Welcome to Parenting Kids and Dogs 101, a limited series podcast for parents who live with kids and dogs, or plan to. I'm your host, Michelle Stern, the founder of Pooch Parenting. I'm not just a certified professional dog trainer and former teacher, I'm a mom too. In each episode of this series, I hope you'll feel like I'm chatting with you, one parent to another, about life with kids and dogs, answering common questions my clients ask me, and giving you simple solutions to make your life easier and safer.

I hope you'll subscribe and join me for the whole series, and don't forget to grab the accompanying workbook at https://poochparenting.net/podcastworkbook/

In Episode 1, I talk about 5 mistakes most parents with dogs make.

1. wearing rose colored glasses and assuming things will be fine
2. not using management to create safe spaces for kids and dogs
3. assuming that being in the same room is the same as "supervising" kids and dogs
4. not noticing or understanding dog body language
5. not preparing dogs before baby

It's only natural for questions about our kids and dogs to arise from time to time, especially as our babies grow up and our dogs mature. And if I'm being honest, it's not really worth asking for free advice from friends or online because you can't rely on the accuracy of the feedback you are getting. If you'd like to learn more about The Pooch Parenting Society, where I offer practical life and science-based tips and strategies, ongoing support and a safe place to share, head on over to www.safekidsanddogs.com. From one parent to another, I see you and I promise, you're not alone.

If you have questions about your kids and dogs or would like to book an appointment, participate in a group coaching program or take an online class, visit my website: www.poochparenting.net

Welcome to Parenting Kids and Dogs 101, a limited series podcast for parents who live with kids and dogs, or plan to. I'm your host, Michelle Stern, the founder of Pooch Parenting. I'm not just a certified professional dog trainer and former teacher, I'm a mom too. In each episode of this series, I hope you'll feel like I'm chatting with you, one parent to another, about life with kids and dogs, answering common questions my clients ask me, and giving you simple solutions to make your life easier and safer.

I hope you'll subscribe and join me for the whole series, and don't forget to grab the accompanying workbook at https://poochparenting.net/podcastworkbook/

In Episode 2, I talk about parenting overwhelm when raising kids and dogs at the same time.

Common concerns parents with dogs have include:

1. I can't get anything done. How am I supposed to do daily tasks like cooking, laundry and playing with my kids, while I keep an eye on my kids and dogs.
2. it's hard enough to just parent kids or dogs alone, let alone together - this is a normal experience that nobody talks about
3. management, such as baby gates, pens and doors are the best strategy to provide safe spaces for both your kids and your dogs and to allow you to take a break.
4. Like we talked about in Episode 1 of the series, being in the same room isn't enough to keep everyone safe - bites can happen right in front of you if you don't know what to look for
5. parents also wonder if they made a mistake by raising kids and dogs together or if they should not have added another dog to the mix
6. social media often makes us doubt our parenting skills or our dog training skills because everyone's lives look so much easier and safer than ours.
7. parents with new babies often feel guilty because their dog is getting the short end of the stick or they wonder if the dog would be better off living elsewhere

It's only natural for questions about our kids and dogs to arise from time to time, especially as our babies grow up and our dogs mature. And if I'm being honest, it's not really worth asking for free advice from friends or online because you can't rely on the accuracy of the feedback you are getting. If you'd like to learn more about The Pooch Parenting Society, where I offer practical life and science-based tips and strategies, ongoing support and a safe place to share, head on over to www.safekidsanddogs.com. From one parent to another, I see you and I promise, you're not alone.

If you have questions about your kids and dogs or would like to book an appointment, participate in a group coaching program or take an online class, visit my website: www.poochparenting.net

Welcome to Parenting Kids and Dogs 101, a limited series podcast for parents who live with kids and dogs, or plan to. I'm your host, Michelle Stern, the founder of Pooch Parenting. I'm not just a certified professional dog trainer and former teacher, I'm a mom too. In each episode of this series, I hope you'll feel like I'm chatting with you, one parent to another, about life with kids and dogs, answering common questions my clients ask me, and giving you simple solutions to make your life easier and safer.

I hope you'll subscribe and join me for the whole series, and don't forget to grab the accompanying workbook at https://poochparenting.net/podcastworkbook/

In Episode 3, I talk about some common signs that your dog is stressed or anxious around children?

1. Most parents are not fluent in dog body language - why would you be?
2. Some common body language in dogs may not look like communication - so it's easy to miss
3. Common behaviors that dogs use to communicate include: yawn, paw lift, look away, lip lick. All of these indicate stress or discomfort
4. Other signs of tension include ears that are back towards the head, a tight, closed mouth, a low tail and a stiff body
5. A common misconception is that dogs often lay down and show us their belly because they want to be petted. Unfortunately, this posture often means the opposite. The dog is hoping that if they are still that we will just go away. How do you know then when your dog really wants a belly rub? She will approach you with a soft, wiggly body and offer herself for affection. 
6. Some dogs walk away or hide when they are uncomfortable around kids
7. Other dogs approach us, as if asking for support. They may hide behind our legs or sit behind our body.
8. We need to teach children to respect dogs - one easy way to do this is to have the kids invite the dog over for attention instead of approaching the dog directly. This gives the dog the opportunity to give consent for the interaction or opt out
9. Parenting kids and dogs is actually very similar!

It's only natural for questions about our kids and dogs to arise from time to time, especially as our babies grow up and our dogs mature. And if I'm being honest, it's not really worth asking for free advice from friends or online because you can't rely on the accuracy of the feedback you are getting. If you'd like to learn more about The Pooch Parenting Society, where I offer practical life and science-based tips and strategies, ongoing support and a safe place to share, head on over to www.safekidsanddogs.com. From one parent to another, I see you and I promise, you're not alone.

If you have questions about your kids and dogs or would like to book an appointment, participate in a group coaching program or take an online class, visit my website: www.poochparenting.net