Teaching Children How to Safely Handle Pets
From introducing your family pet to your newborn child, to teaching your toddler how to handle stray dogs, pet safety is extremely important, especially with younger children. Here are some guidelines on how to teach pet safety, what to teach, and how to approach the subject.
First Introductions
When introducing your family pet to your newborn baby, whether your pet is a dog or a cat, it is best to do so in stages. Begin by leaving some of the baby’s blankets around the house so your pet can get accustomed to the baby’s smell. Watch how they handle smelling the blankets and go on from there. If they receive the new scent well, you can start introducing them in person.
If you have more than one pet, start by introducing one animal to your baby at a time. Always have two adults in the room so that if your pet reacts strangely you can easily get them away from the baby. Take introductions slow until you are sure the pets are totally comfortable with the baby. No matter how gentle your dog or cat is, it is best not to leave children alone unsupervised with pets, as both groups are easily startled and may react unpredictably.
Being Gentle
When your child is old enough to understand, teaching them how to interact with pets is crucial in the two groups getting along. Children tend to want to pat animals roughly, or to pull at their ears and tails. Let your child know how best to pet animals and the importance of being gentle. Many times younger children have trouble understanding that animals are not toys.
Respecting Space and Privacy
Especially if you have more than one child, it’s a good idea to create a space just for the pets that your children know not to go into. This could be a corner of the house or yard, or just the pet’s crate area. This allows your pet the chance to retreat when they become stressed or tired, and reduces the risk of incidents.
Using Caution
Another important tip is to teach your children that other people’s pets might not be like your pets. Not all dogs or cats interact with children well. Your child should understand that some animals have jobs like guarding a house, so sticking hands through fences to pet dogs is a bad idea. If they encounter a stray dog, teach them to stand still and back away slowly without looking the dog in the eye.
Asking Permission
It is always important to ask if an animal is friendly and to have the owner’s permission before petting. Checking before petting can save a lot of trouble if the animal isn’t friendly. Teach your child to extend their hand slowly, palm up so the animal can sniff them. Only after the animal has shown interest in being petted should they touch them.
Learning Body Language
Both cats and dogs have very distinctive body language. Teaching your child that a raised, wagging tail might not always mean the animal is happy is just as important as teaching them that flattened ears, growling or hissing, and a lowered tail are signs of aggression.
Medical Care for Animal-Related Injuries
If you have any other questions, or if your child has experienced an injury due to an accident with a pet, trust the medical professionals at AGC Pediatrics. Call us at (706) 625-5900 or visit our patient portal for more information or to schedule an appointment.
First Introductions
When introducing your family pet to your newborn baby, whether your pet is a dog or a cat, it is best to do so in stages. Begin by leaving some of the baby’s blankets around the house so your pet can get accustomed to the baby’s smell. Watch how they handle smelling the blankets and go on from there. If they receive the new scent well, you can start introducing them in person.
If you have more than one pet, start by introducing one animal to your baby at a time. Always have two adults in the room so that if your pet reacts strangely you can easily get them away from the baby. Take introductions slow until you are sure the pets are totally comfortable with the baby. No matter how gentle your dog or cat is, it is best not to leave children alone unsupervised with pets, as both groups are easily startled and may react unpredictably.
Being Gentle
When your child is old enough to understand, teaching them how to interact with pets is crucial in the two groups getting along. Children tend to want to pat animals roughly, or to pull at their ears and tails. Let your child know how best to pet animals and the importance of being gentle. Many times younger children have trouble understanding that animals are not toys.
Respecting Space and Privacy
Especially if you have more than one child, it’s a good idea to create a space just for the pets that your children know not to go into. This could be a corner of the house or yard, or just the pet’s crate area. This allows your pet the chance to retreat when they become stressed or tired, and reduces the risk of incidents.
Using Caution
Another important tip is to teach your children that other people’s pets might not be like your pets. Not all dogs or cats interact with children well. Your child should understand that some animals have jobs like guarding a house, so sticking hands through fences to pet dogs is a bad idea. If they encounter a stray dog, teach them to stand still and back away slowly without looking the dog in the eye.
Asking Permission
It is always important to ask if an animal is friendly and to have the owner’s permission before petting. Checking before petting can save a lot of trouble if the animal isn’t friendly. Teach your child to extend their hand slowly, palm up so the animal can sniff them. Only after the animal has shown interest in being petted should they touch them.
Learning Body Language
Both cats and dogs have very distinctive body language. Teaching your child that a raised, wagging tail might not always mean the animal is happy is just as important as teaching them that flattened ears, growling or hissing, and a lowered tail are signs of aggression.
Medical Care for Animal-Related Injuries
If you have any other questions, or if your child has experienced an injury due to an accident with a pet, trust the medical professionals at AGC Pediatrics. Call us at (706) 625-5900 or visit our patient portal for more information or to schedule an appointment.