dogs don't like to be hugged - so don't hug your dog in front of your children. Even if YOUR dog likes to be hugged, your children will treat all dogs the way they treat yours.
• Eye contact is threatening to most dogs, so don't kiss your dog on the nose in front of your kids - this is how a lot of bites to kids happen. Again - even if your dog is okay with this, it puts your child's vulnerable face too close to the teeth of other dogs.
• Set some ground rules such as never bothering a dog when they are eating, chewing a bone or sleeping
• Use safe zones for both your kids and dogs, where they know that they will not be approached
• Invite dogs to you for petting instead of approaching them
• Notice dog body language and talk about it often - point out if your dog is showing signs of stress so your kids can learn to recognize them

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/

I believe in Gentle Parenting - will this parenting strategy work for both kids and dogs?

• 100% yes. Gentle Parenting relies on understanding and respect. It avoids punishment and instead uses strategies that involve setting healthy boundaries and building strong trusting relationships to set up individuals to be successful.
• scientific studies have established that in both children and dogs, we see behaviors that are rewarded more often - it feels like coaching
• this type of parenting can include natural consequences, such as losing access to the dog if the child is too rough. or if the puppy is biting too much, they may need to hang out in a safer space to calm down where they can't bite anymore.
• we learn to avoid triggers by setting up our kids and dogs for success. If they appear hesitant to do something, we dig in and try to identify why. Are they afraid? too tired? too overwhelmed or confused?
• By being curious, it can help us to change the environment to make them more successful
• Gentle parenting should not be confused with being "too soft." We definitely still use limits and set boundaries such as "I can't let you bother the puppy when he is asleep." or "I can't let you kick the dog when you are frustrated." In these circumstances, we would remove the child from the situation to prevent them from doing something harmful.

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/

Best Practices for Supervising Kids and Dogs

1. Understand what Supervision means
   
   
2. What supervision is not: 
   • simply being in the same room as your kids and dogs
   • napping on the sofa while your kids and dogs play (together or separately) in the room
   • sleeping at night with your dog on your bed and your infant in the same room
   • scrolling social media, talking on the phone, or playing Candy Crush while your kids and dogs are in the same space
   • making dinner, folding laundry or taking a shower while your kids and dogs are in the same room
   • driving while your dog is loose in the back seat with your child or even restrained within arm's reach of your child
3. What supervision IS: 
   • giving 100% of your attention to your kids and dogs together
   • sitting between your dog and child as they play calmly on the floor
   • sitting between your dog and child as you watch a tv show or movie
   • sitting between your dog and child as you read together
   • playing games with your child and dog with your dog on a leash
   • helping your child toss balls, toys or treats to the dog over a baby gate
   • making dinner, folding laundry or taking a shower while your dog is on one side of a barrier and your child is in the room with you (or vice versa)
   • having safe zones or "yes spaces" where nervous children or dogs can relax and decompress without any pressure to interact with each other
4. Tools that can help you to create 
   • Pens
   • Baby Gates - traditional or retractable depending on your space
   • Leashes
   • Crates
   • Doors
   • Tethers (ONLY if your child can not approach your tethered dog)

If you could use some emotional support raising your kids and dog together, don't miss The Pooch Parenting Society, the only program designed to provide ongoing support for families raising kids and dogs together. From one mom to another, it's a game changer. safekidsanddogs.com 

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/

Growling - What it means and how to prevent it

1. Growling is scary. But the good news is that it's communication
2. Growling can be compared to the yellow light of a traffic signal - it's a warning that something major is about to happen. Imagine how many accidents there would be if lights went straight from green to red.
3. Don't punish the growl - thank your dog for telling you they are uncomfortable
4. Look for the trigger - Get Curious
5. Why is your dog growling? Look around and see if you can spot what's troubling him.
6. Look for patterns and intervene before the growl
7. Remove the trigger, not your dog
8. By responding to your dog's body language and offering relief, your dog will trust that you will meet his needs
9. If your dog's behavior has changed suddenly, it's time to book an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out pain, a common cause of growling. 
10. Management is your best friend - use gates, pens and other barriers to give your dog space to avoid triggers that cause discomfort and growling

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/

In Episode 3, I talk about some common signs that your dog is stressed or anxious around children?

