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Cooper and Kids

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Australia
Mornington, VIC
Cooper and Kids

Making dogs and their families happier and safer!
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02/11/2026

Bringing home a puppy with kids in the house? 🐶 Start teaching the kids now, before your puppy even arrives!

Puppies and kids can build wonderful relationships, but it doesn’t happen by accident. It takes preparation, clear boundaries, a home that’s set up for success, and kids who understand what to do (and what not to do!).

Swipe through for our top 5 tips and save this one for when your puppy comes home.

💡 A fun way to get the kids involved: Let them make signs for the Puppy Zone so everyone knows it’s the puppy’s special space where they can rest without being disturbed. Our online program even includes colouring-in activities to help get the kids involved!

Want more guidance? Our Puppy and Kids online program walks you through everything step by step, helping you raise a happy, confident puppy whilst building safe and positive relationships with your kids.

And with lifetime access, you can revisit the lessons as your puppy (and your kids!) grow.
https://cooperandkids.com/product/puppy-with-kids-program/

Or get in touch for a private consult - [email protected]

Mel xox

29/10/2026

I absolutely loved working with Sarah from Sarah Pound, her beautiful family and their gorgeous pup Bruno over six sessions! 🐶💜

One of my favourite things about working with families is seeing everyone get involved in raising their puppy.

Because puppy training isn’t just about teaching the puppy what to do.

It’s about helping children understand their dog, recognise their needs, respect their boundaries and build a beautiful relationship based on trust and kindness.

And it’s about helping parents navigate all those normal (and sometimes challenging!) puppy behaviours along the way!

From understanding body language and building confidence to managing puppy biting, jumping and creating safe, happy interactions between kids and dogs — there’s so much that goes into raising a puppy as a family.

Six sessions, lots of learning and one very loved Bruno! 🐾

Thank you Sarah, Tom Bachet and family for welcoming me into your home. It’s been such a pleasure being part of Bruno’s journey, and I absolutely loved seeing the kids get involved! 💜

✨ Welcoming a puppy into your family? I’d love to help you get everyone off to the best possible start!

📍 In-home puppy training across Melbourne
💻 Online puppy training programs available Australia-wide

Visit cooperandkids.com or head to the link in my bio to learn more.

27/10/2026

Anxious dogs need our understanding, not our frustration. 💚

When a dog barks, lunges, hides, growls or struggles in certain situations, it's easy to focus on the behaviour we want to change. But what about the emotion driving that behaviour?

Fear and anxiety can be incredibly overwhelming for our dogs, and they're not choosing to feel this way.

Rather than focusing on stopping the behaviour, we need to understand WHY it's happening and help our dogs feel safer and more confident.

This means recognising their body language, respecting their boundaries, giving them space when they need it and using kind, positive, science-based training methods.

Because when we change how a dog feels, we can start to change how they respond. ❤️

Be patient. Be kind. Be their safe place.

Mel xox

26/10/2026

🎃🐾 Halloween might be fun for us, but for many dogs, it can be downright scary!

Strange costumes, constant doorbells, excited kids, unfamiliar visitors and treats everywhere. It’s a LOT for our dogs to navigate!

And while some dogs might happily join in the festivities, others would much prefer to sit this one out. And that’s absolutely okay!

A few things to remember this Halloween:

🐶 Costumes aren’t for every dog. Watch their body language and never force them to dress up.

🏠 Create a safe space. Somewhere quiet, away from the doorbell, visitors and all the excitement.

🚶 Leave your dog at home when trick-or-treating. Crowds, costumes and unpredictable noises can be overwhelming.

🍫 Keep the treats for the kids! Chocolate and xylitol (found in some sugar-free lollies) can be toxic to dogs.

👧 Teach kids to respect dogs’ space. Especially when they’re wearing costumes or feeling excited.

Remember, our dogs don’t understand Halloween. They just know that suddenly their world looks, sounds and smells a little different.

💛 Our job is to advocate for them, recognise when they’re uncomfortable and help them feel safe.

Because Halloween should be about fun, not fear!

Happy Halloween from Cooper and Kids! 🎃🐾

22/10/2026

A little update on Cooper and Kids… 💜

It’s been 2 months and 10 days since we said goodbye to our beautiful Cooper. 💔

Navigating life without him has been incredibly hard, both personally and through Cooper and Kids.

Cooper wasn’t just the inspiration behind this business. He was such a huge part of our family, our story and everything Cooper and Kids stands for.

I wanted to share a little update on how we’re going, what life has looked like without him and where things are heading for Cooper and Kids.

