HOW TO TRAIN YOUR CHILD LIKE A DOG

1 THINK about cultivating independence. A happy dog is one who feels secure and knows you are there — without having to be constantly at your feet. Set up a train set in an adjoining room and give your child the choice to play with it, while they can still see you.

2 ALL animals — human or dog — have to feel in control. Let them. We don’t put a meal down to a dog and say: ‘I will stand here until you eat this.’ Don’t do it with your child.

3 BE CONSISTENT. I have seven dogs and the rules are the same for all. Problems arise if you say one dog can go on the sofa and another can’t. It’s the same with children.

4 ROUTINE is vital. A dog has to know its needs are going to be met and that he will get fed and walked at the same time. Children are the same. Routine promotes security.

5 GIVE your child the choice to say no. If I’m walking a dog I don’t like to use a tight leash. It is restrictive, and there will be pushback. Children are happier if they feel they are doing something because they

want to. Aim to get to the point where you don’t have to hold their hand tightly. Put your hand out and let them take it. Don’t force it.

6 DON’T be afraid of confinement areas such as a playpen. You are simply creating a safe area because children aren’t able to negotiate things such as plug sockets. And never use it as a punishment.

7 LET them learn from you. Eat with them and use a knife and fork, even if they aren’t at that stage. In terms of toilet training, we often see that in a house where there already is a dog, a puppy will naturally go outside to wee.

8 CONSISTENCY, consistency, consistency. It’s the rule with dog training. It works with children, too.

9 HELP, don’t chastise. Teething issues are the same in puppies and babies and chewing things is natural. Babies are exploring their bodies, seeing how they work. Don’t just take things away and say: ‘naughty!’ Look to see what they’re chewing and find an alternative.

10 THINK about toys. With dogs, owners often throw a tennis ball into the back garden then complain that the dog still wants attention from them. Dogs need toys that they can play with on their own. So do children.