Children and How to Keep Your Kids Happy and Safe

Consider your children's personalities, number of children in the house, and ages before selecting a K-9. Everyone will lose out if you don't make a good choice, so take some time to be introspective about this. Are all your two kids under 9? If they are, you might not want to get the high-energy breed that might require the same amount of time and caring as your children do. Also, take into consideration how mature your children are. There are some thirteen year-olds that are not ready for dog-ownership responsibilities, while there are some 9 year-olds that are mature enough to have a dog. You have to be honest with yourself. There are many obnoxious children and there are some who have a hard time with impulse control or anger management. If your kids are always bothering you with things such as endless questions, poking, and other disruptive behavior, most likely they will act the same way with the dogs. Every dog has their boiling point, and some are higher than others. You must ask yourself this very important question before getting a dog-Is your child ready to have a dog in the house?

Some breeders who will not place a dog if there are very young children in the house. They are worried that the toddlers is too young to understand the restraints when playing, or that the dog might not be getting right attention. Puppies can learn to be shy with humans if they are treated too roughly, and a small dog can be injured accidentally by a baby. If you have a little one, you should seriously consider these things.

After you have made up your mind that your child is grown up enough for a K9 and that you are going to be able to spend enough time to watch over their interactions and the dog will receive enough exercise, it's time to figure out what does your child need in a dog. A little pet is not likely to be the ideal friend for your child if he is rambunctious and full of energy. For example, a 4-pound Yorkie is prone to accidental injuries and isn't going to be up to running around the neighborhood. You want to encourage a good relationship, in addition to safety concerns. The best bet for a child like this would be an adolescent or an adult Golden retriever. These dogs love endless ball tosses and playing with friends.

A young child may have lots of children that stop by. That is why you want to be sure that the dog you get is not an escape artist. There are some pets that just want to run, as anyone who has owned a Grey Hound would confirm. And no matter how great our efforts are, a child and an escape artist are just a bad combo. Kids leave doors ajar and gates open. Their school mates do this even more. While some guardian breeds make great companions for your own children, some may be inappropriate, because they can be too protective. What if the dog misinterprets a friendly wrestling match between your children? What if one of your kid's friends let himself into your home without knocking on the door?

For more pet information please visit the Animal Shelter http://www.animalshelter.org

Sara is the content developer for the Animal Shelter. The Animal Shelter is a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of cats everywhere. We offer a variety of services which include a pet search and a pet med directory at no charge for both the public and animal shelters and also provide many directories to find things such as veterinarians.