puppies and stuffed toys

Question
Hello! I am the new owner of a 7 week old golden.  I also have a 10 year old child who has TONS of stuffed animals and is begging to get the new puppy a stuffed toy of her own.  Wouldn't that confuse the puppy as to what is OK to chew versus what is not OK?

Answer
Hi Gina;
I can confuse them sometimes. It is also a good way to teach a child to keep their toys put way, and to watch out for them ( responsibility), so the pup won't chew them up.
Better yet, get some of those sturdy rope tug toys for your daughter to play with the dog. Nyla Bones and Kong toys are good for dogs to play with.
They give them the chewing they need to satisfy the primal urges from their ancestry, and to help those little teeth to come through, and to ease the sore gums from teething.
That little one will be losing her milk teeth and needing to gnaw soo, Those toys come in different sizes for different sized dogs and different ages.  A ew theeth cutting cycle will come again when the dog is around a year old.
If there are no CAN CHEW toys, then furniture, shoes or other children's toys will provide the gnawing the dog needs.
My kids always bought their pets toys, and he grandchildrn now bring toys they don't want to play with anymore to my dogs.
With the young puppy, you need to be more careful of the toys they have access too.
Toys they can chew up, the can sometimes choke on.
They can get a piece of the material or stuffing ldged in their throat and choke, swallow enough to block up their bowels etc.
Best to get the Kong and nylas. They are hard rubber that can't be bitten off and have little pieces to chike on.
A stufed toy to sleep with?
Some of my dogs have had toys they sleep cuddled up with. That is not one they play roughly with. So if she sleeps with a toy, and if she sleeps with her dog ( RECOMMENDED!!)
She could get a toy and teach the dog to cuddle it while they go to sleep.
My children always slept with their pets. There were no monsters in the closets, or anything like that. Those things come from fear and insecurity. They had their protection in bed with them. I always did too, when I was a child. I still sleep with my dogs.
A couple of yeras ago, the results of a many years study came out.
The researchers found that children who grew up with their pets in the house, and especially the ones whol slept with their pets, grew up with fewer allergies etc.
The regular health checks and Veterinary care the dog gets, and keeping it clean and groomed, insures the dog being a fit bed partner for the child, and the emotional security and closeness the child gets is something better than they can get on a Psychologists couch when they get grown.
A brushing for a few minutes every day ( child's job), and a thorough brushing once a week, will keep the dog's coat clean. If it gets in the mud, rinse off with clear water.
Avopid giving a bath with shampoo more often than once a month, for the health of the dog. Frquent bathing can cause skin problems that can be costly to you, and miserable for the dog.
Charlotte