Toddler and dog

[Hollyjollynights]

What does your dogs day look like if you have a toddler?

Mine isn’t really keen on the toddler so I spend a lot of time trying to keep them separate but then I feel quite sorry for the dog. I’m thinking about rehoming because I think he’s not really happy here, but I’m wondering if actually he just has a normal life. It’d be really useful to hear what your dogs day is like so I can gage what is normal.

Are you teaching your toddler how to relate to/behave around the dog?
The two of them should be getting on if it’s handled well.
When my DDs were toddlers, I spent a lot of time pushing them in the buggy and walking the dog at the same time. The children were clear about how they should behave around the dog. The dog was happy to be part of the family pack.
I also think a dog should be for life, if possible, and not put through the rehoming experience unless all other options are exhausted.
The toddler plus Dog stage is the most challenging time - it gets easier.

Different things work for different people, and dogs.

When I had toddlers, they came on every dog walk, every dog 'event' etc. I never left the alone with the dogs, but I certainly wouldn't have had the dogs in different rooms. I was incredibly 'on it' for teaching them how to interact with the dogs. Ditto, the dogs were very quickly taught to learn the toddlers or baby alone.

That being said, I think there's a big difference between keeping them separate and leaving the dog alone for large periods of time. But if the dog is unhappy, regardless of whether a dog is for life or not, you need to put the dog first. It does get better, but can you be sure in two or three years you won't have another child? Or your dog will have taken to your existing child?

@ThePoliteLion Yes, I think so
she mostly ignores ddog if anything he’s the one going to her.
I do put ddog on his bed and reward him for being there but he hates to stay and it’s a lot of work. Unfortunately ddog is the same with everyone except me and dh, in that he likes to approach them but does not like to be approached.
and he just doesn’t seem to like the noise and running around that toddlers do.

He has nipped dd too when he thought she was coming near his bed (didn’t leave a mark, it was very gentle but he was clearly stressed and he would never ever do that to me) and my house is not big enough to give him more space whilst also being in the same room as us. I feel terrible putting him in another room but I also can’t stop a toddler running around and playing when she’s not actually touching him or bothering him and I don’t want her being nipped or worse. I still put him with us often but he spends more time than I’d like by himself.

@LandSharksAnonymous this is my worry really. I have seen two behaviourists, they said the opposite to each other so I don’t know what to do for the best really.
I agree a dog is for life, but that doesn’t seem like reason enough to keep him somewhere he’s unhappy. I’m just hoping to understand what other dogs days look like and if ddog is living a fairly normal life and it’s ok or if it’s a rubbish life and he maybe needs a new home.

If you are going to rehome the dog, please please do so via a reputable charity such as the Dogs Trust. A good charity will do its best to make sure that the dog goes to a suitable home. Don’t put the poor dog online for a “private adoption”.

We won’t. We have a local organisation where ddog would stay with us until they find a suitable home for him.

Can you use a play pen or divider for either the dog or the toddler? That way your toddler can wander but can’t approach the dog?

Unfortunately my house isn’t big enough for this to work brilliantly, but when I have tried it the dog gets very agitated at being divided and not being able to get to the toddler and the ‘action’ of whatever is happening.

Toddler isn’t really approaching the dog tbf, it’s 80/20 the dog approaching toddler.