A lot of my clients seem to be very uncomfortable with the idea of separating their dog and child for safety reasons. But I recently had an epiphany – they all assumed that separation was the same as isolation. And it’s not.
Using management strategies, such as using a pen to cordon off an area for a child to play, provide separation between the dog and child. But neither the dog or child is isolated. Everyone can still see each other. The parent can still interact with everyone. And with time and patience, everyone can be very comfortable and safe with such an arrangement.
So now, I am always reminding clients that “Separation is not the same as isolation.” It’s simply a way for parents to function and do the impossibly difficult job of raising kids and dogs together.
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Photo examples of Separation
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