Woof Woof......Children and a family dog....any tips?

[poppyseed]

Just about to get our first family dog - Harry the Spaniel - children very excited (understatement of the year!) and we are too . I am under no illusion that it'll be hard work when he's small....but good fun for us all as a family. We have the vets appointment booked, puppy classes ready and have read lots of books.........plus.............wait for this........borrowed a dog for a weekend a few months ago. DD is 7 and DS is 3 and we've put off having a dog for about 8 years now so this hasn't been a light decision!
What are your experiences with your dog and children - is there anything that I should think about doing to make my life easier with it and them?

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She sounds gorgeous and well trained! Hope that Harry will be the same!!!

Hi poppyseed, can I join the club too please?. We've just got our very first family dog (last Saturday) and ours is just like Mellowma's, we were told she was a Staffie but the vet thinks she's a cross with a Jack Russel, but guess time will tell. I'm finding it difficult to get her to wee in the same spot, but imagine that she might be a bit young to know that yet. We've only had one sleepless night and that was the first night we got her, I was up with her to settle her just like I did with my 4 children!.

Please let us know how you get on with the clicker training, I saw a book about it in my local vets.

What type of chews are you giving your pup? I saw a dog chew called a Kongo?, that you squeeze flavoured goo into, I just wonder if that would help her teeth. Anyway, please keep in touch. .