Adding a Pet to Your Family

Some studies show that children that grow up around pets have a tendency to be more responsible than children who do not grow up with pets. Caring for a family pet teaches children many life lessons, such as responsibility, empathy, and allows children to bond better with other people and animals.

Pet Temperaments

If you have children and have decided to add a pet to your household, realize that your new pet will be like another member of your family. Pets are more like people than you may think - with unique personalities, interest, food preferences, and temperaments. It is not uncommon to own two of the same breed of dog, for example, with two completely different personalities. Many times, this personality can be seen when dogs are just puppies. Some puppies are more aggressive as puppies, while other litter mates may have a shy and quiet nature.

Understanding the Needs of Your Pet

Your children need to understand the appropriate behavior around pets. The temperament of an animal will have a lot to do with how a child should behave around the animal. If your cat is short-tempered, for example, it would be important to teach your child to handle the cat carefully and understand the signs a cat might give if it is annoyed. Teaching children how to understand the signs that our animals use to show emotion will help your child better understand their pet and will hopefully prevent any possible bites or scratches that might occur otherwise.

Allowing your children to help with the responsibilities of a pet is a great way to teach them more about how to behave around animals. This responsibility allows children to better understand that the world is a big place and other creatures need the same amount of attention and caring that they need. Teaching children empathy for pets is a great way to teach them life lessons about the needs of pets and even other people, making them more socially proficient adults.

Talk to a Vet

If you would like to learn more about how to teach your kids the responsibility of a pet, as well as improve their relationships with people through the introduction of a pet into your home, contact a Los Angles veterinarian clinic today. Pets can have a very positive impact on your family and speaking with a trained veterinarian will help you and your children to properly care for the newest addition to your family.

Joseph Devine