Pet Talk: Puppies are major responsibility

Despite the wonderful television and magazine ads to the contrary, puppies and children do not go hand-in-hand naturally. It takes a lot of work on the part of the parents to teach their children how to properly and safely interact with their puppy.

There are no instant friends in this scenario, especially when the puppy is jumping and nipping at your 6-year-old who is not able to control the situation. The result is usually a crying and stressed-out child who ends up yelling at or even hurting the puppy, whose only crime is acting like an untrained puppy.