Thank you to everyone who has continued to support us and this little business that started because of one very special dog. It means more than you know. 💜

And a little side note, Scout recently had a small operation on his eye, hence the shaved patch you’ll notice in the video! But he’s doing great and recovering really well. 🐾

Mel xox

20/10/2026

Have you ever heard that certain breeds are "good" with kids and others are not? We're here to tell you that it's a bit more nuanced than that.

While there are certain breeds or breed types that tend to be more tolerant with kids, we want dogs to enjoy their lives, not just survive them.

We encourage you to reframe the idea of dogs being "good" with kids, instead focusing on dogs having good relationships with kids.

Good relationships require respect, understanding and interactions that ✨everyone✨ enjoys.

Learning body language, actively supervising and involving children with your dog's care in age-appropriate ways are a few of the ways we can build good relationships and keep dogs and kids safe.

Need help mending your dog and children's relationship? We can help with our online programs or private consults. Get in touch!

Mel xox

18/10/2026

🐶 Thinking about welcoming a puppy into your family?

As we head towards the end of the year, lots of families start thinking about adding a four-legged family member. And honestly, dogs are AMAZING! 💛

But before you fall in love with those adorable puppy eyes, there are a few things I’d encourage you to consider.

🐾 TIME: Puppies need LOTS of it! Toilet training, socialisation, enrichment, training, supervision and learning to settle. It’s a big commitment!

🐾 CAPACITY: Sleepless nights, biting, chewing, accidents and interrupted routines. Do you genuinely have the physical and emotional capacity for a puppy right now?

🐾 COST: Food, vet care, insurance, grooming, training and unexpected expenses. Dogs are a significant financial commitment for many years.

🐾 EXPECTATIONS: Puppies aren’t born knowing how to live in our human world. They need patience, guidance, consistency and positive reinforcement.

🐾 KIDS: Puppies and kids can be a wonderful combination, but BOTH need support! Safe interactions, boundaries, supervision and understanding dog body language are essential.

And remember, the Christmas holidays might give you extra time at home, but what happens when school and work go back?

A puppy isn’t just a commitment for the holidays. It’s a commitment for the next 10–15+ years.

I LOVE helping families welcome puppies into their homes, but I also want them to be prepared and set up for success from day one! 💛

Thinking about getting a puppy? My in-home Puppy Training sessions and online Puppy Programs can help you prepare before your puppy even arrives!

🐾 cooperandkids.com

💬 What’s ONE thing you wish someone had told you before getting a puppy?

15/10/2026

Loving dogs is easy. 💜 Teaching children to respect them is just as important.

Dogs have feelings, boundaries and preferences too.

Let’s teach our kids to recognise when dogs want attention, when they need space and that saying “no” is okay.

Because the best relationships are built on trust, choice and mutual respect. 🐾💜

13/10/2026

Life with kids and dogs is busy. I know that, because I'm living it too.

Our online programs are built for families who cannot get to a weekly class and do not have a spare hour to sit down uninterrupted. You get instant access, you go at your own pace, and you keep it for life. So when your baby starts crawling, or your puppy hits the teenage stage, or a new behavioural challenge crops up, it is all still there waiting for you.

Everything is positive, kind and force free, because a dog who feels safe enough to communicate is a dog your kids are safer around.

Swipe through to see how it works, then head to the link here to find the program that suits your stage - https://cooperandkids.com/online-programs/

11/10/2026

Hands up if you were taught to let a dog sniff your hand before patting it.

Same here. And a lot of people still teach their kids to do it too.

Here's the thing though. A hand coming at a dog's face is a lot of pressure. For a dog who's nervous, sore, or just not in the mood, that's the moment they might feel they have to react.

And they don't even need it. Smell is a dog's superpower. They knew exactly who your kid was long before that hand got anywhere near them.

So instead of reaching in, we ask. The person first, then we must ask the dog too. But how??

👋 TAP: Stand still and tap your leg to invite them over. Loose and waggy means yes please. Standing back or looking worried means no thanks, and that's a perfectly good answer.
🤚PAT: One hand, collar to tail. Never on the head.
✋ PAUSE: Three seconds, then hands away. Let the dog decide if they want more.

That's it. Tap, Pat, Pause.

Link here for full article and to download our Tap, Pat, Pause sheet and put it on the fridge - https://cooperandkids.com/tap-pat-pause-the-safe-way-to-teach-kids-how-to-say-hi-to-a-dog/

And use it yourself, not just with the kids. They copy what they see you do.

Address

Mornington Peninsula
Mornington, VIC
3930

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 4pm
Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm

Website

http://www.cooperandkids.com/

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