There comes a time throughout every single childhood where parents will hear the dreaded question ‘Can I have a pet?’. Although pet ownership can be filled with benefits for kids, such as giving them companionship and teaching them life skills, the day-to-day care that pets need can often be left to the parents. Then, to make sure that your kid’s new pet gets the best life possible and that your kid can look after them well, read on.
Take Them to a Vet
Before you bring your new pet home, you should make sure that you sign up for a nearby vet’s surgery, like those that are run by easyvet. This will enable you to smooth down any worries that you have about your new pet’s health. Not only will vets be able to give you advice on how to care for your new pet well, but they can also teach kids about their pet and the full responsibility that pet ownership entails. If your child is usually well behaved when out of the house, there is no reason why you should avoid taking them to routine check-ups and using the experience as a learning curve for your kids.
Teach Them About Responsibility
The most important step to take to make sure that your kid looks after their pet well is to teach them about their pet’s needs and the responsibility that is required from all pet owners. You can do this by printing out activity sheets online or even taking them to workshops at your local pet store or rescue center, where kids can experience the joy and difficulties of pet ownership hands-on. You can also do this by taking the lead and showing them through your own actions how to look after a pet well.
When you are introducing a new pet into your home, you should always allow your kid to have some responsibility, even if this is as little as feeding them once a day or taking them for a walk.
Always Supervise Them
However well-behaved your kid is, overexcitement can lead to your child irritating your pet by failing to read body language and by giving them fuss when they do not want it. This can lead to bites and scratches and can even dampen your pet’s quality of life. To make sure that your pet can get on well with your kids, you should always make sure that you supervise their interactions, especially at first. You should also give your pet a kid-free zone that they can go to if they are feeling scared or if they want some alone time.
Make Pet Ownership Fun
Owning a pet should be a fun and rewarding experience for your kids, which can benefit your pet by allowing them to form a close bond with your child. To enable this, you should avoid nagging your child about performing chores, as this will make them reluctant to do them, and you should schedule playtime with your new pet every single day.