If you’re already a dog owner, then you likely understand how much joy and happiness a dog can add to your life. Our furry friends are an essential part of the family. But if you’re considering pup parenthood and already have kiddos, you may be wondering if the joy outranks the responsibilities. We’re here to help!
Turns out there are a few amazing reasons kids and puppies go well together, such as:
- Pets teach children fundamental values like kindness and compassion.
- Your child will learn important lessons in responsibility.
- Dogs can be a great source of companionship and comfort.
- Lastly, kids can learn to respect animals and their boundaries by having a dog.
Seems like a win-win, right? By adding a pet to your pack, your child may gain new and unique opportunities to learn and grow as a human being. So, pet care for kids–where do you begin? Keep reading to learn more!
The Fundamentals: Teach Your Kids To Respect Pets
A new puppy in the family requires some training, but often kids need to be trained, too. As you may know all too well, kids and puppies are both a ton of work! It takes time and patience to raise everyone well. To be successful, it’s important to acknowledge the basics.
First, you’ll need to teach kids that pets need downtime and space. If your puppy needs a bit of quiet time, you can make this known to your kids. Give him one of our yummy Peanut Butter Coated Sweet Potato Bones! Teach your kids that when the puppy has his bone, it is time for him to be left alone.
Pet Care For Kids – Easy Ways To Start
There are some important things to remember when it comes to kids and puppy care. No matter the age, it’s important that you’re aware of how well your kids can follow instructions. To get your kids introduced to caring for the family pup, it’s best to start with the essentials:
Water
You can teach your kids to keep an eye on the puppy’s water bowl. Is it getting low? If they’re old enough, you can teach them how to refill it themselves. Otherwise, it can be their job to let you know when it’s time to fill it up! The important thing is that they feel responsible for this aspect of care.
Food
If your puppy eats dry kibble, feeding time is the perfect opportunity to give your kids some responsibility. (With some supervision, of course)! Keep an easy-to-grab scoop in the kibble container and let your kids measure the puppy’s food at mealtime.
Grooming
If the family pup is comfortable with being groomed, this is a great chore that you can teach your kids. It is great for their fine motor skills and minds as well! Plus, brushing a pet is a great way to bond and foster compassion for other beings. But, if your puppy hates grooming time, it may be wise to skip this one.
Training
Do you feel like your kids are ready to take the next step and learn how to train your pup? Keep reading for some tips and tricks!
Kids And Puppies Training: What You Need to Know
Let’s face it- your young kid is probably not going to teach your puppy impressive tricks. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t involve your kids in your training practices! So how can you involve your kids in the puppy training process? Let them help you (even if it’s not really helping)! This will make your kids feel important and valued.
Training & Treats: The Best Methods
Now that you know the basics, let’s dive deeper into training. The most important thing to remember is to make sure that both your kid and dog are having a positive experience. One fun exercise you can do is to teach your pup to “touch” your kids’ hand. To do this, you can have your kiddo hold out their hand and hold a treat to their palm. When your pup touches his nose to the hand, you say “touch” and give him the treat. This is a fun trick for kids and puppies alike, and it’s a great way for them to bond.
Our tasty Alaskan Salmon Topper Treats are a great size for this exercise and all aspects of puppy training! And even better, they are the perfect fit for little hands! The best part? These treats are made from some of nature’s best ingredients, and they’re all responsibly sourced and made in the USA.
When you’re not training but still want to give your pup a tasty treat, you can reach for our Chicken Coated Sweet Potato Stix! And don’t forget to check out our full selection of puppy-approved treats!
Should Kids Learn All Aspects Of Pet Care?
When it comes down to it, you know your kids and your pets better than anyone. You must use your best judgment when determining what’s appropriate. There are some aspects of puppy care that hold too many potential safety issues. One example of this could be taking your puppy on walks. While it may be suitable in your specific situation, there are multiple factors to consider.
You should ask yourself questions like: are there any loose dogs that frequent the area? What about cats? How busy is your street? Answering these questions will help you determine what safety concerns you may have. In the end, it’s completely up to you to decide which responsibilities you want to give your kids.
Kids and puppies are a pretty adorable pair. We hope our tips and tricks were helpful and that this new adventure is PAWSitively perfect!
