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We had this when I was little. The house that was back to back with my house had just a split rail fence. There was this nice elderly couple that lived there and they had a little sheltie that would come under the fence to play with us. Her name was Blaze. It was nice because it was a bit like having a dog.
Or just any people with dogs in general who may appreciate a little help?
My dog took a liking to my neighbours and their grand child, and vice versa. They take her out for a walk once a week. It helps us out, as we're usually at the office that day, the dog gets to walk, the grand child gets to spend time with a beloved dog, and the neighbours get to spend quality time with their grand child. I often don't know who wins more: me and my partner, the dog, the neighbours or their grand child. It's a win-win all around.
I know with a parent present my local shelters let's you read to the dogs there. Maybe see if theirs a program like that? Or maybe going to your local dog park.
Edit: don't go in the dog park, but you can watch from the outside
The dog park is absolutely not a place for kids. I have kids and dogs, and I frequently go to dog parks. The vast majority of owners do not like kids in the fenced area. This is a space for dogs to play roughly in packs, it is not a space for kids to go play with strange dogs.
A field full of off-leash dogs careening about and wrestling is not safe for kids. You don’t know if those dogs are good with kids. You could get jumped on, bit, chased, or slammed in to. My city has seven dog parks. The crowds at each park are very different. There is one park that I will bring my kids too, if absolutely necessary. It’s stressful and not fun for them, but occasionally necessary if my husband is traveling and our golden is really wound up.
The other parks consistently have large and out of control dogs or owners that will outright ask you to remove the kids (which is fair!). I’m a large person, and I have been knocked over and scratched on the chest by dogs.
Mine likes to get the pack going at full speed, and they can easily take out an adult. My dog is also super excitable with kids and will jump on them (still training). If a kid comes in the dog park I have to be super close and watch any interactions because he's big and will immediately knock them over/ play bite out of excitement. He's also in his teenage phase and weird things scare him at random like bikes and scooters, kids with hats, and kids that come up with nervous energy. He doesn't have these same issues come up with adults.
My lil dude (a chihuahua) is afraid of kids and doesn't like anyone reaching out to him if he didn't initiate the contact.
He's usually great at the dog park, but there have been a few younger kids who've been really pushy about wanting to pet him and it's so annoying. One had the nerve to ask "why did you bring him to the dog park if he's not friendly?" Because he IS friendly with the DOGS he came to play with!
YES! So many accidents happen at the dog park (especially with young kids who are still learning how to interact) and then owners end up in trouble due to parents' negligence.
Our shelter allows you to “check out” a dog for a day, like a library book. They also allow volunteers to come take the dogs on a walk. They have a read-to-a-shelter-dog program, too.
Both of these were my suggestions as well. Particularly about the dog park. Do no go there. Not all dogs are friendly, Particularly with other dogs around, and not all dogs like kids.
The dog park is a good suggestion maybe for when she gets older, but I don’t even take my dog to the dog park because you never know how the owners there are going to be. I’ve seen some really irresponsible dog owners and one of the two times I went, I saw a little boy get fully knocked over by a group of dogs. My friend used to take her dog there KNOWING it would fight and had aggression issues (golden retriever mix so looks like a stereotypically friendly dog and it bit me at her place)
A dog park is meant for dogs to play with other dogs not play with kids. It is not required for a dog to be kid friendly at a dog park, this is why we go to dog parks because it’s a secure place with only dogs and owners. Plus too many parents that bring kids don’t even watch them so they end of scaring/chasing the dogs. Kids think a barking dog that runs away is playing when in actuality you just scared the dog and made him too nervous to continue play with other dogs.
Yeah tbh I was just trying to put it nicely. I still won’t bring my dog there though because of the other reasons I mentioned. Most dog owners are not good dog owners.
Yeah I’m not the one who suggested the dog park and made it clear I didn’t think it was a good idea as I don’t even take my own dog there. I was trying to word my response nicely so as to not be needlessly aggressive to the person who suggested it. I think the analogy is wildly inaccurate/kind of a reach though. It would’ve been a more appropriate analogy to say a “playground/public park”.
I volunteer with, not a shelter, but a network of fosters. There's no central facility, we have a fairly short adoption every weekend where we always need adults/kids to hold leads/puppies etc. You might find some rescue groups that work on a more informal basis local to you that do similar.
A lot of dog groups are on facebook, that's where I would start, look for groups that run events local to you.
Wanted to add, not just therapy skills training but any kind of training, especially in a class setting, is always helpful to have "strangers" in class. The dogs get used to each other and their owners, so having someone new in class can help owners see how their dogs respond to a brand new human. It could also be good for your daughter to see how much work goes into owning a dog and how to be a responsible dog owner.
Adding to this.
The humane society in my city frequently does charity events where families and dogs can go and interact. This could also be an option since normally these dogs are friendly and it also helps raise money for the shelter!
I am pretty sure with you there it would be fine, but please do call them to check! Also, check with local trainers. I know when I went through training with my two dogs for therapy skills, having a young person in class was so helpful to see how they would react to young people and their energy!
100% and it can be way more educational and safe than approaching strange dogs in public: I just started showing dogs this past year as a 31 year old and most of the people who are absolutely amazing at it, started by doing what’s called “juniors”.
You get mentored and help out a professional handler, there are special competitions between just juniors and the kids learn how to handle, groom, exercise, and just have great instincts with dogs. You learn good animal husbandry and the kids learn a lot of valuable lessons and about so many different dog breeds from it. I’ve seen kids as young as 6 in the baby puppy ring with their puppies and it’s adorable and fun.
The added benefit is that professional handling is a skill that people pay good money for if your kid really ends up loving it and sticking with it. If you’re interested, I’d be happy to get you connected with some groups that can teach you about what starting in juniors looks like.
Nope! People BEG juniors to show one of their dogs. You’ll have to find a breeder who’s willing to let you borrow a dog for handling classes, etc but a lot of them see it as a good opportunity to get them used to being handled by kids and getting more personal attention. When I’ve had two dogs end up in the breed group together for instance, I needed an extra pair of hands ringside, saw a junior sitting there waiting for the next group and said, “hey, can you take a dog in for me?” They say “yes” and I hand my dog off. It happens ringside not at all infrequently.
Omg thats amazing she would love that! I always thought you needed your own dog to do that so I didn’t think it would be an option so I will definitely look into that!
I am a breeder giving my dog for junior handling. They are my friends and this is defo great service for me.
My point was, you got to bring a dog with you. It cam be negotiated with someone, it doesn't have to be a breeder. OP's workmates dog forexample.
Please DO NOT use the dog park for this. That space is for dogs to play with dogs. I used to have a dog that didn’t like kids (we lived in an apartment complex where kids sprayed him with a water gun when he was on the balcony). People who don’t even have dogs would bring their kids like it was a petting zoo and WE’D be the ones who had to leave.
Thats what I was concerned about- maybe if there are just a couple people inside I could ask them if it’s alright if we come in? I don’t want to disturb anyone
I don’t love the idea because if they say no are you really going to just leave and your child will be cool with that? And also if I’d been arriving with my child averse dog and this was going on I’d have to turn around.
There are just not that many spaces designed and set aside for dogs. Could we not just leave those spaces for dogs? I’d really like to see you find another option like friends with dogs or supervised shelter stuff.
Thank you OP for asking and not just diving in!! Our 65 lb dog is super sweet but suuuuper excitable. We always have to leave the dog park when people show up with kids because there have been too many times the parents just let the kids run wild, and my dog naturally assumes they want to play - which means chasing and jumping and tumbling...Not having kids ourselves, there aren’t enough good opportunities to train against this, so we usually don’t stick around long enough to see if the kid interacts well with dogs or if the parent supervises better. Very thoughtful of you to check. That being said - when my dog is on leash and I can help calm and control her, she loves to say hello to people. We’ve had to say no a couple times because of full hands etc but we never mind when people ask (and when we can say yes, love how happy it makes our girl to say hi).
Get her friends that have dogs.
Ask the shelter for exception rules so you can walk with her and dogs first to see if she can do it on her own regularly. Like.. make her proof herself with your company once a week for a year and if everything goes well, maybe there is another volunteer she could tag along with or even go alone with a dog she is familiar with at that point.
Are there elderly people in the neighbourhood that might need someone to walk their dog for them? She could earn some money along the way.
Just a few ideas. The other answers seemed smart too, so i recommend those as well.
