Teaching Kids And Pets To Coexist Peacefully
Children and pets can coexist in the same household peacefully. Many people mistakenly think that their pet needs to head to the local shelter as soon as they start having children. They fear that the cat or dog will not get along with the new child, resulting in biting or scratching. This is not always the case, and if you take the time to introduce your pets to your children properly, your kids and pets can live in harmony.
One of the biggest concerns that new parents have regarding pets is how they will react to a baby. Many of the old wives’ tales, such as cats sucking the breath out of babies, simply are not true. In fact, many cats and dogs readily accept a new child into the home and become fiercely loyal and protective over the baby.
When you bring your baby home from the hospital, you should introduce your pet to your new baby. Of course, these introductions need supervision. Allow your cat or dog time to sniff your child at their own pace. Make the introduction pleasant for your cat or dog. In most cases, your cat or dog will not give your baby a second thought. Allow your pet to adjust to the new situation on their own terms. When a baby comes to the house, it is an adjustment for everybody.
The other thing you might want to consider when you bring a baby into the home is to make sure that your cat or dog is properly groomed. Grooming includes trimming your dog or cat nails. Your dog may want to put a paw on your baby. If their nails are long and sharp, your dog may accidentally scratch your infant. While you can never eliminate pet hair from your home, it will certainly help your home stay a little cleaner if your dog or cat is clipped and brushed. Many new parents also worry about allergies. The fact is, many studies have shown that children who are exposed to pets from a very young age actually have fewer pet allergies than children who are not exposed to pets.
Another good idea is to ensure that your pets do not have access to your baby’s room during nap time or at night without supervision. While your pet probably means no harm to your child, pets are naturally curious. A cat may jump into your infant crib, or in large dogs could easily knock a crib or cradle over. You should always supervise your pet when it is around your new baby. Most of all, you should try to make sure that you are still spending quality time with your pet when possible. This especially pertains to dogs, which are used to playing in the backyard and going for walks.
As your child grows, you need to teach your child proper pet etiquette. If your dog or cat has learned to respect your child, then your child also needs to learn to respect your pet. Teach your child from a young age that they should never pull or yank a cat or dog’s tail or ears.
Your child can learn proper pet etiquette even at a very young age. You will also want to teach your child to respect your pet’s space. This includes ensuring that your child understands that they should never wake a sleeping pet. This could cause your pet to become startled and result in biting or scratching.
In addition, you will want to make sure that your child understands to stay out of your pet’s food, water, and litter box. Your child will be naturally curious, so it is always best to give your pet some private space away from your child.
You can do many things to make sure that children and pets coexist peacefully. Your children and pets need to learn to respect each other from the beginning. There is no reason to get rid of your cat or dog just because you have a child in the home.
CafeBoss 