By J. E. Davidson
At some point almost every a parent hears the plaintive cry, “Can
I have a dog?” Children naturally love animals and want a pet, and
there are some wonderful lessons to be learned from having a dog.
A Loving Playmate
For the child a dog is a built-in playmate there for the pure
pleasure of having fun. When children play together it often turns
into an argument over the rules, accusations of unfairness, hurt
feelings and mock fighting that sometimes turns into the real thing.
Those things never happen when your child is playing with a dog. The
dog is just thrilled to have the child’s attention; he doesn’t care
what game it is. Whether they are playing ball, fetching a stick, or
just lying in the grass together, they are comfortable and secure in
each other’s company.
A Furry Bundle of Unconditional Love and
Acceptance
A dog can be your child’s soul mate; a caring being he can turn
to when he’s upset and unhappy and needs an outlet for pent-up
emotions. The dog comforts the child with his presence and
unconditional love. Too often well-meaning parents offer advice when
all a child really needs is love and consolation. He can tell all
his problems to his dog without fear of criticism and being told
that he is wrong to feel the way he does. Kids think that their
parents don’t understand them (even though we’ve all been children
ourselves this is a foreign concept to a child) but Sparkey knows
just exactly what they’re feeling.
Learning Responsibility Through Dog Ownership
A child can learn responsibility from owning a dog. If all
parents waited to get their child a dog until they thought he was
responsible enough no kids would have dogs! The parent must realize
that they will be the primary caretaker of the dog but should
encourage the child to help with the daily care. Depending on your
child’s age they may be able to fill the food and water bowls, take
Fido for his walk, or give him his bath. Your child can learn to
nurture and care for another living being just as you care for his
basic needs. Don’t make the mistake of telling your child he can
have a dog if he takes care of it and then find it another home when
he doesn’t. This is expecting too much of a child and is unfair to
both the child and the dog.
What Type of Dog Or Puppy Should I Get For My
Child?
Take your child’s age and demeanor into account when deciding
what type of dog to get. Some kids have their heart set on a popular
breed but the two may not be a good match. Don’t get your
rambunctious toddler a toy breed puppy, and don’t get your fragile
daughter a huge guard dog. Small children may accidentally hurt a
puppy with rough play, and larger dogs, especially the guard or
herding breeds, may try to dominate the child. Teenagers may be able
to handle a more dominant breed.
For children less than six years old you will be better off
choosing an adult dog. Dogs about two years old still have plenty of
play in them but have lost their wild puppy energy. Adopt a dog that
has been raised around children and is known to be good with them.
Most animal shelters will work with you to find the right dog for
your family, or take in the dog of a family who must give theirs up
for some reason.
Puppy Training - A Rewarding Life Lesson
Puppies will also require more time and attention than an adult
dog. They need to be trained not to nip and jump, and children will
often encourage this type of behavior through their play. It may be
cute when the dog is small, but no so endearing as it grows larger
and stronger. Just like kids dogs need to be socialized and learn
acceptable limits of behavior. A child who is old enough to
understand basic dog training techniques will be able to teach his
dog to sit, stay and lie down. He may be able to teach the dog cute
tricks such as balancing a treat on its nose that he can demonstrate
to friends and family. Training a dog requires patience and when the
dog masters the command or trick your child will feel a sense of
accomplishment for reaching a goal. The emotional rewards the child
receives will encourage him to work toward other goals he may set
for himself in life.
Coping With Loss
A dog may also teach a child to deal with loss. Losing a dog to
illness or accident can be a tragedy to a child, or any dog owner,
but death is part of life and we must learn to accept it and deal
with it. We learn that we must value those who are with us because
they won’t be around forever. Children who learn to deal with stress
and loss at an early age will adjust better to similar situations
later in life. We don’t want to see our children hurt, but to refuse
them a dog because it may cause them pain later is not a valid
reason.
There may be good reasons why you can’t have a dog in your home.
You may have family members that are allergic to dogs; you may live
in an apartment that doesn’t allow them; you may not have the time
or resources to care for one; you may not like dogs. That doesn’t
mean that your child can’t have a relationship with dogs. Older
children may be able to find a job dog-sitting or walking dogs for
neighbors. Take younger children to visit the homes of friends or
relatives who have dogs who are child-friendly. The rewards of
loving a dog and having that love returned are priceless.
