Meeting Dogs
The world is full of dogs, and they all look like they’d be fun to pet. If your child loves meeting new dogs, teach them these rules to follow so they’ll stay safe and show respect for the dog and its owner. Tell them this is like learning to speak dog language!
Ask the Owner First
Before your child approaches a strange dog, they need to ask the owner if it’s all right to do so. Never let them pet a strange dog that’s tied up outside, in its yard, or sitting in a car. Many dogs feel territorial in these situations and feel they have to defend their space.
Let the Dog Smell Your Hand
Have you ever watched two dogs greet each other? The first thing they do is smell each other’s noses. People aren’t generally interested in having their noses smelled, so when humans meet a dog, they usually offer their hand. This accomplishes two things: it gives the dog a chance to learn your scent, thereby getting to know you, and it shows the dog that you aren’t aggressive. If your child is scared, have them present their hand as a fist. Otherwise, they can offer their palm or the back of their hand for sniffing.
Pet Low, Not High
It’s very hard for dogs to see over their own heads. Because they’re lower to the ground than we are, they have to worry about danger and aggression coming at them from overhead. That’s why, when you meet a new dog, it’s best to not try to pet it on the head right away. Start by petting under its chin, on its chest, or on its cheek. When your hand is in the dog’s range of sight, it knows it can let down its guard and enjoy the attention you’re giving. After it’s comfortable with you, it will trust you to pet the top of its head.
Teach your kids these simple tricks, and they’ll be “speaking dog” in no time!
Ask About Cats
Cats are particular animals, and it’s never safe to make generalizations about them. What one cat loves, another may hate! So if your child is meeting a new cat, have them ask the owner what kind of attention the cat likes. Is it partial to ear-rubs? Scratches under the chin? Or does it only like to have its back stroked? Get a little information before you say hello and you’ll have a better chance of making friends.
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Helping Kids Be Good To Pets
When it comes to teaching your kids how to act around pets, there are really only two rules to impart: be kind to the animal, and respect the animal. If you stick by these two rules and make them your teaching mantra, you’ll never go wrong.
Be Kind to Animals
Even when they’re small, kids can accidentally hurt animals by tugging on their ears or tail. It can be hard for little ones to understand that animals are sensitive in different places than humans are—and sometimes they’re more physically sensitive in general.
Leading by example, help your small kids understand what it means to be gentle when holding a gerbil or petting a rabbit. Use a soft voice when you show your child how to pet the animal—that reinforces both the softness of the moment and also shows how seriously you’re taking the interaction.
If your kids are new to animals, you can start by introducing them to a pet that’s relatively tough. Head to the petting zoo at the state fair to pet the goats and sheep, or let the kids meet a neighbor’s dog. Slowly work your way up to more delicate animals like cats and small rodents. If a cat bites or hisses, let your kids know that it only does this because it’s afraid, uncomfortable, or unhappy. Teach them that if they want the animal to love them, then need to be considerate of its feelings, space, and happiness.
Respect Animals
How often have you seen this: a kid hauling a cat around by its middle, oblivious to the cat’s yowls? Kids can seriously hurt pets when they don’t know how to handle them gently. Sometimes they just aren’t coordinated enough to walk a dog on a leash or keep a gecko from falling on the floor. If that’s the case with your kids, it may be time to use the “Four Feet on the Floor” rule.
Four Feet on the Floor
This means that all animals keep four feet on the floor at all times. Pretty simple! And if your kids are small, you’ll find that it avoids a lot of headaches (and pain for your pet). With this rule, kids are allowed to pet animals all they want; they just can’t pick them up. Many animals love to be picked up, but it takes an older person’s sensibility to know when they want that kind of attention and when they don’t. Picking up a cat or dog when it’s in the middle of a nap is not only rude—it isn’t showing much respect for the pet.
In time, your kids will grow old enough to know when it’s appropriate to pick up a pet and when it isn’t. Ideally, they’ll also notice that when they’re kind, gentle, and calm with a pet, the animal shows more interest in them.
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Kids and Pets – at Every Age
Is your child ready for a pet? How do you know if they’re too young to be responsible for a dog or cat? Read on and get our benchmarks for kids and pets.
Infants
Don’t expect your baby to interact with a pet. You should never leave a small child alone with an animal. When your child starts to crawl, keep animal food and toys out of its path. Not only do you not want your child sampling the dog food, but because some dogs and cats are possessive, you’ll want to head off potential confrontations by keeping the baby away from the pet’s “things.” Small kids can be grabby with pets, and they can potentially hurt animals by clutching at fur, ears, and tails. Make sure your pet has a safe place to go when it wants to escape the little one.
Toddlers
Again, keep your child away from all pet food and toys. If your pet guards its food, teach it to eat right away by implementing a 15-minute rule. After 15 minutes, pick up the dog’s food and put it away, whether it’s finished or not. If you repeat this at every meal, your dog will quickly learn to eat while it has the chance. For toys, try to offer your dog a place where it can enjoy its toys without any interference.
Pre-School
At this age, children are ready to help take care of a pet so long as they have parental supervision. Kids of this age are old enough to play with dogs and cats unsupervised, so long as they have a good, stable history together. Pre-schoolers might enjoy helping with measuring out dog food, getting the kitty fresh water, or putting apple and banana pieces in a hamster’s cage.
Elementary School
Now kids can really start helping take care of the pet. They’re ready to learn about the responsibility of daily chores like feeding a pet, walking it, and cleaning its cage. They might also enjoy doing some pet training, setting up habitats, or doing maze-experiments with rodents.
Middle and High School
This is prime pet-ownership time. However, as kids age, their focus may shift toward other things. That’s a good moment for parents to remind them of their responsibility to the pet. If you care for your pet, you’ll take care of it even if your social life is blooming!
When kids of this age show a serious interest in animals, it can take them in exciting directions. Your child may decide to volunteer at an animal shelter, enter 4-H competitions, become serious about dog training, or consider becoming a vertinarian.
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Kids Owning Pets – the Benefits to Both
Children and pets are a natural fit. With their shared love of romping around, merriment, and quiet snuggle-time, pets and kids seem made to live together. But beyond the advantage of helping burn off a little excess energy, playing and living with pets has deep benefits for kids. From improved self-esteem to a sense of respect for living things, owning a pet can help your child grow into a considerate, caring adult.
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, pets offer the following important benefits for kids:
- They help kids develop responsible behavior and care-taking skills
- They are a safe place for kids to share their thoughts and secrets
- They offer a real bond with the natural world
- They teach respect for animals
- They provide opportunities to learn about the life process—birth, death, reproduction, health and recovery, etc.
Pets also offer plenty of love, affection, and physical contact. They give kids a chance to think about what it’s like to be different, and to wonder how a dog thinks about and perceives the world. Large pets give kids the chance to run and play, walk in the woods with a trusty companion, and throw balls and Frisbees.
Spending time with a pet can also open up social doors for a child. They might meet other dog owners at the dog park or on the street and get to practice talking to people of all ages. And if your child has a hand in caring for the dog, they might develop an interest in animal health or grooming.
When it comes to learning how to treat animals, parents are powerful role models. Show your child how to act with a friendly cat, how to greet a strange dog on the street (ask its owner first!), and how to play with the family dog. They’ll pick up your behaviors and turn into world-class pet lovers in their own right.
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Kids and Dogs
