How To Teach Your Child To Be A Great Dog Owner?

Having a new dog can be a great experience for children. Not only do they have someone to play with, but it's a great opportunity for them to learn a sense ofresponsibility, and caring. They'll learn to become aware of something other than themselves, and how to modulate their behaviour around others who communicate in a different way!

But children may need to learn about what the dog needs, how to interact with him, and what the general do's and don'ts are. These aren't going to come naturally! The upside is that children will spend a lot of time with their new pet, and this can provide a wonderful sense of companionship for both them and the dog.

So, what do children need to know?

• Dogs need to be fed! They need fresh water and food each day, and that food is a little different to what we eat. Explain how dogs, and puppies, have their own unique nutritional needs. They can't just eat scraps of food all the time, or leftovers - no matter how much they may love it as a treat. Dog foodhas a special balance of vitamins, minerals, fats, and other important elements. Human food, unless it is specially prepared, just doesn't have everything a dog (or puppy) needs to grow strong, and stay healthy.
• Fresh water is important, especially if you have an outdoor dog. Mosquitos can breed in standing water, and dirt and other debris (including bugs!), can get into the dish.
  
  Smaller children may need some supervision when tending to their dog's food and water. They may not grasp the concepts entirely, or misunderstand little things that can add up quickly. Dog care should never be the primary responsibility of youngchildren. They should be seen as helpers and contributors, but the primary care needs to be undertaken by the parent.
• Children need to learn to be nice to dogs! They mean well, but don't understand that their eagerness and excitement can seem a bit rough, and overwhelming to the dog. This is especially true of puppies. For children under the age of 4, who are still learninghow to interact with the world at large, pulling a dog's ears, or tail, is just an extension of this exploration. But it is not appropriate, and will usually stress the dog. Teach them to be gentle, kind, and respectful. Show them how to pat the dog's head gently, or his back. Let them know that hitting and pulling a dog can hurt him.
• Dogs need exercise. Whilst it isn't recommended that you let your child walk the dog, especially if it is outside near a road, you can supervise daily walks with the dog and your children. Letting children take the dog for a walk alone, outside, is inviting trouble and heartache. Dogs are generally quite big, and strong. They can get startled for different reasons, other dogs (and cars) are on the road, and it is going to be devastating to a child if something happens to the dog when they are taking it for a daily walk. Don't leave your child with the possibility of this happening.
• You may need to teach your children not to leave certain things lying around the house for your dog to chew. This is particularly true when they are puppies. The dog won't understand that your child's toy or shoe is forbidden territory, at least straight away. Let your children know this, and that it takes time, and special care, to teach a puppy not to chew things at will.
• Keep the bathroom door shut, and the cat litter in a place the cat can get to, that the dog cannot. Dogs love drinking out of the toilet bowl, so teach your child to keep the bathroom doors shut. They also like to eat cat pooh - it has a lot of protein in it! Whilst this won't hurt the dog, it's not very nice if they try and lick you just afterwards. And not very hygienic either.
• If your dog is an indoor dog, teach your child that he needs regular toilet breaks outside. To make it easier, set up a schedule of toilet breaks, perhaps written down so your child has something to refer to in case they forget the times. The scheduled times are an important aspect in teaching the dog to relieve themselves outside too. They need to be strictly kept.

This is a lot for children to remember, so it is probably helpful to make a chart, and put it somewhere they can access easily. Sticking it on a fridge door, or noticeboard, is a good idea. Have it set up so that your child can tick, or place a sticker, next to each task when it's done. Perhaps reward your child with a nice treat when they achieve certain milestones - perhaps a certain percentage of things done, or over a certain time period.

Children don’t always see the bigger picture in taking care of their new dog. With our help, however, they can learn quickly. Make it a positive experience for your child, and give them a lot of support. Don't expect them to get it all right straight away. Reward them for the sincere effort they are making. Taking care of a pet is a big responsibility. Teach them that it's a bit like you taking care of them - just as they need your help with things, so does a dog need theirs. After all, our pets depend on us for so many things, and the joy they give is in direct proportion to how well they are cared for.