Puppies make the most adorable gifts to kids. However, special care and a lot of planning should be taken before introducing new puppies to children, especially to the younger ones. Otherwise, you run the risk of turning this should-have-been unforgettable meeting into a serious disaster.

If you are serious about giving puppies as gifts, here are 3 tips for introducing a puppy to small children.

Talk to the kids first about expectations and proper handling.

This obviously ruins the surprise aspect of the whole thing but this might just be the most important step in ensuring the safety of both the puppy and your children on their first meeting. Discussing expectations with the kids helps them avoid accidents with the puppy and prevent possible misunderstanding. Teach them how to gently touch and approach the animal even before they meet. Explain to them which actions are allowed and which actions should be avoided.

Socialize your puppy.

Don’t let your puppy’s meeting with your children be his first time to meet people. If possible, let your puppy be exposed to as many people as possible. It doesn’t matter whether it’s with children or adults. Just let your puppy get comfortable around humans. After that, you can try dressing your puppy up with some dog clothes in order to make your puppy look less intimidating and more approachable.

Leash up

Although a lot of dog owners are not so fond of keeping their dogs on a leash anymore, leashing up still provides a quick method for getting your puppy under control. Especially since pups tend to be impulsive and too playful, it’s normal for them to easily get carried away with rough play. In fact, because of the lack of training, some puppies even bite back when they get hurt. You don’t want your kids to be bitten, do you?

Remember, these tips are only meant to lessen the chances of conflicts between your puppy and your loved ones. After your puppies get adjusted to living with children, they become more docile and more manageable than before.