Households
Dogs and older children: rules and supervision
Once children reach school age, the question changes. Toddlers need barriers; older kids can learn rules they are able to keep, and they can practise with the dog when an adult is guiding. This guide covers the four household rules we recommend, what active supervision looks like at any age, and how we suggest handing a child a supervised piece of the training without making them the dog's main handler.
Last reviewed September 25, 2026
Rules kids can keep
Four rules a child can repeat back to you.
A rule a child cannot repeat back is not a rule, so we stop at four. No hugging, because a child's face sits at tooth height. Leave a resting dog alone, on its bed, in the crate or asleep anywhere. Hands off the bowl and the chews; adults handle all food. Ask before touching any dog. Supervision does not relax with age. We recommend an adult actively watching every interaction, and a gate, crate or closed door whenever that adult is busy.
Supervised practice suits many school-age children. We suggest marker games with an adult beside the child: the child says "yes" the instant the dog's bottom hits the floor, then hands over the treat. Sending the dog to place is a second job, with the child rewarding a stay while walking past the bed. We keep sessions short. The adult decides which jobs suit this child and this dog, and steps in the moment either one looks unsure.
- No hugging the dog
- Resting dog is off limits
- Hands off bowl and chews
- Ask before touching any dog
Visitors and breaks
Sleepovers, visiting kids and the dog's right to leave.
Visiting children have not learned your rules. Before the doorbell, we suggest putting the dog on place or in the crate until the greeting excitement passes. Then brief the visitors: this dog does not get hugged, and you leave him alone on his bed. For sleepovers, we recommend the dog sleeps in the crate or your room, not in the pile of sleeping bags. Late-night wrestling and an overtired dog are a poor mix, so an adult watches whenever the dog is out.
Signs a dog may have had enough include a turned head, lip licking, leaving the room, or a stiff body when a hand comes near. Some dogs show very little before reacting, so we treat any one sign as the cue to make space promptly. We never punish a growl; we move the child and give the dog a break. When the rules keep slipping, a one-hour Private Training session at $150 plus GST comes with a written weekly plan the kids can read.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
What are the basic dog safety rules for children?
We recommend four: no hugging, leave a resting dog alone, hands off the food bowl and chews, and ask before touching any dog. We keep the list short enough that a child can recite it back, and add a fifth only if your dog has a specific trigger.
How much supervision do kids and dogs need?
We recommend active supervision at every age: an adult watching, not just within earshot, whenever a child and dog share a space. When nobody can watch, we suggest a gate, a crate or a closed door between them. At every age, the dog also needs a way to leave.
How do I teach kids how to behave around dogs?
We suggest supervised practice rather than a lecture. A child who runs short marker games or place practice with an adult beside them gets to practise reading the dog, and the dog gets to practise working with a smaller handler. We also suggest modelling the rules yourself, since children often copy what they see more than what they are told.
Can kids be involved in dog training?
Yes, with an adult beside them and jobs matched to the child and the dog rather than a fixed age. Short marker sessions and sending the dog to place suit many children well, while food bowls and chews stay with adults. Walking the dog alone is a separate readiness question and comes much later.
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Make the rules stick
Book a consultation and we will talk through rules and supervised practice that fit your children and your dog.
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