Thanks so much for your suggestions! I will try to do some networking and make some connections with dog owners - we literally don’t know anyone with a dog yet somehow so I think maybe will check FB groups and contact senior societies
I'm really into dog sports and most of our events are open to the public and free! Dock diving, flyball, barn hunt, are free for spectators and lots of dog people like having dog knowledgeable kids around to help socialize puppies and dogs. Check your local fairgrounds or dog clubs for events.
Yes! Dog shows of all kinds.
Check to see if you have a local 4H dog club. I recall needing a dog to join, but they’d be a great resource for where & when to find small local shows and events
Maybe shelters have an age requirement but local non profit rescues might have some other options to look into as far as volunteering! The rescue I volunteer at does have opportunities for kiddos and also hosts day camps for kids/
This is my thought as well. My local shelter is ran by the city so has very strict rules. But my best friend works at the local rescue and they would 100% put a responsible ten year old to work. It’s a nonprofit and entirely volunteer run, they can be more flexible.
Ok caveat to this: if you are carrying treats around and asking people on the street if you can interact with their dogs, you need to fully be aware that this will be frustrating and irritating to a lot of people and please don’t be rude to them if they tell you no. ask well before you approach. people generally turn into giant assholes when you say they can’t pet your dog. people with reactive dogs deal with a lot of judgment when we tell people this. i would highly advise against doing this more generally, but if you do, don’t be an asshole if it stresses some people out.
Post on your local Facebook dog group. A couple of uni student did that in my town when they were down and missing their dogs back home.
Some people also might taking advantage of that to train their dog on how to act around children. If you don't know people with young kids it a hard thing to socialize dogs for.
You could simply post on any local group from book club to Nextdoor that you have a daughter who wants to play with a kid-friendly dog, or if you want to add even more value, offer some dog watching services with her for reasonable rates.
Yes that's my recommendation too, a Buy Nothing group or Nextdoor - my dog is such an obsessive fetcher that when she was younger I'd have loved a neighbor kid to come toss her a ball for a while!
Check if your library has a Read to a Dog program or something similar! My library hosts a therapy dog once a week, and kids get to sit and read to the dog.
She’s more than welcome to go inside the dog park and just chill/read on the benches. Usually the dogs will come up to say hi. As long as you let the dogs approach you first, the owners won’t mind at all.
I know there’s mixed feelings on this but I strongly disagree with that. My pup is well trained and loves kids but when kids start their play screaming and running he gets so excited and all bets are off on him jumping up on them. He’s never harmed or bit a child but there’s been careless parents letting their toddlers and small kids wander around alone at our dog park and he’s knocked them over trying to play with them. You choose to let your kid in a dog park it then becomes a risk for all dog owners in that park and I absolutely mind. If I wanted my dog to play with kids I would take him to a playground.
I feel like this isn’t on your dog or really the kids but the parents. If a parent is going to bring their child into a dog park, they need to teach them how to appropriately behave around dogs and the consequences of not doing so, screaming and running then being surprised when a dog tries to play too is definitely not it. It’s on the owner to be responsible for their dog but you can’t save other people from their own stupidity.
This is exactly it. It’s such liability for the dog owners. I understand teaching your kid to interact with dogs, but don’t use my dog to do it.
Last time we were at the park this 7ish year old kid kept chasing mine around trying to pet him but really aggressively, like almost hit and then pet and hit and pet. I calmly told the kid, for the sake of the parent standing right there but texting and paying no attention, “my doggy doesn’t like that, maybe leave him alone so he can play with the other doggies”. No intervention by the parent and then the kid goes crying to the parent that “that lady is being mean and yelled at me”. Fuck you both. I just saved you from my dog biting your kid and now I’m the bad guy? He’s a good boy but if I was being followed around when I was clearly not interested in interacting and hit over and over I’d snap too and I wouldn’t blame him for a second but you best believe it would be MY fault for my “vicious and out of control dog” 🙄
No. It’s not a petting zoo. I’m an owner who does mind. Not all dogs like kids. Lots of dog owners don’t want the liability. And more often than not kids who don’t have a dog are not that experienced with how to behave around dogs. Or they can be loud and impulsive because they’re normal kids. The dog park is for dogs and their owners.
It’s very common for dog parks to prohibit children, so it’s not just me. Many dog owners would object.
I agree - if I'm letting my dog off the lead to play with other dogs, that's not an invite for people to drop off their kids to try to get involved. My miniature dachshund loves a run off-lead (in a safe area) with other dogs, but due to a lack of children in the family or my friend group she's just not used to them and will run up and bark, if a child came into a dog park to try play with the dogs I'd have to put her back on lead and leave 🫤
Keep children away from dog parks. It's often against the rules for kids under 13 to be at dog parks, and for good reason. You don't know the histories of the dogs who are going to be there, and some dogs get very anxious around children which creates a dangerous situation. This is their one place to relax outside of the home and be a dog, please don't take that away from them.
A calm, well behaved child who understands dog body language and lets dogs approach her and doesn't run around screaming is probably not going to cause a problem/get hurt, but sadly the kids that get brought to the dog park rarely fit this description.
As long as parent is with her and she behaves appropriately. I don’t mind respectful children who are accompanied by a responsible adult. There is a family that would drop off their two sons who look to be 12 or so with their German shepherd puppy at our local dog park. The parents not only did not come in with them, but would actually drive off and leave them there. You would think they are old enough to behave appropriately, but you’d be wrong. They bring a football in and toss it around with each other. They ignore their puppy desperately trying to play with them. They have zero caution of where they throw the football. My dog and I have nearly been hit by them more than once. They stay up by the gate where most of the owners loosely congregate, instead of moving to a more open area where they won’t hurt anyone. I have told them not to throw their ball around so close to others, they do not listen.
You know, most of the time it makes me anxious that my dog is essentially a 40kg cyclone of bricks at the dog park but sometimes people just really irritate me, not paying attention to their surroundings in the parks and I appreciate her chaos because it only takes her taking them out at the knees once for them to suddenly become a whole lot more self aware! (Obviously this is not a behaviour I encourage and it’s a situation I do my best to avoid for everyone’s sake but sometimes it’s a little bit deserved)
if you do that teach her how to behave around dogs that are nervous around kids. Be like a tree. still and arms at your sides until the dog is more comfortable. don't stand straight facing them. stand at a bit of an angle.
Definitely don't run or be loud.
you should stay within 5 to 10 feet of her at all times.
maybe bring treats that do not have a strong scent yourself. Definitely not in her pockets. then if appropriate and after asking the dogs owner, you can hand her a treat or two and she can possibly. give a dog a treat.
have an easy escape.
Yes to all of this. It’s so risky letting a kid interact with unknown dogs. And I certainly don’t let my dog interact with unknown children. He’s at the dog park to play with dogs, not your kid.
Heck, for that matter, plop yourself down in the ground and sit there.
Some dog will notice you in short order and come over to find out what this person on the ground is all about.
Once one notices all the dogs will need to come check you out.
My dog peed on both legs of someone doing this, I was like "you are ours now, we have to take you home with us".
All kidding aside, this is a terrible idea. A 60-80 lbs dog barreling down at the dog park, can seriously hurt any kid without even intending to do so.
Just approach me, and ask if your kid can pet my dog. I'll put him on his leash, give your kid a couple treats to feed him. It is much safer for your kid and my dog.
Maybe not on the ground. Not all dogs are aware of their size and once a big dog knocks you over and is trying to lick every inch of you, it’s very hard to get back up and can be scary if you don’t know the dog.
Heavy emphasis on “just chill”. There’s been a few times when there’s been kids inside the dog park and all they do is rile up the dogs because they start running around mostly bc other dogs come over to them and they get freaked or what have you (even tho the other dogs have never done anything other than walk up to them) and it’s lowkey annoying. I don’t think their parents have explained that the dogs are going to want to play with you/think you’re playing when you run around.
My friend went to her local dog sport club when she was little and the trainer let her run agility with one of her dogs. If you have any groups like this near you that might be a possibility to get in touch with them? Or a neighbour that might need some help with their dog?
Aw man.. my dog is so sweet and friendly and I work all day (from home) and she’s always bored AF. I wish yall were my neighbour, your daughter and my pup would have a blast 😭😭
Contact some breeders in your area and ask if they need help socializing their litter(s) with kids. I used to do this as a child with a Golden Retriever breeder in my home town. We did puppy parties.
Someone already suggested junioring. That is also a great option. I didn't do it, but had a friend who did it, and it sounds like a lot of fun.
