Planning a home with children and pets sounds like the American Dream. The reality is that both parenting and pet ownership takes work, but can be very rewarding.
The primary responsibility for teaching pets and children how to live together falls on the adult parent/petowner. It is unreasonable to assume the child and pet will 'figure it out'. You must teach your children to be respectful towards your pet. Your pet must be taught that you are in control and that the child is not a threat to them.
There are several ways to go about this and we have tried to explain a few simple plans below. Keep in mind that it is unfair to expect a dog or cat to think like a human or for your child to act like an adult. The most important aspect of this situation is to Never leave a young child unattended with a cat or dog. BE PROACTIVE AND PREVENT ACCIDENTS!
Just imagine.....a beautiful, sleek tabby stretched out in front of the glass door, sunshine streaming in and warming his silky fur. From time to time, his tail twitches contentedly. He is totally relaxed and is dreaming of fields of catnip.....When all of a sudden, WHAM - a remote control car comes speeding out of nowhere(obviously steered by an unlicensed driver!)and poor kitty's perfect nap is ruined! Unfortunately, too many more instances like this and his attitude toward the youngsters may be ruined as well.
Teaching cats and children to be respectful of each other is truly not that difficult. Most times, children will mimick the behavior of the parents, so be careful of how you treat the cat in their presence. Teach children to speak softly and calmly to the cat and stroke gently. Be prepared to explain and demonstrate the difference between 'stroking' and 'patting'. Young children may not know the difference between patting and hitting, so encourage them to stroke the cat instead.
The tolerance of each individual cat should be evaluated by the adult petowner and explained to the children. While some cats may not mind being picked up, it is a good idea to discourage small children from lifting them. Interaction between the cat and little ones should always be supervised so that you may praise the child for correctly handling the animal and correct them if they are doing something wrong. Because cats do not tend to bite unless they are restrained, they often make good pets for households with youngsters. Teach your children early to not leave outside doors open or kitty might escape. Your youngsters should also learn what can be hazardous to kitty such as chocolate, thin string and small toy or game parts. Most children will be happy to learn the do's and don'ts and should be given responsibility to the cat's care only based upon each child's age, ability and interest. Do not expect a small child to remember to feed or water the cat without checking to see that it has been done.
Studies have shown that children who are taught to respect family pets are more compassionate and responsible adults. Remember that you are always setting an example. Never treat your cat in a manner that you have instructed your child not to do. For example, if you tell the child not to bother kitty when she is sleeping - don't pick up a sleeping cat to put on your own lap. By setting a few easy guidelines for your children and with your supervision, a lifetime bond of love and companionship will be formed between your kids and cat.
Dogs and small children, living together in harmony will take a fair amount of work. We are not trying to discourage people from having dogs and children, but rather trying to educate parents & petowners so that they are able to make an informed decision. Animal rescue organizations, such as PetPromise, are contacted daily by petowners who wish to surrender their animals. One of the most frequently heard excuses is that the pet and children are not cohabitating well. We will try to give you some advice on how to stop problems before they rear their ugly heads.
The first point that we must stress is this: The best way to solve a problem is to avoid it occuring at all!. By this we mean the parent/petowner must be prepared to deal with issues before they arise. Training your dog and teaching your children to respect each other is a must. You must be in control of both the child and the dog for any of this to be effective. Basic obedience control over your dog is absolutely required. While we are not trying to paint a picture of doom and gloom, we simply cannot stress enough the importance of obedience. Please go to our page entitled Who's in Charge at Your House? if you have questions regarding this area.
Children and dogs can be a wonderful combination. It will require work on the part of the parent/dog owner. By teaching your children from an early age that they must treat the family dog with kindness and respect, many potential problems can be avoided. Young children should always be supervised with a dog. Never leave an infant or small child unattended with a dog.
Since children learn very well by example, it is important for you to show the child how to pet, talk to and play with your pooch.
Show him/her the difference between 'good' petting and 'bad' petting. Make sure that junior knows ears and tails are off limits! These areas tend to be pulled on frequently and while most dogs will tolerate some of this behavior, try to stop it at the onset. Toddlers should be supervised when playing with the dog and are old enough to be taught the old adage..."let sleeping dogs lie.." Older children can be taught non-aggressive games to play with the dog such as Fetch. Do not enourage games such as Tug-of-War as they can lead to aggressive behavior. Do not relegate care of the dog to a child that is either too young or not interested. Because you are the adult of the group, the dog is ultimately your responsibility. Some children will enjoy having certain dog chores - but be sure to carefully evaluate the child's maturity level, ability and interest level.
Dogs instinctively like the comfort of a den. It is a safe and secure place for them to get away from the sometimes hectic world. This is why so many dogs are easily crate-trained. Make sure that your dog has this place in your house. This area must be off-limits to everyone when the dog is in there for this to be effective.
Just as it requires training for dogs to learn how to interact with people, toddlers and small children must also be trained on interacting with dogs. There are some very important rules that must be taught and enforced to keep the peace. Once again, be sure to lead by example with your children and make sure that you're following the rules also.
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Encourage stroking instead of 'petting.' Small children cannot often differentiate between a 'hit' and a 'pet'. Stroking involves much calmer behavior
- Children must understand the importance of Never Bothering The Dog While He's Eating. You will have to say this about a thousand times, but it must be understood by the children. Touching or moving toward the dog's food while he is eating is the quickest way for your child to get bit.
- Do not lay on or sit on the dog. This should be enforced even if the dog is large and it might look cute for junior to play ride'em cowboy with Rover. It's not cute, it's annoying to the dog and if Rover is in a bad mood that particular day, he could snap.
P.O. Box 21091 • Columbus, OH 43221 • Phone: 614.738.2149 • (614.PET.2149)