What parent doesn’t want their kid to have a safe pet interaction? It’s often the case that the child and pet end up forming a deep and everlasting bond which they cherish for the rest of their life. Despite the ecstatic love and affection between your favourite darlings, there is a possibility of you standing in the middle of a situation where these two bubbles aren’t seeing eye to eye. Innately possessing restless energy of poking their fellow creature puts the child at risk of being bitten, at the same time, disturbs your pooch’s space since dogs or cats don’t usually prefer loud, precarious characters invading into their jolly space.
No one is born with the general etiquette of respecting boundaries; we are all groomed with such habits and teachings. The Animal Clinic believes the bond between a child and a pet can be beautiful. For the same reason, we must inculcate and imbibe decorum and habits in our children to encourage safe pet interaction. As a parent to both these bubs, it naturally falls in the columns of your responsibility to look over the interaction between them and make sure they come off friendly and nice.
Respect Stands Prime
First, inculcate the value of respect towards dogs or pets in general in your kids’ hearts. Teach kids to treat them with the same care and generosity they would treat their siblings. Avoiding loud noises and haphazard movements, poking or teasing the dog should be asked to restrain no matter what. Discuss some basic ground rules with your kids and help them bring those rules into their habits. These may include restrictions on hugging a dog, teasing, chasing or disturbing them by any means while they sleep or eat.
Calmly break the news of introducing a new dog to the family.
Introducing a new member to the family is exciting but can also be tedious sometimes. Give your children a calm talk when you decide to break the news and when you do, make sure they are aware of all do’s and don’ts beforehand. Ask them to avoid touching the dog too frequently or carrying food in their fists, which might be a distraction to the new canine, to prevent biting or getting hurt.
Help your new pet get used to the alien environment.
Introducing a new pet to kids can be strenuous, but the same is also true for the dog. Being imposed on a new environment can be overwhelming and a lot to take at once. So help your dog take things at their own pace and make the ambience as comfortable and homely as possible. Observe your dog’s behaviours to understand their liking and dislikings. Smoothly, introduce them to your kids through puzzles, food, games, group walks etc., to help them interact better.
Provide them with a space away
When things take an overwhelming toll, we all tend to shut off and hurry back to places of small isolation and quiet. The same is true for your pooch. So, please provide them with a comfortable where they can go and relax, a place off-limits for your kids so that your dog can have some moments of quiet all to themselves.
Teach Manners to pets too
Imbibing manners is essential not just for your kids but also pets. Teach your basic dog etiquette of listening to general commands of “sit”, “down”, “go to your place”, etc. Consult an online vet to get more details on obedience training for dogs.
Never leave both your beloved babies together unattended and all on their own. Keep your pup around your kids to keep harm at bay for both parties. Getting a new dog and grooming them while also carrying on the burden of your pet and dog getting along can be cumbersome. But, when done right, watching them hanging out together so lovingly would be a sight to the eyes and worth all the stress and effort. These above-mentioned tips can help ensure safe pet interaction with your kids. Book an appointment at Jaldee vets to know more about what dog would suit you and your home the best.