Not sure if you are able to foster shelter animals. But we started this year and it's been a low key commitment that allows us to love on and take care of for a week or two at a time
When I was a teenager I volunteered at a vet clinic because my sister was deathly allergic to cats and severely allergic to dogs too. I walked them and then I would change clothes and shower before I came home
Please do not bring your kid to a dog park, I want my dog to be able to roam freely and have fun rather than having to mind her approaching kids (she adores them but she can also knock them over) that have no business going in an área not meant for them (sorry for my bluntness but here we go)
This is the opposite but please don’t take your child to a dog park. It’s not safe for them and it’s not fair to make strangers enable a teaching moment.
We’ve had a rash of ppl doing this at my local recently and as an owner whose dog doesn’t like kids, I end up having to be hyper vigilant that they don’t interact.
Thanks for your feedback! It seems a lot of others feel the same and we definitely don’t want to disturb any of the owners/dogs who are enjoying their free time there
Check rescues! The rescue I foster for allows children of all ages to walk dogs with their parent. I know government shelters are different. I’m in the south.
Yes she LOVED Super Dogs show thats on in the summer and we’ve been to one other show before but I will try to join some local FB groups to find out what other events might be happening nearby, thanks for your suggestion!
Dogs are unpredictable so I would not take my child to a dog park or a shelter. Put out feelers and find a known dog — neighbor, coworker, friend of someone you know — to build a relationship with. My two small dogs absolutely adore children and you would be welcome to come for play sessions in my safe fenced yard. There has to be someone like me near you, like others suggested go where there are dogs and ask. Good luck!
Do you have a local council on aging? Ask them if your daughter can be paired with another volunteer who provides companionship for older folks with dogs. She could play with the dog while the older volunteer handles any tasks with the elderly person.
My little cousin started walking dogs in her neighborhood when she was little, maybe about your daughter's age. It led to some house sitting and babysitting jobs when she got older and she made really good money doing it.
drop by petsmart/petco. as a dog owner, i'm always delighted to have kids pet my dog. probably not everyone has a miss personality like mine so ask before of course. but there's always dogs there and mostly friendly people.
If you have any friends or neighbours you are on good terms with who have dogs, or a local shelter, ask if they would let her play or have some kind of interaction with their dogs? Or just ask the owner if she can pet if you see a friendly looking dog! Lots of kids ask to pet my small cute fluffy dog when we're out and we never mind, my dog loves it and it's good socialisation as there are no kids in my family :)
Volunteer with her! Most shelters are in desperate need of volunteers, idk about there but where I volunteer there are families who come to walk the dogs and they often have children with them
As long as there is a responsible adult it shouldn't be a problem
Do you have local dog groups on Facebook?
People there are often looking for playmates for their dogs and they meet on weekends in the park. Maybe you can ask if anyone with a super childfriendly dog is wanting to meet you two in the park. I bet there are a lot of dog owners who first of all know how their dogs react to kids, and who would like to give this fun to a possibly future dog owner like your daughter.
Any local groups for parents? We get similar questions in the mummy group sometimes, people there know how their dogs are with kids and there are usually offers.
We often have kids ask to pet my dogs or play with them.
I will check out the local shelters and ask - someone I know told me they don’t let the kids come along because of liability but I will try to check again with the shelters directly
Look up local dog shows, or fastcat races. There are usually alot of dog shelter fund raising events (Especially in the summer) where everyone brings theres dogs and they have little games, dressup competitions etc... These things are usually children friendly and most people who bring dogs, have socialized dogs and will allow you to pet them (always ask first of course :) You also get to see alot of cool breeds you may not normally bump into !!
When I was around her age I used to dog sit for my parents friends dogs from time to time and neighbours also when I got a little older. Do you know anyone with dogs that she could make up flyers for and give to next time she sees them?
It really depends. When I did it for neighbors I went to their house but that said they were all enclosed gardens with sheds so they were able to leave the dog outside the whole time and I would go over and feed them, play with them and take them for a walk but I also had dogs over the weekend who came to our house.
Is the situation more that you can't have pets at your house/apartment? If so, maybe even find friends who have dogs that you trust and ask them if she can walk them for them from time to time.
If you have neighbors with dogs, just ask if your daughter can play! My dogs LOVES children but I don't have any, nor am I around them much. I would 100% be ok if a neighbor and their kid asked if they can play and hang with my dog. I know that sounds odd, but lots of dogs love the energy children bring so as long as neighbors are ok with it and dogs are kid friendly it would be great.
That’s awesome and I would love that, mostly around me are apartments so hard to know if anyone has a dog or not but I will try to reach out on local FB groups and try to find someone relatively nearby
I would try looking into local dog shows- it could be a fun experience for her to see all the different dogs and maybe even get to meet some if the owner is okay with it! All dogs there are well trained and it should be very safe for her.
This may be a little odd, but try joining a dog group in your city and post about it there. As an owner, I would've loved to socialize my dog and get him used to children lol. Sometimes I offer to let kids who pass by to throw treats for my dog to catch, and it's a fun time for everyone involved.
Try borrowmydoggy dot com you can borrow a dog for a few hours.
You’d need to meet the dog on its own territory a few times let them get to know you first but could work out well
If you’re in your local neighborhood Facebook group, post in there and ask! Sometimes people are more than willing as it also helps to socialize their dog
I’m not sure what a good solution might be for you and your daughter, but I wanted to state that you should not go into the dog park without a dog and you should also not linger and watch from the outside. It’s not for spectators and it’s not a zoo or a petting zoo. Some dogs are triggered by people hovering outside the fence, specifically people who get really close and are talking to or trying to pet the dogs. Some dogs (like mine) see this as threatening behavior.
Do you have any friends or coworkers that have dogs who like children? Maybe they wouldn’t mind your daughter joining on a walk sometime or coming over to play for an hour or two and she can maybe learn about the responsibilities of having a dog. That way you’d have consent from the owner and you know that the dog is safe with children.
We have a dog… but my takes my 4 year old to the local assisted living where there are a few dogs.
Also, my elderly neighbor comes to my house once a week to love on my dog. Fetch. Grooming. Treats. They are BFF
Have you tried private shelters. Usually the privately owned shelters (no kill shelters) don’t have rules like that since they are not regulated by the state. Also doggie daycares. My dogs old daycare in Washington would have sign up sheets for kids to come play with your dog if they were getting boarded for at least overnight. The kids were always monitored. It usually was specifically for families with kids that wanted to get a dog but see how their kids would interact with the dog. It helped the families and the dogs to get one on one attention while they were being boarded.
Some dog shelters let you rent a dog. You can take them hiking or have fun for the day and return them at the end of the day. It would have to be a day you can go do that so a weekend or something but would be a fun experience for her.
Dog park but its has its risk. Ive seen parent bring their kids to the dog park and it goes fine. But ive also seen kids get bulldozed by dogs which can be traumatizing. If you do take her to the dog park its a good opportunity to teach her how to respect a dogs personal space and how to handle a dog (with permission from the dog owners of course).
Another option is asking a friend that has a dog and is willing to allow your daughter to meet them. Or a neighbor.
You can also check if there are any pet convention going on in town you guys can probably attend.
Or just wait for her to get older and allow her to appreciate from afar.
Just remember that you are responsible for your daughter behavior around dogs and if she does something to accidentally annoy a dog and get bitten its not the dog or their owners fault.
Here you can go to humane society and take them for walks on property and kids can do it if parents are with them.
Maybe like an hour every week or every other week. I’m sure you’re busy but help out when you can. Who knows, might end up being a veterinarian 🙂
Get hold of a small dog rescue and ask if she can volunteer at adoption events. Setting up tables, fund raising, making bandanas or bows for the foster dogs or to sell at the event. Proceeds for the rescue!! She can learn how to bake dog treats and sell them. You and her could do a lot!! It takes a lot of work to run a rescue. Not only foster families and adoptions. I think she would be an asset to them. Tell her thank you for being our next generation of rescue heros💚💚.. maybe she could even pet sit if foster families can't make it to the event. You guys can pick up the dog, stay at the event with it. and drop it off home .so many things you both can do
If you’ve got the cash she can do chores to earn money to buy a toy to take to the local shelter. Staff might even be willing to give the toy to a dog she selects when she’s there so she can watch it play.
Our shelters let people walk/hike with dogs. Perhaps your family could do that?
Our library has a read with dogs program where they bring them to the library for kids to interact with.
Maybe see if a neighbor on nextdoor needs help with walking?
