Teach Children How to Interact with Pets

Children are impulsive therefore it is important to teach your child how to appropriately interact with your family pet. Because parents are role models, it is their responsibility to teach their child how to behave, and help, with the pet.

Let your child know that animals need exercise, food, water and rest - just like people do. Remind them that they can get hurt if they play too rough with the family pet. Just as your child may have a time out for bad behavior, the pet must have a safe place for its time out if they become overly excited. It is important that the constant monitoring be done between your child and your pet.

Teach your child how to properly hold the pet. If the pet is too big to hold, teach them how to hold the animal on a leash. Make your child aware that growling or hissing means that the animal needs a break. Let your child know that hands, fingers and feet should not be used as play toys for the animals.

If you have a dog, teach the child how to play fetch with it. Do now allow your dog to chase your child. Dogs instinctively chase and it could result in harm to your child.

If you have a cat, let your child use dangling toys with it. In addition, your child can wrap us paper, tin foil, etc. to make toys that the cat can bat around.

Teach your child that while animals are fun to play with, there are responsibilities involved. Let them assist you cleaning cages, feeding and watering and bathing.

There are many benefits to having children around pets. Your child will develop positive feelings towards animals. They will learn responsibility and to respect living things. Most importantly, they will experience unconditional love.