You have to be really careful when preparing to bring a pet into a home with children, or vice versa.  I personally know people whose dogs have bitten their toddlers so badly that they had to be taken to the hospital.  So the first thing that you definitely need to do is establish boundaries for both dog and child.  And the best way to do this is with a child dog gate.  The animals would have a clearly marked territory and so would the child.

I also believe that a PetSafe dog crate is very helpful.  Dogs like to snuggle in dens, and you can put the crate right by you while protecting the dog from the abuse of small children and toddlers.  Dogs actually learn to love their crates.  Kids will want to get in there and play even when the dog is out, but it must be taught to respect the dog’s space.

When you find a nice place to buy discount pet supplies, just be sure that any toys and supplies don’t have small parts that can come off and choke the child.  Even some kinds of dry dog food are a danger-they can choke a small child. 

Finally, don’t allow the dog to lie above the child in any way, and discourage the child from crawling around on the floor below or at dog level.  This is just liable to trigger the alpha male pack instinct, and the dog will try to dominate the child.

Technorati Tags: alpha male, buy discount pet supplies, child dog gate, PetSafe dog crate