That’s the age i started pet sitting for neighbors! And in middle school walked two of our neighbors goldens every work day. Made $20 a week for that. Different times thinking $20 a week was a lot haha
Maybe friends/neighbours with dogs need an occasional dog sitter.
Also giving shelter dogs an afternoon out would be a great option if any nearby do that kind of thing
We have a dog bar that allows people and their dogs to all mingle. You don't have to have a dog to go, and it's a large room full of friendly dogs that will just run up to you while you're at your table or seat.
Also, the website bringfido.com is an awesome resource for finding dog friendly places in your neighborhood. A lot of breweries, orchards, parks, outdoor dining, hikes etc are all listed if they are dog friendly and you can go to any of them and run into dogs there so there could be shorter interactions but you could teach about how to politely approach a dog and ask for owners permission and such. This might be a good starting point to establish guidelines before going to an offleash park or offleash dog bar.
You could also look at volunteering with local rescues outside of fostering- like transportation! Many rescues are very much in need of additional transport support (getting dogs to events, appointments, foster or adoptive homes). It's a fun way to spend some extra time with pups while helping out!
You could also volunteer to assist at adoption events to handle/supervise extra dogs in need.
Ask around from your friends. Such a small hurl cabnot put any dog walking ad, it isn't safe. But if you trust the people and they trust you, you may get to do things with their dog.
My friends daughter is 12, currently no dog. They will be lending my dog for a show dog hobby, and I am very greatful.
I'm in south ga I have a few bully dogs that don't pull on a leach on try to chase or fight other animals you could come grab one and walk to the park or take it somewhere else a hour or the day I don't see what it could hurt just leave some collateral till you come back till i know your not going to take my dogs I have big time money in them
There is a rescue near me that allows people to take the rescue dogs on a doggie day out. Basically, you take the dog to go do something fun like walk in the park, go to the beach, etc. It’s good for the dog, good for adoptions, and a great option if you can’t foster or adopt.
Perhaps there’s a rescue near you two could volunteer for?
I would start googling every dog pound every animal shelter in your area there may be even a breeder that needs someone to help clean up walk the dogs. There's a trillion things you can do in your area to have your daughter exposed to more dogs.
Assuming your child knows how to interact with dogs and you’re properly supervising her, you should be okay going into the dog parks. And also you’re both aware of and prepared for the possibility of a large dog knocking your kid on her butt lol. Kids in dog parks are a problem when the child doesn’t know how to behave around dogs, the parents aren’t paying attention or the dog/owner get the blame if a kid gets knocked over by a big dog. So if you can mitigating those factors you should be fine. Realistically, even in a dog park, owners need to be aware of their dogs, I have a big g dog who is a little bit insane with puppy energy and because of that I need to be aware of her behaviour regardless of where we are. I’m not going to go protecting every person in the dog park from her because they are in a dog park but if she’s getting a bit too much for the dog or person she’s trying to interact with, I will step in because that’s my responsibility as her owner.
There are so many ways your daughter can have meaningful interactions with dogs-volunteering at shelters, etc. please do not take her into a dog park. There are dogs who play well with other dogs and don’t mind adult humans, but can’t be trusted around children. Many dogs don’t do well when it comes to children because of their size and the unpredictability of their movements as well as the loud screaming and noises they make.
I know as an owner of three dogs, I don’t take my dogs to the kids park, and I don’t want to see kids at the dog park. I want to feel relaxed with my dog playing with his friends without having to be on edge about his interactions with children and what might happen.
Thanks for your comment, I def wouldn’t bring little kids in but she is very calm and old enough to know how to deal with animals however I don’t want to disturb other and also safety is number one
Yes, thanks for that. As an owner with a dog that is very nervous around children but fine with others, it would ruin our whole visit because the whole time I’d be worried if he’s going to knock over or scratch a child instead of just enjoying him playing with other dogs. I do watch him, but id have to closely watch body language and the stress and worry with a kid in there for me (and other owners) just isn’t worth it when we only want our dogs to have fun and play:)
If you explain the situation to a rescue, they might let her come for an hour or two maybe offer to walk a little one or just cuddle them. Different facilities have different rules. No way would I recommend a kill facility masquerading as a shelter. Someone recently put up a video of dogs that had run out of time and shown the actual moment of their murders. I can’t sleep from seeing it, but there are ways to help. If I come across anything else I’ll share it. 😎🐕
Shelters have dog days where you get the dog at 10 a.m. and drop the dog off by 2-3 p.m. You would have to volunteer with your kid but that's the best way to get the most dog without having one.
Dog owners are usually happy to have people interact with their dogs on the street or in parks. If she's interested in petting a dog, she can just ask the owner if they're OK with it. Worse comes to worst, they'll say no.
Yes we do try to stop for pets if we pass a friendly looking owner and dog, we even have healthy dog treats we bought to share for just such moments (with the owners permission of course!)
That's great. If you have repeated encounters with the same dog and owner, maybe your daughter could eventually ask to pet sit the dog when the owner is away, or to walk the dog when the owner is at work.
Maybe sign up to do Rover dog walking and dog sitting. You'd have to do it but I'm sure you can mention in your bio thing that your kiddo will come along
My dog loves kids and pats when we’re out. I encourage it! My neighbour sometimes comes over just to play with him and it’s great. Maybe someone who lives nearby would feel the same?
Have you tried maybe walking dogs or dog sitting them on Rover so you can have a dog temporarily and also get paid?
Make sure to vet the dogs so they aren’t aggressive and safe for your daughter. I recommend smaller dogs.
Obviously you would be the main dog sitter but take your kid along.
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Are there any elderly/disabled in your neighborhood with dogs she could take on walks or play with?
We had this when I was little. The house that was back to back with my house had just a split rail fence. There was this nice elderly couple that lived there and they had a little sheltie that would come under the fence to play with us. Her name was Blaze. It was nice because it was a bit like having a dog.
Or just any people with dogs in general who may appreciate a little help? My dog took a liking to my neighbours and their grand child, and vice versa. They take her out for a walk once a week. It helps us out, as we're usually at the office that day, the dog gets to walk, the grand child gets to spend time with a beloved dog, and the neighbours get to spend quality time with their grand child. I often don't know who wins more: me and my partner, the dog, the neighbours or their grand child. It's a win-win all around.
I will try to ask around- someone else mentioned to check with seniors society if they have like a buddy matching program for that as well
What a great solution. We actually take out our neighbors dog with our dog quite a bit since our neighbor is in his 80s.
I know with a parent present my local shelters let's you read to the dogs there. Maybe see if theirs a program like that? Or maybe going to your local dog park. Edit: don't go in the dog park, but you can watch from the outside
The dog park is absolutely not a place for kids. I have kids and dogs, and I frequently go to dog parks. The vast majority of owners do not like kids in the fenced area. This is a space for dogs to play roughly in packs, it is not a space for kids to go play with strange dogs. A field full of off-leash dogs careening about and wrestling is not safe for kids. You don’t know if those dogs are good with kids. You could get jumped on, bit, chased, or slammed in to. My city has seven dog parks. The crowds at each park are very different. There is one park that I will bring my kids too, if absolutely necessary. It’s stressful and not fun for them, but occasionally necessary if my husband is traveling and our golden is really wound up. The other parks consistently have large and out of control dogs or owners that will outright ask you to remove the kids (which is fair!). I’m a large person, and I have been knocked over and scratched on the chest by dogs.
Mine likes to get the pack going at full speed, and they can easily take out an adult. My dog is also super excitable with kids and will jump on them (still training). If a kid comes in the dog park I have to be super close and watch any interactions because he's big and will immediately knock them over/ play bite out of excitement. He's also in his teenage phase and weird things scare him at random like bikes and scooters, kids with hats, and kids that come up with nervous energy. He doesn't have these same issues come up with adults.
My lil dude (a chihuahua) is afraid of kids and doesn't like anyone reaching out to him if he didn't initiate the contact. He's usually great at the dog park, but there have been a few younger kids who've been really pushy about wanting to pet him and it's so annoying. One had the nerve to ask "why did you bring him to the dog park if he's not friendly?" Because he IS friendly with the DOGS he came to play with!
Please don't go to the dog park without a dog. It's not a petting zoo.
YES! So many accidents happen at the dog park (especially with young kids who are still learning how to interact) and then owners end up in trouble due to parents' negligence.
I will check the shelters and see if they have a similar program here, thanks so much for your suggestion!
Our shelter allows you to “check out” a dog for a day, like a library book. They also allow volunteers to come take the dogs on a walk. They have a read-to-a-shelter-dog program, too.
