If you are thinking of adding a pet to your family, you will need to do your homework!
As much as the kids pester you and promise to take on the responsiblity of a fluffy, scaley or feathery new addition, it is more than likely that mum and dad will be actually taking on the majority of responsibility, regardless of how old your kids are, so be prepared to get involved.
Choosing an age appropriate pet can be a challenge. You will have to consider how much experience your child already has with animals. Special consideration also needs to be given to infants and toddlers when introducing a new pet, especially cats and dogs. They don't have the emotional ability or empathy at these stages of development to know when they are playing too roughly, and often don't respect sensitive faces and tails. Constant supervision is required, even for the nicest of pets, because no pet likes to be startled and may react in an unexpected manner.
My Border Terrier joined our family before the kids came along and I'm happy to chat with anyone in a similar situation about how I slowly introduced him to the kids. It's been very successful and he's a terrific family pet. However, as much as he puts up with the odd 'horsey' ride and 'overly enthusiastic' hugs, I constantly supervise the kids when he is inside. As much as we love him, he is a dog, not a person, and I don't give him 100% of my trust. Constant supervision means always being in the same room as your kids and pet when they are together, having the ability to intervene if necessary.
I would highly recommend taking the time to drop into your local vet clinic to discuss the risk factors of introducing a pet at this stage. Vets and nurses are always more than happy to talk to you about your specific circumstances and give you the best advice. The other benefit of contacting your local clinic is that you will want to start building a long lasting relationship with them.
Of course, don't limit your imagination to the traditional cat and dog. Kids make your life very busy, so it's also worth including on your potential pet list some low maintenance but great family pets.
Just to get you thinking:
- rabbits and guinea pigs
- mice
- rats
- lizards
- fish (brilliant for infants and toddlers when out of reach, but they will fascinated)
- birds
- ferrets
Try and visit a local 'petting' farm or visit friends with pets you are considering. Getting some hands on experience before making the long term commitment is a must.
I will be posting more information about what to consider when choosing types of pets at different childhood age groups through to the teenage years. Stay tuned and ask away. The more information you seek and preparation you do, the better chance of a successful addition to your family.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
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we have two kids under the age of 10 and we are thinking of getting a dog what other dogs are good with kids
ReplyDeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteThe list is potentially limitless. When looking at purebred dog breeds, there are clearly some which are favoured by families as being reliably kid friendly, such as golden retrievers, labradors and the like. But you will need to expand your search criteria to also find one which suits your lifestyle and environment (eg. yard size, potential for adequate exercise, number of hours the pet will be alone each week). The biggest failure of pets integrating into a family are unwanted behaviour problems, so make sure your new pet meets as many criteria as possible and invest in quality training from the get go.
Don't discount the good old mixed breed. While the reliability of temperament may be a little less than with a purebred, they can have the benefit of having less potential for some genetic diseases. Some of the best pets I grew up with were the good old mixed breed.
My recommendation is to check out this website, fill in the search criteria and see what you think of the breeds which come up as being suitable for your family situation and environment. http://www.petnet.com.au/about.asp
This is a non-commercial Australian site, but again, doesn't list all breeds of dog out there.
Once you have a list of potential breeds, go to a couple of dog shows to see them in action and ask the owners how much grooming and emotional maintenance they require!
It is important to know that not all dogs within a breed will be the same. Although purebreds have a pretty reliable temperament consistent with the breed standard, there are often personality differences, just like people. So, if you are considering a puppy, usually the best indicator of a pup's temperament is the temperament of the mum and dad. Usually, it's easy to spend some time with the mother, and that will give you the best idea of whether her pups are the right match for your family.
Happy hunting!