Picture this: A parent is hosting a lively party. The house is full of guests, kids are running around, and the family dog is right in the middle of it all. It seems like a perfect celebration—until something goes terribly wrong. Amid the chaos, the dog, overwhelmed and unsupervised, bites a guest. What started as a joyful gathering has now turned into a stressful and regrettable situation.

In this episode, we’ll unpack this story, which happened to a client of mine living in San Francisco, to understand what went wrong and, more importantly, how you can prevent something like this from happening at your own events. We’ll explore:

• How dogs react to busy social environments, especially if they aren't used to them.
• The impact of parental overwhelm on managing kids and pets during parties.
• Practical strategies to keep everyone—dogs, kids, and guests—safe and happy at social events.

Whether you’re planning a holiday get-together, a birthday party, or just a casual hangout with friends, this episode will equip you with the tools to navigate these situations with confidence.

Thank you for listening!

• Want to learn more about Pooch Parenting and how we can help you?
• If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts.
• Worried about Growling? Get my free guide: ABC's of Growling: https://poochparenting.net/abcs-of-growling/
• Looking for QUICK answers to your dog and child questions? Just ask and my custom tool will give you the answer: www.poochparenting.net/askpoochparenting

I'm excited to share my holiday gift pick of the year for families with kids and dogs - Hide and Scent - The Ultimate Game of Hide and Seek for Dogs, Kids Edition. It's a fun and simple nose work game for dogs and children to play together. It offers dogs and kids a safe way to interact that doesn't require physical contact - a huge win for dogs who may be shy, fearful or even those who are overly excited.

Thank you for listening!

• Want to learn more about Pooch Parenting and how we can help you?
• If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts.
• Worried about Growling? Get my free guide: ABC's of Growling: https://poochparenting.net/abcs-of-growling/
• Looking for QUICK answers to your dog and child questions? Just ask and my custom tool will give you the answer: www.poochparenting.net/askpoochparenting

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.

Thank you for listening!

• Want to learn more about Pooch Parenting and how we can help you?
• If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts.
• Worried about Growling? Get my free guide: ABC's of Growling: https://poochparenting.net/abcs-of-growling/
• Looking for QUICK answers to your dog and child questions? Just ask and my custom tool will give you the answer: www.poochparenting.net/askpoochparenting