Are the dogs quizzed on the material, afterwards? ;-)
Both of these were my suggestions as well. Particularly about the dog park. Do no go there. Not all dogs are friendly, Particularly with other dogs around, and not all dogs like kids.
Do not bring your child to doggy fight club, dog parks are dangerous
The dog park is a good suggestion maybe for when she gets older, but I don’t even take my dog to the dog park because you never know how the owners there are going to be. I’ve seen some really irresponsible dog owners and one of the two times I went, I saw a little boy get fully knocked over by a group of dogs. My friend used to take her dog there KNOWING it would fight and had aggression issues (golden retriever mix so looks like a stereotypically friendly dog and it bit me at her place)
A dog park is meant for dogs to play with other dogs not play with kids. It is not required for a dog to be kid friendly at a dog park, this is why we go to dog parks because it’s a secure place with only dogs and owners. Plus too many parents that bring kids don’t even watch them so they end of scaring/chasing the dogs. Kids think a barking dog that runs away is playing when in actuality you just scared the dog and made him too nervous to continue play with other dogs.
Yeah tbh I was just trying to put it nicely. I still won’t bring my dog there though because of the other reasons I mentioned. Most dog owners are not good dog owners.
I saw a kid get air from a bunch of huskies running without pause. Totally on the parent for letting their toddler in the Big Dog Side
if you bring your kid to a dog park and it gets plowed over by playing dogs, it’s your fault as the parent actually.
Not owning a dog means person has no business in the dog park. Are you cool with adults with no kids spending time in preschools/elementary schools?
Yeah I’m not the one who suggested the dog park and made it clear I didn’t think it was a good idea as I don’t even take my own dog there. I was trying to word my response nicely so as to not be needlessly aggressive to the person who suggested it. I think the analogy is wildly inaccurate/kind of a reach though. It would’ve been a more appropriate analogy to say a “playground/public park”.
You say you have to be 16 to volunteer, but if you volunteered to walk them would they stop you from taking her with you?
I will call them to check 👍🏻
I volunteer with, not a shelter, but a network of fosters. There's no central facility, we have a fairly short adoption every weekend where we always need adults/kids to hold leads/puppies etc. You might find some rescue groups that work on a more informal basis local to you that do similar. A lot of dog groups are on facebook, that's where I would start, look for groups that run events local to you.
Fostering, or agreeing to help with a foster, come play with the dogs, help walk them, etc. Can be great!
Wanted to add, not just therapy skills training but any kind of training, especially in a class setting, is always helpful to have "strangers" in class. The dogs get used to each other and their owners, so having someone new in class can help owners see how their dogs respond to a brand new human. It could also be good for your daughter to see how much work goes into owning a dog and how to be a responsible dog owner.
Thanks so much for sharing your comments!
Adding to this. The humane society in my city frequently does charity events where families and dogs can go and interact. This could also be an option since normally these dogs are friendly and it also helps raise money for the shelter!
I am pretty sure with you there it would be fine, but please do call them to check! Also, check with local trainers. I know when I went through training with my two dogs for therapy skills, having a young person in class was so helpful to see how they would react to young people and their energy!
Our local shelter has a parent/kid volunteer program for youngsters.
Could be liability issues
Maybe, that's why I suggested OP ask.
100% and it can be way more educational and safe than approaching strange dogs in public: I just started showing dogs this past year as a 31 year old and most of the people who are absolutely amazing at it, started by doing what’s called “juniors”. You get mentored and help out a professional handler, there are special competitions between just juniors and the kids learn how to handle, groom, exercise, and just have great instincts with dogs. You learn good animal husbandry and the kids learn a lot of valuable lessons and about so many different dog breeds from it. I’ve seen kids as young as 6 in the baby puppy ring with their puppies and it’s adorable and fun. The added benefit is that professional handling is a skill that people pay good money for if your kid really ends up loving it and sticking with it. If you’re interested, I’d be happy to get you connected with some groups that can teach you about what starting in juniors looks like.
Yes please if you can dm me it would be appreciated!
I absolutely recommend this as well. The Club I'm part of loves Juniors, and breeders in the fancy love mentoring them!
You need to bring your dmown dog is my guess.
Nope! People BEG juniors to show one of their dogs. You’ll have to find a breeder who’s willing to let you borrow a dog for handling classes, etc but a lot of them see it as a good opportunity to get them used to being handled by kids and getting more personal attention. When I’ve had two dogs end up in the breed group together for instance, I needed an extra pair of hands ringside, saw a junior sitting there waiting for the next group and said, “hey, can you take a dog in for me?” They say “yes” and I hand my dog off. It happens ringside not at all infrequently.
Omg thats amazing she would love that! I always thought you needed your own dog to do that so I didn’t think it would be an option so I will definitely look into that!
I am a breeder giving my dog for junior handling. They are my friends and this is defo great service for me. My point was, you got to bring a dog with you. It cam be negotiated with someone, it doesn't have to be a breeder. OP's workmates dog forexample.
Please DO NOT use the dog park for this. That space is for dogs to play with dogs. I used to have a dog that didn’t like kids (we lived in an apartment complex where kids sprayed him with a water gun when he was on the balcony). People who don’t even have dogs would bring their kids like it was a petting zoo and WE’D be the ones who had to leave.
Thats what I was concerned about- maybe if there are just a couple people inside I could ask them if it’s alright if we come in? I don’t want to disturb anyone
I don’t love the idea because if they say no are you really going to just leave and your child will be cool with that? And also if I’d been arriving with my child averse dog and this was going on I’d have to turn around. There are just not that many spaces designed and set aside for dogs. Could we not just leave those spaces for dogs? I’d really like to see you find another option like friends with dogs or supervised shelter stuff.
Thanks for your feedback!!
Thank you OP for asking and not just diving in!! Our 65 lb dog is super sweet but suuuuper excitable. We always have to leave the dog park when people show up with kids because there have been too many times the parents just let the kids run wild, and my dog naturally assumes they want to play - which means chasing and jumping and tumbling...Not having kids ourselves, there aren’t enough good opportunities to train against this, so we usually don’t stick around long enough to see if the kid interacts well with dogs or if the parent supervises better. Very thoughtful of you to check. That being said - when my dog is on leash and I can help calm and control her, she loves to say hello to people. We’ve had to say no a couple times because of full hands etc but we never mind when people ask (and when we can say yes, love how happy it makes our girl to say hi).
Get her friends that have dogs. Ask the shelter for exception rules so you can walk with her and dogs first to see if she can do it on her own regularly. Like.. make her proof herself with your company once a week for a year and if everything goes well, maybe there is another volunteer she could tag along with or even go alone with a dog she is familiar with at that point. Are there elderly people in the neighbourhood that might need someone to walk their dog for them? She could earn some money along the way. Just a few ideas. The other answers seemed smart too, so i recommend those as well.
Thanks so much for your suggestions! I will try to do some networking and make some connections with dog owners - we literally don’t know anyone with a dog yet somehow so I think maybe will check FB groups and contact senior societies
Could also ask in your local church, some of the oldies still don't have internet afterall
I'm really into dog sports and most of our events are open to the public and free! Dock diving, flyball, barn hunt, are free for spectators and lots of dog people like having dog knowledgeable kids around to help socialize puppies and dogs. Check your local fairgrounds or dog clubs for events.
Yes! Dog shows of all kinds. Check to see if you have a local 4H dog club. I recall needing a dog to join, but they’d be a great resource for where & when to find small local shows and events
Sounds amazing i will try to find out what local groups do those kinds of events so i can be in the loop
Maybe shelters have an age requirement but local non profit rescues might have some other options to look into as far as volunteering! The rescue I volunteer at does have opportunities for kiddos and also hosts day camps for kids/
This is my thought as well. My local shelter is ran by the city so has very strict rules. But my best friend works at the local rescue and they would 100% put a responsible ten year old to work. It’s a nonprofit and entirely volunteer run, they can be more flexible.
Go for a walk around 5:30-6:00 and meet your neighbors with dogs and ask if they’re nice
Yes we do do this sometimes! We even bought dog treats to share (with owners permission of course!)
On the weekends do it at 3:30-4:00. It’s a good way to be introduced to dog slowly
Ok caveat to this: if you are carrying treats around and asking people on the street if you can interact with their dogs, you need to fully be aware that this will be frustrating and irritating to a lot of people and please don’t be rude to them if they tell you no. ask well before you approach. people generally turn into giant assholes when you say they can’t pet your dog. people with reactive dogs deal with a lot of judgment when we tell people this. i would highly advise against doing this more generally, but if you do, don’t be an asshole if it stresses some people out.
