Dogs are part of the family. They watch television with the kids on Saturday nights, go on family vacations, and trot along with the family on summer evening walks. But, when you first get a dog, you might need to do some work to establish connections and make the kids, adults, and the dog comfortable. When you're trying to integrate a dog into the family, there are a few techniques that you can use. Here are three of them.

Keep Things Relaxed

While you might have a busy life and kids that like to jump and play, you should try to keep your home environment relaxed. Your new dog might be feeling unsure about its new home and the people. When you add loud noises and a lot of activity, it will only heighten any existing anxiety. You need to make your new dog feel safe, so hold off doing any major remodeling that will require noisy equipment. Also, don't plan on hosting any big parties. Instead, spend time with your family doing relaxed activities. Playing a game of cards or sitting outside at night looking at the stars are both leisure activities that will soothe a new dog that's nervous. Dogster also recommends implementing a routine and use treats to soothe your dog.

Teach Children How to Behave with Dogs

Safety should be one of your top priorities as a parent and a dog owner. According to Dolman Law, most dog bites actually occur in the home, so it's especially important to monitor children around a new dog to make sure the children aren't provoking it and that it isn't becoming aggressive. If your children have never been around dogs before, they might not know how to empathize with an animal. Younger children might see a dog as something new to explore, but you need to teach your child to understand and respect that the dog is a living being that has feelings. Teach your child places on the dog that they shouldn't touch. Also, take the time to show how petting the dog certain ways makes it happy. You should also take the time to ensure that you're with your children when they interact with the dog the first few days until both your children and the dog are comfortable with each other.

Give Your Dog a Place of its Own

Most people want their own place, and your dog will appreciate a soft bed to snuggle up in. Make sure that your family knows that this one particular place is intended solely for the dog. That way, your dog has a place to go if he or she feels overwhelmed. This might seem counterintuitive when you're trying to get your dog to integrate with the family, but it's best that the time that your dog spends with everyone else is a good time that everyone enjoys. You should also create an inviting outdoor space for your pup. Celebrity Greens recommends installing dog runs around your home. This gives your dog a place to play, and you won't have to worry about your grass dying. 

When you're integrating a new dog into the family, you'll need to understand the temperaments of everyone, including the new animal. You should also take the time to observe how everyone interacts with each other to ensure that all are happy, healthy, and safe. Following these tips will help your dog to acclimate more smoothly into your family.

If you’ve got a dog and you’re looking for a toy for him or her to play with, check out our selection of products!