How to Involve Kids in Dog Training
Having your children be a part of your dog’s daily life and training not only lessens your burden but teaches compassion and important life lessons to kids.
Here are few tips for involving your children into your active dog’s daily training that will keep them both busy.
Start with the Basics
Before entrusting your kids with your dog’s training, it is important to create a routine. Teach your children basic animal care, such as refilling empty water bowls, taking part in daily grooming, and providing love and attention to your pet. Structured daily playtime is also a great way for a child to be involved in everyday care. If your children are old enough, encourage them to do their part in maintaining an active dog lifestyle by taking your pet for a daily walk. Additionally, a fun activity for the entire family can be making wholesome dog treats together.
Teach Your Children Basic Dog Training Commands
Before involving your children in your dog’s training, ensure they understand basic dog training commands. These should include sit, stay, heel, come, down, and off. Teach your children the importance of consistency during training, and how to properly provide positive praise.
Incorporate Training into their Routine
Examples include:
- always asking your dog to sit before being fed or let outside
- obeying the “heel” command during walks
- mini-training sessions
- drill sessions during playtime (i.e. asking a dog to “sit” before throwing a ball)
Giving your children these responsibilities will not only teach them important life lessons but will also ensure your active dog receives plenty of physical and mental exercise.
How Actijoy Can Help
The Actijoy Health & Activity Tracker can serve as an extra set of eyes for you to monitor your children’s responsibilities with your pet. Parents can utilize the tracker to check how far the family dog is walked every day if that is the child’s responsibility. Parents can also use the Health & Activity Tracker to reward children for exercising an active dog. For instance, parents can give their children a bonus for every 30 – 60 minutes of activity that is logged while playing or exercising. Keeping children interested in pet chores doesn’t have to be difficult, especially when technology can provide fun parameters for exercise and play! Once your children understand basic training commands and have incorporated dog care into their daily routine, they can confidently be involved in your dog’s training.
Health & Activity Tracker
