For many boys who grew up in the countryside, having pets was almost a rite of passage. You were not somebody until you could point to your rabbit. You couldn’t sit in the council of boys until you had pigeons, a dog or a fowl.
How Children benefit from having pets
This possession of pets taught us responsibilities to no end; your rabbits had to feed. So after school one had to forage for weeds. Your dog needed to be safely kept-so one had to put up a kennel.
Pets can enrich a child’s life. But they both need to learn how to treat each other and require supervision.
For children, having pets can teach them empathy and concern. Pets can help children learn to love and trust others. If you have a dog and you trust it enough to feel safe before it, you certainly are trusting.
As children play with pets, they engage in physical activity. This becomes a fun way to make exercise a party of their lifestyle.
The love and care for other living things can be nurtured through having pets. Over the pet’s lifecycle, child minders can teach children various aspects of life processes; birth, illness, death.
How to choose a pet for your child
Small breeds of dogs or puppies or kittens may not always be the best for your younglings. Rather go for a big adult dog or cat that can tolerate active playing and handling.
It is better to have a veterinarian check and give the pet a clean bill of health rather than purchase a dog or cat that can risk infecting your child. Does your child or anybody else in the family suffer allergies related to suggested pets?
At home the onus falls on the adult to manage the interaction between the pets and children.
For a dog the child shouldn’t be the only person holding the leash. Rather show him how a leash is held by holding it together. Even for small pets like kittens do show the child how to hold or carry them. Train your children to never run from a dog; neither should your dogs chase children around. Dogs, being chasers, will have their predator/prey instincts prompted by a screaming, running child.
Children have a knack to poke, hit or grab animals. This can not only provoke an attack, but can harm small animals. Dangling of fingers, legs or hands before pets in attack games should be firmly discouraged.
A brooding animal is sensitive. Children should be kept away from a pet’s young brood as they get defensive and could attack if they feel the young ones are at risk. When an animal is eating, sleeping or starts to hiss or growling, children should keep their distance.
Practice good hygiene
Hygiene is critical in the care of pets for your children. Children should stay away from litter boxes or feeding bowls. Pets feces can be highly contagious. A through washing of hands should be done after every playful activity with the pets.
When children are playing with pets, be on the lookout for any bites or scratches. These should be attended to immediately-if need be by a doctor. Your pet must have a time to rest. Often, children will want to play with the animals in rotation without knowing that the animal gets fatigued. A quite place away from children can help it rejuvenate and avoid being irritable.
Even though you bought the pet for your child, the pet remains your responsibility. The child can help with pet care but that is just how far it goes. He will feed the dog and give it water, but you have to measure the food. He can walk the dog, but only in your company. Children are better off with small, safe and simple tasks done under your supervision
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