Compassion - Integrity - Commitment
Pet Wise Children
| Training Your Child To Be "Pet Wise" |
| A child should be taught to interact appropriately with pets from the time he/she begins to crawl and walk. From the moment they begin to crawl, children investigate everything around them, including your pet. Your pet's toys, food or water bowl and a cat's litter box are fair targets. To your pet's misfortune, young children have no perception of the pain they can inflict by biting, stepping or jumping on, kicking, squeezing, hitting, pinching, twisting or pulling various parts of your pet's body. A child may lift and toss a pet that is light enough, and not fast enough to avoid it. Many children delight in waking a sleeping pet by screaming in its ear or persistently chasing it, giving it no peace. Your children's friends should also be monitored when your pet is nearby. Under adult supervision, children must be taught how to treat pets. Children must learn that pets are not toys and are living beings that feel pain. It is not enough to tell them what not to do. Children must be taught to substitute unacceptable behavior with acceptable behavior toward your pet. Children must be shown which parts of a pet's body can be touched and how to gently pet them. Teach them not to disturb an animal while it is resting or sleeping, eating a meal, or playing with or chewing on a favorite toy or object. Teach your child not to pursue a pet that runs away from them. Teach them not to restrain a pet that is trying to break free. |
A child must be made to understand its own physical strength and the consequences of its behavior. In some cases, role playing is helpful. A child
can pretend to be a dog or cat while an adult mimics the child. If your child is uncooperative, it may be best to keep pet and child separated until the child demonstrates more maturity and self-control. It may be necessary, and
indeed humane, to place your pet temporarily or permanently in another
home.
No pet should be made to suffer unnecessarily. Every pet has limits to
its own tolerance and even the kindest, most reliably patient animal has
breaking point. It is unfair to everyone to allow your child to continually
harass a beloved pet.
can pretend to be a dog or cat while an adult mimics the child. If your child is uncooperative, it may be best to keep pet and child separated until the child demonstrates more maturity and self-control. It may be necessary, and
indeed humane, to place your pet temporarily or permanently in another
home.
No pet should be made to suffer unnecessarily. Every pet has limits to
its own tolerance and even the kindest, most reliably patient animal has
breaking point. It is unfair to everyone to allow your child to continually
harass a beloved pet.
Information has been obtained by Anchorage Animal Hospital from sources believed to be reliable. However, because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by our sources, Anchorage Animal Hospital does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or the results obtained from the use of such information.
