Two of our vets here at Kentuckiana are giving some advice on how to mix kids with pets. Doctor Laura Boarman just had baby number two this year and Doctor Katie Willis had her first son this year as well. Both are learning to adjust to life with kids and pets. Below they offer some advice to some common client questions.
How to pick the best pet for the family?
Doctor Boarman: Consider your family’s lifestyle. Do you travel a lot? Are you an outdoorsy or active person? Do you have small children or teenagers? How much time can you reasonably devote to your pet? These type of questions help when selecting the type of pet that may be best for your family. If your family is very busy and not home a lot, a pocket pet would be something to consider as opposed to a dog or cat.
Doctor Willis: I like to refer families to the American Veterinary Medical Association website at www.avma.org There is a wealth of information about pet care and selecting the most appropriate pet for your specific family situation. Information can be found under Public Resources on the site.
Five things to consider when bringing a pet home?
Doctor Boarman:
- What’s my budget? Discuss the cost of annual medical care with your veterinarian to ensure you are prepared to provide adequate care of your new pet.
- Puppy proof. Make sure your home is safe for your new pet. Discuss this with your veterinarian to get species specific recommendations.
- Make sure you’ve selected a veterinarian you trust and make an appointment to have your new pet examined as soon as possible after adoption to make sure any health issues are detected early. This is also a great opportunity to update any vaccinations and start appropriate parasite control regimen.
- Consider appropriate housing. Do you have a fenced back yard or do you need to purchase a kennel? Also discuss with your veterinarian appropriate nutritional care for the age and species of the pet you have selected.
- Devise a plan for making sure your pet receives daily exercise and attention from you. Make this part of your daily routine. Even better if the whole family can be involved!
Doctor Willis:
- Are your children educated in responsible pet ownership? Making sure everyone knows how to properly take care of your new pet is very important. Take the time to teach your children these things.
- Are there appropriate financial resources to care for the pet? Pets can be expensive. It is important to make sure you are financially ready to take on the responsibility of a pet.
- Where will the pet stay? Do you have a fenced back yard, kennel, spare room. Making sure you have the appropriate means to keep a pet is important as well.
- Who will care for the pet when you are away? There are times when we are at work or on vacation where we will have to leave our pets for periods of time. It is important to consider what you will do with your pet and who can watch them in times of need.
- Are there current pets that will need to be introduced to the new pet and how are you planning to make the introduction? Introducing new pets into a family where there is already pets isn’t always a smooth transition. Talk to you vet about ways to make the introduction a success.
Ways to involve your child in raising/caring for a pet?
Doctor Boarman: Think of age appropriate activities your child can do with your pet. This is a great way to teach your child responsibility and create a lifelong bond between pet and child. This can include feeding and watering, taking dogs for a walk, grooming, etc. At my house, my son is responsible for feeding the cats and playing fetch with the dogs. This is of course done under my supervision as he is only two years old. Even at his early age, my son gets very excited about his tasks and very proud of himself when he completes them! With your children it is especially important to supervise their interaction with your pet to ensure the safety of both your child and pet.
Doctor Willis: Teach children to respect animals and give them their space. Appropriate handling and approaches to animals can allow children to be involved with their pet in a safe way. The older children get the more responsibilities you can give them in caring for their pet. Responsibilities may include feeding, brushing them, playing with them, etc.
Benefits of pets for kids?
Doctor Boarman: Growing up with a pet is a great way to teach kids responsibility and compassion for other creatures. But please remember pets are a luxury and not right for every home. Pets should only be brought into homes that have prepared both financially and emotionally for this commitment. It is unfair to both pet and child if this relationship is created prematurely.
Doctor Willis: Pets can teach children about how to be respectful and considerate of others needs. They also offer friendship as a playmate. As children get older daily animal/pet care can offer them a sense of responsibility.