When deciding whether or not to bring a dog home, it is extremely important to understand whether or not they will be a good fit for your family, and especially your children. If you are considering adopting a Samoyed, you should know that they are extremely intelligent and therefore need authoritative training in order to understand who is the alpha in the family. But if they are well-loved and properly trained, are Samoyeds good with kids?
Are Samoyeds Good With Kids? The simple answer is yes, Samoyeds are typically great with kids. They are exceptionally loyal and compassionate animals and are loving, playful, and protective of the children in their families.
As you now know, although Samoyeds are typically gentle and kind, they will also benefit from proper training, and you can even help them understand what kind of behavior is acceptable around your kids by introducing them correctly. It is also extremely important that your children know how to treat and play with your new Samoyed so their build a healthy relationship. In this article, we are going to go through everything you need to know about Samoyeds and children and what you can do to make sure they get along great!
Are Samoyeds Good With Kids?
You should never forget that although canine breeds do have specific tendencies and characters which are innate within their breeding, every single dog is different! Just because most Samoyeds are great with children does not mean your specific one will be.
The good news is, you can actually help your Samoyed be well-behaved and kind when around children by properly socializing and training them.
How to Train a Samoyed to Be Good with Kids
The first thing you want to ensure when training your Samoyed in any aspect is to be gentle yet firm. They respond well to your authority if it is kind, direct, and clear.
In this way, if you can establish that not only is this family your Samoyed’s new pack but also that you are the alpha, they are much more likely to not attempt to dominate any member of the family, including the kids.
While training is an essential part of preparing your Samoyed to kindly love and play with your children, you should also remember that they are big muscular animals who may not know their own strength.
You can, of course, encourage them to be gentle, but if you do have very little ones, they may be knocked down a time or two during playtime.
Is a Samoyed a Good Family Dog?
Generally, what makes any dog a good family dog is that they are well-behaved around children, do not tend towards aggression or biting, and that they are loyal to their owners. They are also good with other dogs
By that definition, and in reality, Samoyeds are the perfect family dog! We have already answered our question, are Samoyeds good with kids with a resounding yes, so let’s find out what else makes them a great addition to the family.
Samoyeds Are not Usually Aggressive
Even though Samoyeds are not known for their aggression, remember, every dog is different! It is important to get to know your dog before assuming they will not ever show signs of hostility.
If you have adopted your dog as an adult, it may be best to give them some time to get comfortable in their new home before introducing them to your children. Or you can let them have a few visits and get to know each other before even bringing them back to the house.
As the caretaker of your dog, you should learn to look for signs of aggression so that you can keep yourself and your family safe. Here are some of Samoyeds’ telltale signs that they may be feeling aggressive:
- Hackles appear in their fur along the spine.
- They become stiff or unmoving.
- Their tails are straight back and not wagging.
- They are growling or scowling.
Like we have learned, it is not common for Samoyeds to become aggressive, however, it is possible if they are either provoked or even uncomfortable.
Samoyeds Are Extremely Loyal
After a very short period of time, if your Samoyed is well-cared for and feels loved, they will become incredibly loyal to you and your family.
This loyalty will be portrayed in their desire to please and protect you, and they will most likely be extra affectionate cuddly, and quite territorial.
You may even notice that they are particularly protective of your children as they see them as the members of the pack that need the most safeguarding.
How to Introduce Samoyed to your Kids?
There are a few tried and true ways to both introduce your Samoyed to your kids and properly train them so that they feel comfortable around your family as well as new people and children.
Here’s what we recommend in regards to introducing your Samoyed to your kids:
- It may be best to do so outside the home, then allow them to go inside and assess the space without the kids present.
- You can also have the kids meet the Samoyed a few times before taking them home.
- They can give the dog treats as well to create trust and encourage a friendly relationship.
- Always encourage the kids to respect the dog’s personal space and wait for the dog to make the first move.
Now, we have some great tips to ensure your Samoyed is well socialized and trained so that they will be well-behaved in all aspects of their lives, but especially with children.
- Socialize your Samoyed from a young age. As a puppy, Samoyeds should be meeting new people and dogs regularly so that they can get used to a variety of personalities.
- If you are adopting an adult Samoyed, socializing is still essential, but you need to take it a little slower, introducing them to different adults and children individually and with attention and care.
- It is important that you respect your Samoyed’s emotions. Do not force them to play with anyone or any dog if they seem uncomfortable.
- You should use positive reinforcements, just as you do in the rest of the training. When your Samoyed is playing gently with your children, you can reward them with positive affirmations and treats.
- Setting expectations is important, and you can do so by setting boundaries for both your children and your Samoyed. (For your family this may mean that the Samoyed is not allowed on the kid’s bed and that the kids are not to come into the dog’s bed or safe space.)
In the next section, we are going to dive deeper into how to teach your children to treat a new Samoyed puppy to ensure they have a healthy and safe relationship.
Teach your Children How to Treat a New Samoyed Puppy
As we have mentioned, it is important that you socialize and properly train your Samoyed so they feel well cared for and in turn, treat your children and your family like their own.
However, an equally important part of creating a wonderful relationship between your Samoyed and your kids is teaching the kids how to treat the new puppy.
You should encourage your children to treat a new puppy as they would a new baby! With lots of personal space and of course, a gentle touch.
It is best to teach your kids to allow the Samoyed to come to them and sniff their hands before trying to pet them. It’s also important that the kids understand they rough play can escalate quickly and that even though the puppy seems small now, it will eventually be much bigger than them.
While Samoyeds are extremely playful, having the kids set the tone for calm play can make sure the dog doesn’t get over-excited and accidentally knock them down or nip too hard.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now understand that yes, Samoyeds are usually very good with kids. But they are also big, strong, and excitable animals.
The best way to ensure that playtime with your children, or even meeting other children, stays safe and comfortable for all parties is to properly train your Samoyed to understand the family hierarchy, socialize them with new people, dogs, and kids regularly, and of course, teach your children the safest way to play with your Samoyed!
Most Samoyeds are great family dogs, and they will be loyal companions to your and your children for their entire lives.