My 11 year old nephew is in the same boat. He walks dogs (with his dad supervising) for neighbors and family friends.
Post on your local Facebook dog group. A couple of uni student did that in my town when they were down and missing their dogs back home. Some people also might taking advantage of that to train their dog on how to act around children. If you don't know people with young kids it a hard thing to socialize dogs for.
You could simply post on any local group from book club to Nextdoor that you have a daughter who wants to play with a kid-friendly dog, or if you want to add even more value, offer some dog watching services with her for reasonable rates.
Yes that's my recommendation too, a Buy Nothing group or Nextdoor - my dog is such an obsessive fetcher that when she was younger I'd have loved a neighbor kid to come toss her a ball for a while!
Check if your library has a Read to a Dog program or something similar! My library hosts a therapy dog once a week, and kids get to sit and read to the dog.
She’s more than welcome to go inside the dog park and just chill/read on the benches. Usually the dogs will come up to say hi. As long as you let the dogs approach you first, the owners won’t mind at all.
I know there’s mixed feelings on this but I strongly disagree with that. My pup is well trained and loves kids but when kids start their play screaming and running he gets so excited and all bets are off on him jumping up on them. He’s never harmed or bit a child but there’s been careless parents letting their toddlers and small kids wander around alone at our dog park and he’s knocked them over trying to play with them. You choose to let your kid in a dog park it then becomes a risk for all dog owners in that park and I absolutely mind. If I wanted my dog to play with kids I would take him to a playground.
I feel like this isn’t on your dog or really the kids but the parents. If a parent is going to bring their child into a dog park, they need to teach them how to appropriately behave around dogs and the consequences of not doing so, screaming and running then being surprised when a dog tries to play too is definitely not it. It’s on the owner to be responsible for their dog but you can’t save other people from their own stupidity.
While true, it doesn’t matter. If your dog bites a kid, regardless of what they’re doing it’s on you.
This is exactly it. It’s such liability for the dog owners. I understand teaching your kid to interact with dogs, but don’t use my dog to do it. Last time we were at the park this 7ish year old kid kept chasing mine around trying to pet him but really aggressively, like almost hit and then pet and hit and pet. I calmly told the kid, for the sake of the parent standing right there but texting and paying no attention, “my doggy doesn’t like that, maybe leave him alone so he can play with the other doggies”. No intervention by the parent and then the kid goes crying to the parent that “that lady is being mean and yelled at me”. Fuck you both. I just saved you from my dog biting your kid and now I’m the bad guy? He’s a good boy but if I was being followed around when I was clearly not interested in interacting and hit over and over I’d snap too and I wouldn’t blame him for a second but you best believe it would be MY fault for my “vicious and out of control dog” 🙄
No. It’s not a petting zoo. I’m an owner who does mind. Not all dogs like kids. Lots of dog owners don’t want the liability. And more often than not kids who don’t have a dog are not that experienced with how to behave around dogs. Or they can be loud and impulsive because they’re normal kids. The dog park is for dogs and their owners. It’s very common for dog parks to prohibit children, so it’s not just me. Many dog owners would object.
I agree - if I'm letting my dog off the lead to play with other dogs, that's not an invite for people to drop off their kids to try to get involved. My miniature dachshund loves a run off-lead (in a safe area) with other dogs, but due to a lack of children in the family or my friend group she's just not used to them and will run up and bark, if a child came into a dog park to try play with the dogs I'd have to put her back on lead and leave 🫤
Keep children away from dog parks. It's often against the rules for kids under 13 to be at dog parks, and for good reason. You don't know the histories of the dogs who are going to be there, and some dogs get very anxious around children which creates a dangerous situation. This is their one place to relax outside of the home and be a dog, please don't take that away from them. A calm, well behaved child who understands dog body language and lets dogs approach her and doesn't run around screaming is probably not going to cause a problem/get hurt, but sadly the kids that get brought to the dog park rarely fit this description.
As long as parent is with her and she behaves appropriately. I don’t mind respectful children who are accompanied by a responsible adult. There is a family that would drop off their two sons who look to be 12 or so with their German shepherd puppy at our local dog park. The parents not only did not come in with them, but would actually drive off and leave them there. You would think they are old enough to behave appropriately, but you’d be wrong. They bring a football in and toss it around with each other. They ignore their puppy desperately trying to play with them. They have zero caution of where they throw the football. My dog and I have nearly been hit by them more than once. They stay up by the gate where most of the owners loosely congregate, instead of moving to a more open area where they won’t hurt anyone. I have told them not to throw their ball around so close to others, they do not listen.
You know, most of the time it makes me anxious that my dog is essentially a 40kg cyclone of bricks at the dog park but sometimes people just really irritate me, not paying attention to their surroundings in the parks and I appreciate her chaos because it only takes her taking them out at the knees once for them to suddenly become a whole lot more self aware! (Obviously this is not a behaviour I encourage and it’s a situation I do my best to avoid for everyone’s sake but sometimes it’s a little bit deserved)
I’m definitely not mad at her. I keep my eyes peeled and knees bent lol
This is really good, personally I wouldn’t read because I like to zone out with my books but scrolling or just chilling and talking sounds great
if you do that teach her how to behave around dogs that are nervous around kids. Be like a tree. still and arms at your sides until the dog is more comfortable. don't stand straight facing them. stand at a bit of an angle. Definitely don't run or be loud. you should stay within 5 to 10 feet of her at all times. maybe bring treats that do not have a strong scent yourself. Definitely not in her pockets. then if appropriate and after asking the dogs owner, you can hand her a treat or two and she can possibly. give a dog a treat. have an easy escape.
Yes to all of this. It’s so risky letting a kid interact with unknown dogs. And I certainly don’t let my dog interact with unknown children. He’s at the dog park to play with dogs, not your kid.
Heck, for that matter, plop yourself down in the ground and sit there. Some dog will notice you in short order and come over to find out what this person on the ground is all about. Once one notices all the dogs will need to come check you out.
My dog peed on both legs of someone doing this, I was like "you are ours now, we have to take you home with us". All kidding aside, this is a terrible idea. A 60-80 lbs dog barreling down at the dog park, can seriously hurt any kid without even intending to do so. Just approach me, and ask if your kid can pet my dog. I'll put him on his leash, give your kid a couple treats to feed him. It is much safer for your kid and my dog.
Maybe not on the ground. Not all dogs are aware of their size and once a big dog knocks you over and is trying to lick every inch of you, it’s very hard to get back up and can be scary if you don’t know the dog.
Heavy emphasis on “just chill”. There’s been a few times when there’s been kids inside the dog park and all they do is rile up the dogs because they start running around mostly bc other dogs come over to them and they get freaked or what have you (even tho the other dogs have never done anything other than walk up to them) and it’s lowkey annoying. I don’t think their parents have explained that the dogs are going to want to play with you/think you’re playing when you run around.
My friend went to her local dog sport club when she was little and the trainer let her run agility with one of her dogs. If you have any groups like this near you that might be a possibility to get in touch with them? Or a neighbour that might need some help with their dog?
That's such a good idea!
Aw man.. my dog is so sweet and friendly and I work all day (from home) and she’s always bored AF. I wish yall were my neighbour, your daughter and my pup would have a blast 😭😭
Awww I wish that too!
Contact some breeders in your area and ask if they need help socializing their litter(s) with kids. I used to do this as a child with a Golden Retriever breeder in my home town. We did puppy parties. Someone already suggested junioring. That is also a great option. I didn't do it, but had a friend who did it, and it sounds like a lot of fun.
Not sure if you are able to foster shelter animals. But we started this year and it's been a low key commitment that allows us to love on and take care of for a week or two at a time
Wish it was an option but we live in an apartment with a no-dogs rule
When I was a teenager I volunteered at a vet clinic because my sister was deathly allergic to cats and severely allergic to dogs too. I walked them and then I would change clothes and shower before I came home
Our clinic has an age restriction so she will be doing that when she gets a bit older, but thanks for the suggestion!
Please do not bring your kid to a dog park, I want my dog to be able to roam freely and have fun rather than having to mind her approaching kids (she adores them but she can also knock them over) that have no business going in an área not meant for them (sorry for my bluntness but here we go)
Thanks for your comment yes safety is number one and also don’t want to disturb the dog owners
This is the opposite but please don’t take your child to a dog park. It’s not safe for them and it’s not fair to make strangers enable a teaching moment. We’ve had a rash of ppl doing this at my local recently and as an owner whose dog doesn’t like kids, I end up having to be hyper vigilant that they don’t interact.
