- According to HealthyChildren, a toddler should be at least four years old before welcoming their first pet
- Reading books together and visiting friends with a dog perfectly prepares the child for completely new responsibilities
- The preschooler can now pour fresh water on his own and give his pet his favorite treats after an afternoon walk
- Research confirms that daily outings in the rain and visits to the vet always ultimately fall on adults’ shoulders
When to buy the first pet for a child? The importance of age
The decision to adopt a dog or a hamster is always a great emotion at home, but it is worth carefully assessing the age of our child. As we can read on the HealthyChildren website, it is safest to wait until your child is at least 4 years old. Previously, children can be very unpredictable in their movements, which unfortunately often results in bites.
However, age is not everything, because the child’s readiness to live under one roof with a pet is equally important. Often, a calm six-year-old will cope with a new household member much better than a very active and impatient ten-year-old. Usually this is it though age about 5 or 6 years This is the moment when your toddler slowly begins to understand that an animal is a living creature with its own needs, not just another plush toy.
How to prepare your child for a dog or cat? Proven methods
Before we decide to add a pet to our family, it is worth checking whether our child knows what it involves in practice:
- Borrow simple books about caring for animals from the library and read them together before bed
- visit friends or family who already have a dog or cat, so that the child can see the daily care with their own eyes
- talk honestly about the fact that an animal has its own needs and that it needs to be fed, brushed and cleaned up every day
Such simple steps help your toddler realize that a new pet is not only about petting and having fun, but above all, systematic work every day.
What are the responsibilities of a preschool child when caring for an animal?
Children who are about 5 years old or older can confidently help their parents with the simplest tasks with their new pet. It may be a good idea to entrust them with small matters such as: pouring fresh water into a bowl, giving treats after a walk or holding a leashwhen you walk together along a park alley. To build the habit of responsibility in your child, it is worth creating a common and very simple daily schedule in which you will mark, for example, regular times for brushing your dog or cat. It is also worth considering going to obedience classes together, where the toddler, under the supervision of an adult, will learn how to behave wisely and gently with an animal.
Who looks after the dog at home with children? Parental reality
No matter how much your child promises to get up at dawn every day to walk the dog, the truth is usually mundane. You, as the parent, will be doing the vast majority of the work with the pet in your home. Children lose their enthusiasm quite quickly, and responsibilities such as visits to the vet, buying heavy food or evening walks in the autumn rain will fall on the shoulders of adults anyway.
Additionally, it is worth remembering that A small child’s play with an animal always requires a watchful eye parent in the same room. Adults must constantly make sure that the toddler does not pull the dog by the ears or grab the cat by the tail, because this is the easiest way to awaken aggression in the animal. Only the combined work of adults and the good intentions of the child will make your new four-legged friend feel completely safe and comfortable at home.
Sources:
