Dogs like Lassie, Benji, and the Little Rascals' Petey illustrate the heartwarming bonds that children can have with dogs. But unless your dog is as saintly as Lassie and your kids are perfect little angels, the kid-dog combination can also make for mischief and messes. Colleen Pelar's book Living with Kids and Dogs . . . Without Losing Your Mind gives parents a guide to managing both their two- and four-legged children.

Kids and dogs are each capable of creating massive destruction on their own, so when they combine forces, even the most orderly home can sink into pure chaos. But, Pelar explains, it doesn't have to be that way. Whether bringing home a newborn or counting the days until the youngest goes away to college, parents can take steps to ensure that their home stays safe and tidy for both kids and dogs. Through the use of simple training, baby gates, and common sense, they can learn to keep everyone in the family happy and safe.

Living with Kids and Dogs can be a great tool for shelters to help ensure successful dog adoptions to families. Even if you can't get every potential adopter to read the whole book, your shelter can use the tips to assure a smooth transition at home.

-Adam Goldfarb

Many dog-training books are available, and certainly numerous books dispense advice on raising kids, but relatively few address both issues. A professional dog trainer and mother of three, Pelar provides here a remedy for the human/dog misunderstandings that can lead to dog bites (or worse), especially those involving children. Focusing on the tenets of "relationship, management and training," Pelar presents age-specific chapters (from birth to teens) with advice on building good relations between the dog and the child, managing their interactions wisely, and training the dog to prevent problems from arising. In addition, she counsels when (and whether) to get a grown dog or a puppy, what to look for in a family dog, what to look out for in terms of temperament, and how to deal with the end of that special relationship because of death or permanent separation. (Although the author strives to provide the reader with skills to avoid such a situation, she acknowledges that occasionally it is necessary to find a new home for a problematic dog.) A good addition to collections on parenting or pets in any public library.

-Kay Hogan Smith, Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham Lib., Lister Hill

Dogwise.com

While there have been several books written about how to introduce a family dog to a new born baby, author Colleen Pelar has broken new ground with her Living with Kids and Dogs . . . Without Losing Your Mind. You have a couple kids and you have a couple dogs - all too often you have problems! Colleen stresses learning how to "set your family up for success" so that you can avoid behavior problems - both the canine kind and the kid kind. Learn how to build a solid relationship between your kids and dogs, recognize signals that can be warning signs of impending trouble, and allow yourself to enjoy life without the all-too-frequent chaos. This is a great resource for parents in this situation and for dog trainers who deal with families who are having problems raising kids and dogs at the same time.

 

Midwest Book Review, November 2005

Living with Kids and Dogs . . . Without Losing Your Mind is a no-nonsense advice guide for parents that emphasizes realistic and practical solutions to common parent/pet-owner problems. Dog training facility manager Colleen Pelar covers when not to get a dog (children under 5 are not old enough to interact with a pet responsibly and require supervision around animals; children in general cannot be burdened with the requirement to care for the pet or see it taken away - if the parent doesn't have the resources to follow up on a child's dog care then the family should not get a dog!), how to select an animal with suitable family temperament, how to prevent dog bites, and issues specific to children of various age groups from infant to teenager, and how to help one's children say goodbye to a beloved family pet when it passes on. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this no-nonsense, plain terms guide to dog care and managing a family with kids and dogs. A "must-have" for any parent considering a canine addition to the family.

 

Nicki Bradley's Review on Families.com

Overall Rating:  5 stars

Review:
If you’ve ever had a dog or, heaven forbid, a puppy you know first hand just how these furry bundles of joy can consume our time, energy and, of course, love. Parents of children know that children often consume us on an ever greater level. Having both under the same rooof can drive the best of us insane! How do you handle it when Benji chews up baby Bobby’s beloved blankie that he can’t sleep without? What will you do when sweet Susie yanks on Fredo’s tail and he snaps at her? Life with kids and dogs is never boring! But, thanks to the book Living with Kids and Dogs Without Losing Your Mind, you can make it more manageable and peaceful for all involved.

The Good: This book starts out with some vital and often overlooked information for parents who are on the hunt for the perfect family pet. It dispels common myths and prepares families realistically. Another chapter later discusses how to properly gear up for your new pet. The second chapter teaches us how to prevent dog bites. This is probably one of the most educational chapters I have ever read related to dog behavior. Every dog owner, with or without children, should read this chapter! Another chapter deals with common serious behavioral problems that often cause families to consider getting rid of their pets. This is a great chapter for anyone who is already in the midst of some child vs. pet challenges. There are chapters that specifically break down each age and stage that our children go through, discussing in detail the different challenges specific to children of each age and how to resolve these challenges. And the chapter no one wants to read but will eventually need to face is all about the grief of losing a beloved pet and how to guide the family through that difficult transition.

The Bad: This is one of the best books for families I have read in a long time – there isn’t a single thing that I would consider to be “bad” about the book at all.

Overall: I have trained and fostered dogs and thought I was very well read on the subject. We have our own neurotic dog and recently got a puppy in the hopes of stabilizing our crazy pooch. Dealing with them both, along with our six kids, was enough to make my hair stand on end! This book came at the perfect time for our family. And even as someone professionally skilled in animal behavior, socialization and training, this book really opened my eyes to so many aspects of having dogs in our home. I look forward to implementing many of the suggestions and organizing our chaos a bit. This is a definite must-read for any dog owner or prospective dog owner.