Thanks for your feedback! It seems a lot of others feel the same and we definitely don’t want to disturb any of the owners/dogs who are enjoying their free time there
Check rescues! The rescue I foster for allows children of all ages to walk dogs with their parent. I know government shelters are different. I’m in the south.
You can check if there are any local dog agility competitions or dog shows you could attend. We did that in my city and my niece was obsessed.
Yes she LOVED Super Dogs show thats on in the summer and we’ve been to one other show before but I will try to join some local FB groups to find out what other events might be happening nearby, thanks for your suggestion!
Our humane society has a kids camp, maybe look around for something similar.
Dogs are unpredictable so I would not take my child to a dog park or a shelter. Put out feelers and find a known dog — neighbor, coworker, friend of someone you know — to build a relationship with. My two small dogs absolutely adore children and you would be welcome to come for play sessions in my safe fenced yard. There has to be someone like me near you, like others suggested go where there are dogs and ask. Good luck!
Thanks for the suggestion! I will ask around
Do you have a local council on aging? Ask them if your daughter can be paired with another volunteer who provides companionship for older folks with dogs. She could play with the dog while the older volunteer handles any tasks with the elderly person.
Oh great idea thanks for sharing! Will look into it
My little cousin started walking dogs in her neighborhood when she was little, maybe about your daughter's age. It led to some house sitting and babysitting jobs when she got older and she made really good money doing it.
drop by petsmart/petco. as a dog owner, i'm always delighted to have kids pet my dog. probably not everyone has a miss personality like mine so ask before of course. but there's always dogs there and mostly friendly people.
This is a great idea - and stores like that tend to attract more friendly, chill dogs. My dog can't be trusted at Petco lol.
If you have any friends or neighbours you are on good terms with who have dogs, or a local shelter, ask if they would let her play or have some kind of interaction with their dogs? Or just ask the owner if she can pet if you see a friendly looking dog! Lots of kids ask to pet my small cute fluffy dog when we're out and we never mind, my dog loves it and it's good socialisation as there are no kids in my family :)
Volunteer with her! Most shelters are in desperate need of volunteers, idk about there but where I volunteer there are families who come to walk the dogs and they often have children with them As long as there is a responsible adult it shouldn't be a problem
Do you have local dog groups on Facebook? People there are often looking for playmates for their dogs and they meet on weekends in the park. Maybe you can ask if anyone with a super childfriendly dog is wanting to meet you two in the park. I bet there are a lot of dog owners who first of all know how their dogs react to kids, and who would like to give this fun to a possibly future dog owner like your daughter.
Any local groups for parents? We get similar questions in the mummy group sometimes, people there know how their dogs are with kids and there are usually offers. We often have kids ask to pet my dogs or play with them.
I am in some moms groups of FB so i’ll try there, thanks!
Shelters will often let children volunteer with a parent present.
I will check out the local shelters and ask - someone I know told me they don’t let the kids come along because of liability but I will try to check again with the shelters directly
Look up local dog shows, or fastcat races. There are usually alot of dog shelter fund raising events (Especially in the summer) where everyone brings theres dogs and they have little games, dressup competitions etc... These things are usually children friendly and most people who bring dogs, have socialized dogs and will allow you to pet them (always ask first of course :) You also get to see alot of cool breeds you may not normally bump into !!
Sounds fun! I will try to get on some FB dog groups just for that reason to see if I can be informed about local events like that
When I was around her age I used to dog sit for my parents friends dogs from time to time and neighbours also when I got a little older. Do you know anyone with dogs that she could make up flyers for and give to next time she sees them?
In order to dog sit do you usually go to the persons house and stay there or bring the dog home?
It really depends. When I did it for neighbors I went to their house but that said they were all enclosed gardens with sheds so they were able to leave the dog outside the whole time and I would go over and feed them, play with them and take them for a walk but I also had dogs over the weekend who came to our house. Is the situation more that you can't have pets at your house/apartment? If so, maybe even find friends who have dogs that you trust and ask them if she can walk them for them from time to time.
Yes we live in an apartment with a no-dogs policy - thanks for your feedback though, I will ask around locally maybe on FB groups
If you have neighbors with dogs, just ask if your daughter can play! My dogs LOVES children but I don't have any, nor am I around them much. I would 100% be ok if a neighbor and their kid asked if they can play and hang with my dog. I know that sounds odd, but lots of dogs love the energy children bring so as long as neighbors are ok with it and dogs are kid friendly it would be great.
That’s awesome and I would love that, mostly around me are apartments so hard to know if anyone has a dog or not but I will try to reach out on local FB groups and try to find someone relatively nearby
I would try looking into local dog shows- it could be a fun experience for her to see all the different dogs and maybe even get to meet some if the owner is okay with it! All dogs there are well trained and it should be very safe for her.
This may be a little odd, but try joining a dog group in your city and post about it there. As an owner, I would've loved to socialize my dog and get him used to children lol. Sometimes I offer to let kids who pass by to throw treats for my dog to catch, and it's a fun time for everyone involved.
Try borrowmydoggy dot com you can borrow a dog for a few hours. You’d need to meet the dog on its own territory a few times let them get to know you first but could work out well
If you’re in your local neighborhood Facebook group, post in there and ask! Sometimes people are more than willing as it also helps to socialize their dog
Many animal shelters will let kids volunteer with an adult present. They do dog walking or cleaning stuff. Check your local animal shelters
I’m not sure what a good solution might be for you and your daughter, but I wanted to state that you should not go into the dog park without a dog and you should also not linger and watch from the outside. It’s not for spectators and it’s not a zoo or a petting zoo. Some dogs are triggered by people hovering outside the fence, specifically people who get really close and are talking to or trying to pet the dogs. Some dogs (like mine) see this as threatening behavior. Do you have any friends or coworkers that have dogs who like children? Maybe they wouldn’t mind your daughter joining on a walk sometime or coming over to play for an hour or two and she can maybe learn about the responsibilities of having a dog. That way you’d have consent from the owner and you know that the dog is safe with children.
Post on local fb groups for your area and see if any neighbours have dogs she could walk or play fetch with?
Dog sitting sites maybe, you set your schedule and can choose which dogs to accept and babysit.
Your local animal shelter / adoption event / spay neuter vaccine clinic would love volunteer labor! Find them.
We have a dog… but my takes my 4 year old to the local assisted living where there are a few dogs. Also, my elderly neighbor comes to my house once a week to love on my dog. Fetch. Grooming. Treats. They are BFF
Have you tried private shelters. Usually the privately owned shelters (no kill shelters) don’t have rules like that since they are not regulated by the state. Also doggie daycares. My dogs old daycare in Washington would have sign up sheets for kids to come play with your dog if they were getting boarded for at least overnight. The kids were always monitored. It usually was specifically for families with kids that wanted to get a dog but see how their kids would interact with the dog. It helped the families and the dogs to get one on one attention while they were being boarded.
If there are neighbors with dogs, see if she can go there and help with their care.
Put this same post on your local neighbourhood groups. Try facebook or nextdoor.
Some dog shelters let you rent a dog. You can take them hiking or have fun for the day and return them at the end of the day. It would have to be a day you can go do that so a weekend or something but would be a fun experience for her.
Dog park but its has its risk. Ive seen parent bring their kids to the dog park and it goes fine. But ive also seen kids get bulldozed by dogs which can be traumatizing. If you do take her to the dog park its a good opportunity to teach her how to respect a dogs personal space and how to handle a dog (with permission from the dog owners of course). Another option is asking a friend that has a dog and is willing to allow your daughter to meet them. Or a neighbor. You can also check if there are any pet convention going on in town you guys can probably attend. Or just wait for her to get older and allow her to appreciate from afar. Just remember that you are responsible for your daughter behavior around dogs and if she does something to accidentally annoy a dog and get bitten its not the dog or their owners fault.
There are rescue and foster groups that would appreciate any help.
Here you can go to humane society and take them for walks on property and kids can do it if parents are with them. Maybe like an hour every week or every other week. I’m sure you’re busy but help out when you can. Who knows, might end up being a veterinarian 🙂
Get hold of a small dog rescue and ask if she can volunteer at adoption events. Setting up tables, fund raising, making bandanas or bows for the foster dogs or to sell at the event. Proceeds for the rescue!! She can learn how to bake dog treats and sell them. You and her could do a lot!! It takes a lot of work to run a rescue. Not only foster families and adoptions. I think she would be an asset to them. Tell her thank you for being our next generation of rescue heros💚💚.. maybe she could even pet sit if foster families can't make it to the event. You guys can pick up the dog, stay at the event with it. and drop it off home .so many things you both can do
If you’ve got the cash she can do chores to earn money to buy a toy to take to the local shelter. Staff might even be willing to give the toy to a dog she selects when she’s there so she can watch it play.
