I believe you can recall some nice moments that you had with your pet during your childhood. If your parent could take away your pet, you would cry loud and remain unhappy. Now as an adult, the same thing would come to you. What would happen today if your child requested for a pet? Remember the health of a pet is very vital. Therefore, before you bring a furry friend home for your child, take some time to choose wisely.
Readiness for the Pet
First, establish whether your child can look after the pet. You should also assess whether you will be ready to supervise. Handing all the responsibilities for pet care to your child will not be the best idea. Parents should always take the responsibility first regardless of the age of the child. If a child must do activities like cleaning the litter box, the parents must supervise to ensure this s done. It is the parents who will schedule checkups for the animal. Children can be given other duties depending on their stages of development. Thus, before bringing a pet home ensure that the child bears the following characteristics:
• You child should be able to obey and follow basic and age-appropriate instructions. This means doing as he is told. This is vital for the child and pet's healthcare safety.
• Your child must demonstrate gentleness when handling the animal.
• They should be responsible. If you tell the child to walk a pet, he should surely do so in the appropriate manner and time.
Choosing the Pet
If you are considering taking a pet home for a child to have a nice time with, the best place to get good advice is at the vet. Normally, it is good to start with pets like rodents, and they require more involvement. The vets will advice you on how the child should feed, play and keep the pet clean. You can also foster an animal from a local animal rescue group. This is because not all foster animals are normally abandoned or mistreated. You should volunteer at a shelter to acquire the skills first before taking an animal home.
Personalities of Kids that Match with Pets
Getting the right pet for your child's personality is the greatest challenge. When choosing, you should be realistic about the pet and the child. A very active child needs close supervision as compared to one who appears relaxed and calm. There is just more challenge getting the right pet for a fearful or very active child. There is also need to do research on the temperament of the animal breed. Also, understanding the family's lifestyle is a factor to put into consideration. Dogs and cats are animals that require a highly socialized environment. While being trained, they need positive reinforcement. Therefore, train your kids to be obedient so that they can have a smooth relationship with pets you buy for them. With realistic expectations as a parent, pets and kids are a great fun to watch.
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