Is you have a dog and children? How do you manage the interactions when friends are visiting?

[Mymaloy]

Just wondered what others do? I expect there is a variation depending on dog temprament and age of kids. But just curious what other do

We have a room divider. Dog one side, kids the other. And my dog is exceptional with kids.

The children who visit me are young, so they are separated from my dogs using stair gates. They aren't used to dogs and I don't trust them not to poke or pull them.

They do have periods of mixing together, but only when I can fully supervise interactions.

I usually put the dog in another room with the door closed.

No history of aggression but small children can wind dogs up.

And if my dog gets annoyed with my children (which happens) and ‘snaps’ at them (this is gentle, a ‘get off’ nudge) that’s one thing - with someone else’s child that could be a bigger deal and more dramatic. So I avoid the risk.

TBH I have been amazed how badly children behave around dogs - trying to wrestle them then being upset they don’t like it, being one recent memorable example. Or trying to stand on their paws, as a toddler did to mine in the park the other day.

Dog is always put in another room. It’s not worth the risk. I put him in the other room even if it’s just adults visiting.

Dog goes in another room. He’s never been aggressive but just wouldn’t risk him around other people’s kids. If it’s just adults visiting then he is free to roam unless the visitor isn’t a massive dog fan then I will put him in the bedroom.

Our big ddog (rottweiler) was ALWAYS put in the utility /to outside.. dc of my friends or those with ddogs themselves used to mill about downstairs if I was present. Dc usually upstairs where ddogs weren't allowed anyway (lounge /bedrooms upstairs). Managing relationships between our dc and our ddogs was continual... Mantra including don't touch ddog because she's asleep /eating /having some p&q was a very normal to us!! Especially with the 2 big breeds we had. Never once had any problems.

Our dog is good with kids and our youngest is 10 so all friends who come over are sensible enough around the dog.
The dog always sleeps in the kitchen with the door closed anyway so would never be with the kids if there’s a sleepover- we have sometimes had him in our bedroom if there’s a lot of kids sleeping over and going in and out of the kitchen.
We got the dog when youngest was 5 and was in covid times so there weren’t many friends coming over for the first year or two. When the kids were younger we would either be supervising or taking the dog with us - just in case.

Thanks for these replies. Reaffirmed my belief that it is often better to keep them apart. Wasn’t sure if I was being overly helicopter parent about it all

We have a Labrador who is a massive softie. Our youngest DC was only a toddler when we got her and she’s very gentle around kids, has been trained not to approach them (unless they come to her first and then she just lets them stroke her) and not to ever jump up at anyone. Lots of small children are scared by big dogs though so I would keep them separated if needed and certainly in the first instance. I find that usually once they’ve been introduced to DDog though she is the star of the show and they can’t get enough of her, usually I end up having to give the poor dog space to get away from them or she gets followed everywhere.
It probably depends on dog and breed etc; I have two friends who have smaller dogs and they seem to be really excitable and always jump up at everyone - my kids would have hated that (I don’t like it myself!).

We have a large rescue dog. He has a wonderful nature and has never shown any aggression. He is big and jumpy tho. Our children are now young adults so he is a wonderful excuse not to invite young children around 🤣

I could shut him away but he’s probably dig or chew his way out!

Our dogs are very good with kids. The last child visitors (aged 7 and 10) spent happy hours curled up on the sofa with them. But they have dogs at home and are very good with them.

I've always played it by ear, and taught the DC to read canine body language and always treat dogs with respect (leave alone when sleeping or eating, for example). Other than a guest's dog nipping one of the DC (the dog was much less reliable than his owner had claimed) and one of ours catching a tooth on a finger in a bout of exuberant play with a throw toy, we have never had a problem, in three decades of mixing dogs and DC, ours and other people's.

Dogs in kitchen with stair gate to keep the children out.
I would never expect my dogs to tolerate children (they’re not used to having children around), they’re happier in their own space and I can relax.

Dog says hello to everyone and then just wanders off to lie in his bed. DS was 8 when we got DDog so we never had very young DC around him but DS had a couple of friends who we very scared of dogs.
Ddog gradually converted them though
He tends to follow me round the house but I would never have shut him in another room, he lives here and visitors don't

When my DD was young and had friends over, I would put my dogs in the kitchen behind the stairgate and keep them separate. If I’m being honest, mostly for my dogs safety. My two dogs were very gentle and wouldn’t have done anything but a lot of kids have not been taught how to respect or treat dogs or they could possibly have said my dogs did something, even if they hadn’t just for attention. Wasn’t worth the risk.

Always put the dogs in another room.

However, we also had a moment when friends could say hallo to the dog if they wanted to... once DC were older 12+, I wouldn't bother putting them away unless it was a new friend. By then, the dogs & kids did know each other...
Only thing I would say: Never leave dogs & children unsupervised!!!

Children who are around regularly and I know will be sensible can be around them but the dogs get shut out if they are eating.

Children I don't know or know will not listen to me are kept away from the dogs with stairgates and I tend to find busy work in the same room as the dogs so nobody can sneek past

Ddog1 has grown up with children and is brilliant Ddog2 is only young and still prone to jumping up to lick sticky faces, this isn't helped by dd2 being a perpetually sticky child

Dog was shut in another room when little friends visited. If they were used to dogs I would let her out if they were just playing quietly or watching tv but only for as long as everyone was calm and I could be right there to make sure all was well.

We don't have children but our dog adores them anyway.

FIL looks after the dog during the day while we work, and if he has visits from any children, he supervises but the dog is generally allowed free reign but if a child was scared, the dog would just be shut away in another room with a chew.

He's very good though and just follows them around wagging his tail and loving the attention, lol.

However, all the children are family and know the dog well, and the dog knows them, so it's a little different to unknown children around an unknown dog. The children all live with dogs themselves as well, which helps a lot.

My dogs are all free range. I've always made the point to DDs that if they have friends over, their friends need to be dog-savvy - it's all open-plan downstairs minus the boot room and a study/snug. And no way and I shoving four adult dogs into a 8x8 room for an extended period.

Thankfully, even when DDs were young, they tended to have good taste in friends (aka. doggy savvy friends with sensible parents), so it's never been a problem.

I keep the dog with me at all times. Kids are of an age that they go off to play upstairs on their own. I generally keep the dog in the kitchen with me and keep myself busy.

He's prone to a grumpy growl, or snap if pushed around. He's never bitten. But I don't want him put in a bad situation. (Or a kid to be fair, but mostly the dog!)

When the kids were younger I would always let the parents know that we have a dog, if the visiting friend was someone not used to dogs I would maybe let my dog say hello but then keep him with me.

He could get far too excitable with kids noises, eg. raised voices and running.