1. Most parents are not fluent in dog body language - why would you be?
2. Some common body language in dogs may not look like communication - so it's easy to miss
3. Common behaviors that dogs use to communicate include: yawn, paw lift, look away, lip lick. All of these indicate stress or discomfort
4. Other signs of tension include ears that are back towards the head, a tight, closed mouth, a low tail and a stiff body
5. A common misconception is that dogs often lay down and show us their belly because they want to be petted. Unfortunately, this posture often means the opposite. The dog is hoping that if they are still that we will just go away. How do you know then when your dog really wants a belly rub? She will approach you with a soft, wiggly body and offer herself for affection. 
6. Some dogs walk away or hide when they are uncomfortable around kids
7. Other dogs approach us, as if asking for support. They may hide behind our legs or sit behind our body.
8. We need to teach children to respect dogs - one easy way to do this is to have the kids invite the dog over for attention instead of approaching the dog directly. This gives the dog the opportunity to give consent for the interaction or opt out
9. Parenting kids and dogs is actually very similar!

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/

In Episode 2, I talk about parenting overwhelm when raising kids and dogs at the same time.

Common concerns parents with dogs have include:

1. I can't get anything done. How am I supposed to do daily tasks like cooking, laundry and playing with my kids, while I keep an eye on my kids and dogs.
2. it's hard enough to just parent kids or dogs alone, let alone together - this is a normal experience that nobody talks about
3. management, such as baby gates, pens and doors are the best strategy to provide safe spaces for both your kids and your dogs and to allow you to take a break.
4. Like we talked about in Episode 1 of the series, being in the same room isn't enough to keep everyone safe - bites can happen right in front of you if you don't know what to look for
5. parents also wonder if they made a mistake by raising kids and dogs together or if they should not have added another dog to the mix
6. social media often makes us doubt our parenting skills or our dog training skills because everyone's lives look so much easier and safer than ours.
7. parents with new babies often feel guilty because their dog is getting the short end of the stick or they wonder if the dog would be better off living elsewhere

If you could use some emotional support in your baby's first year (alongside your dog), don't miss The Pooch Parenting Society, the only program designed to provide ongoing support for families raising kids and dogs together. From one mom to another, it's a game changer. safekidsanddogs.com 

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/

In Episode 1, I talk about 5 mistakes most parents with dogs make.

1. wearing rose colored glasses and assuming things will be fine
2. not using management to create safe spaces for kids and dogs
3. assuming that being in the same room is the same as "supervising" kids and dogs
4. not noticing or understanding dog body language
5. not preparing dogs before 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

In the coming weeks, I'll be releasing a special limited series called Parenting Kids and Dogs 101. Each of the 15 episodes covers one of the top questions parents (or prospective parents) of kids and dogs have asked me over the years.

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/

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

If you’re pregnant and have a velcro dog who follows you everywhere, panics when you leave the room, or constantly needs to be touching you, you’re not alone. Many dogs form deep attachments to their pregnant owner, but this can become a challenge once the baby arrives. After all, you’ll need to sleep, feed, and care for your newborn without a dog glued to your side.

In today’s episode, we’ll talk about why some dogs become hyper-attached during pregnancy, the potential risks this can create once the baby arrives, and—most importantly—how you can start preparing your velcro dog now so that they feel safe, secure, and comfortable being separated from you when needed. Whether your dog struggles with anxiety, follows you from room to room, or whines when you close a door, I’ll walk you through practical steps to help them adjust before baby arrives.

The Top 3 Immediate Steps to Prepare Your Dog

I. Why Dogs Become Hyper-Attached During Pregnancy

• Changes in scent, hormones, and mama's body shape 
• Increased resting periods or physical changes that invite closeness
• Emotional changes in the pregnant parent and how dogs pick up on them
• Pregnancy shifts household routines
• Does your dog actually have Separation Anxiety, a panic disorder?

II. Why This Becomes a Problem Once Baby Arrives

• If your dog has Separation Anxiety, a true panic disorder, training sessions (aka. "missions") are difficult with a newborn, baby or toddler
• Safety concerns: preventing tripping hazards and interference during feedings
• Sleep safety risks for the baby if the dog can’t be separated
• Increased stress for the parents and possibly the dog

III. Early Steps to Encourage Healthy Independence

• Teaching the dog to settle away from the parent
• Introducing positive alone time gradually with short, structured separations
• Reinforcing calm behavior when the dog is not attached to the parent - using a remote treat dispenser, such as the Treat and Train

IV. Practical Training Exercises

• Creating positive associations with a crate, playpen, or separate space, using remote treat dispensers, chews, frozen food toys such as the Toppl 
• Using baby gates or barriers in a stress-free way
• Training a reliable cue for independent relaxation
• Building confidence through enrichment and independent activities
• Work with a CSAT (Certified Separation Anxiety Specialist) if your dog has separation anxiety

V. Preparing for Real-Life Transitions

• Practicing bedtime routines where the dog sleeps separately
• Practice parents leaving the dog to respond to baby sounds in another room
• Brief separations while a parent makes meals, showers, or does laundry, for example
• Planning for postpartum changes (who will take the dog out, how to maintain routine)

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