How To Make Kids Understand To Be Good With The Pets

This post addresses the problem and solution when small kids are not gentle with the pets. Let’s Check out the experiences of some moms and how to make our kids understand to be good with the pets.

Story 1

My 15-month-old was very friendly and caring with our female dog Pixi, but of late, my daughter has started pulling Pixi by her tail. One day Pixi got finicky and snapped at my baby with her paw, which scratched her face. She cried a lot and is now feeling scared of going close to Pixi. My dog is 11-year-old female dog and is mostly very cranky. She also doesn’t want my baby to get too close to her. My daughter is also an attention seeker, and she only has to do things which she is not supposed to do. As both of them are not getting along well and thankfully my house is big, so I try to keep both of them away. Now, after that incident, my daughter doesn’t want us to take care of the dog, there are other family members to do the needful required for the dog, but I still feel sad I have to ignore my dog because of my daughter. 

Story 2

Once I saw my daughter poking her finger into my dog’s eye. Although my dog turned its face without even growling, I felt anxious and intervened. I tried to explain to my child that you are making him uncomfortable. The way you don’t want anyone to bring their fingers close to your eyes the very same way dogs don’t like it.

Story 3

I have four dogs, and one of my twins is becoming very grabby. Although my dogs are good but still, I remain careful and scared when my kid is not gentle with my dogs.

Story 4

Once my daughter tied my dog’s tail to a door with a rope. My dog got angry, made a scary face, and growled loudly at her. My daughter got so scared after that. Now, whenever she tries to mess with the dog, he growls, and then she stops messing with him.

Story 5

My dog is very friendly with my child. He allows my baby to do anything with him. My baby can put his hand into his mouth, which scares me so much, and I ask my toddler to remove his hand, but my dog is never complaining or growling at him.

Story 6

I usually work from home while a nanny looks after my 4-year-old daughter. One day when the nanny was on leave, I gave my daughter some craft item to stick on a paper. Although I was keeping an eye on my daughter’s activities but for half an hour or so, I got busy in a phone call with some client. When I came back, I got annoyed to see my daughter sticking those stickers on my cat’s body and tied a ribbon on its tail and ears. She was giggling and laughing and was finding it funny.

All these incidents show kids are small, and they do not understand how they should be treating their pets. They treat pets like any of their other toys, but a pet is not a toy or the replacement of a toy.

The pet in our homes should be treated well, like any other family member. We have to make our kids understand that they have to be nice and loving towards their pets

First, we have to recognise the fact that the way every child is different similarly, every pet also has a different temperament, and they can react differently to the same kind of situation. 

There is far more possibility of the fact that a child never realizes how rough they are with the pet, and your pet may not like the way your toddler is treating him. It may lead to violence and serious repercussions.

Let’s find out how to make our kids understand to be good with pets.

1. When your children are not treating your pet well then immediately, try to correct them. Show them how to pat and play with a pet softly and lovingly without hurting them.
2. Tell your child to be good with the pet, and their actions can be hurting for the animal who cannot speak and express their pains in words like us.
3. Always be careful when your toddler is close to your pet. Be alert as both pets and kids may not understand that they are hurting each other. So better be vigilant and watchful than being sorry.
4. When you feel despite telling your child to be careful and be good with pets, they are still rough then, it’s better to keep them apart for some days. If your house is big, then it is easier to keep them away but if the house is small, better keep your pet and toddler away with the help of some fence pen.
5. Never laugh or enjoy when your toddler is trying to be naughty with the pet. It will give your toddler an impression that what they are doing is fun. One should strictly intervene and make the kid realize their follies.
6. Somehow I strongly feel and see books play a huge role in a kid’s life. In this case, also books can help in making your kid understand and generate a feeling of love and kindness in them towards pets. There are various books in the Caillou series that focuses on how kids should be treating their house pets. Some of these books are Caillou Walks his Dog, Caillou goes Bird Watching, Caillou- Where’s Gilbert, Caillou, and Gilbert.

Mommies understand this is a stage where your toddler is too little to know how their actions can be hurtful to innocent animals.

Do not judge your child or your pet for not being kind and loving towards each other. Remember, it is a difficult time that will cease sooner or later.

We only have to be patient and consistent in our words and actions.

The phase will soon, end the child will grow wiser and kinder.

So, till then, Perseverance and consistency is the key.