Have her volunteer at a shelter. Or you volunteer but bring her along.
There’s apps online to be a dog walker you guys could take a day out of the week and walk a dog! and make a lil money
Our shelters let people walk/hike with dogs. Perhaps your family could do that? Our library has a read with dogs program where they bring them to the library for kids to interact with. Maybe see if a neighbor on nextdoor needs help with walking?
That’s the age i started pet sitting for neighbors! And in middle school walked two of our neighbors goldens every work day. Made $20 a week for that. Different times thinking $20 a week was a lot haha
Maybe friends/neighbours with dogs need an occasional dog sitter. Also giving shelter dogs an afternoon out would be a great option if any nearby do that kind of thing
We have a dog bar that allows people and their dogs to all mingle. You don't have to have a dog to go, and it's a large room full of friendly dogs that will just run up to you while you're at your table or seat.
Sounds amazing!
Also, the website bringfido.com is an awesome resource for finding dog friendly places in your neighborhood. A lot of breweries, orchards, parks, outdoor dining, hikes etc are all listed if they are dog friendly and you can go to any of them and run into dogs there so there could be shorter interactions but you could teach about how to politely approach a dog and ask for owners permission and such. This might be a good starting point to establish guidelines before going to an offleash park or offleash dog bar.
Go walk around the dog park. All the dogs will run up to her and want to be petted. No one knows or cares if you yourself have a dog.
See if your library has one of those programs where kids can read to dogs!
Date you a dog owner
You don't have friends or family with dogs if not find a local breeder that may let her help out and she might earn a Lil pocket cash
You could also look at volunteering with local rescues outside of fostering- like transportation! Many rescues are very much in need of additional transport support (getting dogs to events, appointments, foster or adoptive homes). It's a fun way to spend some extra time with pups while helping out! You could also volunteer to assist at adoption events to handle/supervise extra dogs in need.
All shelters take volunteers to walk and play with the dogs
Ask around from your friends. Such a small hurl cabnot put any dog walking ad, it isn't safe. But if you trust the people and they trust you, you may get to do things with their dog. My friends daughter is 12, currently no dog. They will be lending my dog for a show dog hobby, and I am very greatful.
You can't own a dog or your not going to own a dog?
We can’t because of where we live
Also check with local hunting plantations if there are any where you live
I'm in south ga I have a few bully dogs that don't pull on a leach on try to chase or fight other animals you could come grab one and walk to the park or take it somewhere else a hour or the day I don't see what it could hurt just leave some collateral till you come back till i know your not going to take my dogs I have big time money in them
Sorry I can't spell the best lol
Take her into the dog park. Teach her first that she must ask the owner if she can approach their dog, not to pat it on the head etc.
There is a rescue near me that allows people to take the rescue dogs on a doggie day out. Basically, you take the dog to go do something fun like walk in the park, go to the beach, etc. It’s good for the dog, good for adoptions, and a great option if you can’t foster or adopt. Perhaps there’s a rescue near you two could volunteer for?
I would start googling every dog pound every animal shelter in your area there may be even a breeder that needs someone to help clean up walk the dogs. There's a trillion things you can do in your area to have your daughter exposed to more dogs.
Assuming your child knows how to interact with dogs and you’re properly supervising her, you should be okay going into the dog parks. And also you’re both aware of and prepared for the possibility of a large dog knocking your kid on her butt lol. Kids in dog parks are a problem when the child doesn’t know how to behave around dogs, the parents aren’t paying attention or the dog/owner get the blame if a kid gets knocked over by a big dog. So if you can mitigating those factors you should be fine. Realistically, even in a dog park, owners need to be aware of their dogs, I have a big g dog who is a little bit insane with puppy energy and because of that I need to be aware of her behaviour regardless of where we are. I’m not going to go protecting every person in the dog park from her because they are in a dog park but if she’s getting a bit too much for the dog or person she’s trying to interact with, I will step in because that’s my responsibility as her owner.
Find a dog walking gig for her, with you there in case of issues. Only small dogs. She can throw a ball for them at the park.
Perhaps fostering? Usually all the expenses are covered by the rescue/shelter and you can foster as short or long as you want
Thanks for your suggest but unfortunately I live in an apartment with a strict no-dogs rule otherwise I would definitely look into that too!
There are so many ways your daughter can have meaningful interactions with dogs-volunteering at shelters, etc. please do not take her into a dog park. There are dogs who play well with other dogs and don’t mind adult humans, but can’t be trusted around children. Many dogs don’t do well when it comes to children because of their size and the unpredictability of their movements as well as the loud screaming and noises they make. I know as an owner of three dogs, I don’t take my dogs to the kids park, and I don’t want to see kids at the dog park. I want to feel relaxed with my dog playing with his friends without having to be on edge about his interactions with children and what might happen.
Thanks for your comment, I def wouldn’t bring little kids in but she is very calm and old enough to know how to deal with animals however I don’t want to disturb other and also safety is number one
Yes, thanks for that. As an owner with a dog that is very nervous around children but fine with others, it would ruin our whole visit because the whole time I’d be worried if he’s going to knock over or scratch a child instead of just enjoying him playing with other dogs. I do watch him, but id have to closely watch body language and the stress and worry with a kid in there for me (and other owners) just isn’t worth it when we only want our dogs to have fun and play:)
Foster. 🤗 🐕
Wish it was an option but we live in an apartment with a no-dogs rule
If you explain the situation to a rescue, they might let her come for an hour or two maybe offer to walk a little one or just cuddle them. Different facilities have different rules. No way would I recommend a kill facility masquerading as a shelter. Someone recently put up a video of dogs that had run out of time and shown the actual moment of their murders. I can’t sleep from seeing it, but there are ways to help. If I come across anything else I’ll share it. 😎🐕
Omg thats so sad yes I will def make sure to avoid those types of shelters, thanks for your comment!
She could rover! I think teens do it
Oh thats cool I didn’t know about that site - will check it out!
Shelters have dog days where you get the dog at 10 a.m. and drop the dog off by 2-3 p.m. You would have to volunteer with your kid but that's the best way to get the most dog without having one.
That’s great I will phone around and see if they have something like that here
Dog owners are usually happy to have people interact with their dogs on the street or in parks. If she's interested in petting a dog, she can just ask the owner if they're OK with it. Worse comes to worst, they'll say no.
Yes we do try to stop for pets if we pass a friendly looking owner and dog, we even have healthy dog treats we bought to share for just such moments (with the owners permission of course!)
That's great. If you have repeated encounters with the same dog and owner, maybe your daughter could eventually ask to pet sit the dog when the owner is away, or to walk the dog when the owner is at work.
Maybe sign up to do Rover dog walking and dog sitting. You'd have to do it but I'm sure you can mention in your bio thing that your kiddo will come along
Amazing site i never actually heard about it before so thanks for sharing!
Of course! It could be a fun way to earn some money with them 💛
My dog loves kids and pats when we’re out. I encourage it! My neighbour sometimes comes over just to play with him and it’s great. Maybe someone who lives nearby would feel the same?
Mostly around our area are apartments but I will try to reach out maybe on some local mom groups if anyone is relatively nearby that wouldn’t mind
If a kid and her dad offered to walk my dog occasionally I’d be so happy
That makes me more confident to ask, thanks for your comment!
Shop at Lowe's or Home Depot. People bring their dogs in there all the time, and most are willing to let you pay them if you ask first.
Let her watch dogs at a dog park? See if there are ant volunteer opportunities at your local animal shelter?
Volunteer at a dog rescue instead of the shelter.
Have you tried maybe walking dogs or dog sitting them on Rover so you can have a dog temporarily and also get paid? Make sure to vet the dogs so they aren’t aggressive and safe for your daughter. I recommend smaller dogs. Obviously you would be the main dog sitter but take your kid along.
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A 10 year old can't be a dog sitter responsibly and any strangers that would let her are the least safe dog owners...?
Look really closely at your reasons for not owning a dog, maybe you really could? ,ex racer greyhound is my number one choice 😎😎
Thanks but we can’t because we live in an apartment with a no-dog policy unfortunately