“Mom, buy a dog!” 12 key questions about children and pets

Small and large dogs, fluffy kittens, hamsters - not a single child can pass by them calmly. But how to understand that he is already ready for the appearance of a pet, will walk with a dog and will not give up this idea in a week? Together with the Center for the Rehabilitation of Temporarily Stray Animals "Yuna", which will hold an exhibition-extension on February 9 in Moscow, we answer the main questions that concern parents.

1. At what age is the child best to have the first animal?
One of the most serious barriers in this matter is the possibility of allergies in a child. That is why when there are children under three years old, there are certain risks if you are thinking about a cat or a dog.
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Be sure to do a child allergy test. And to yourself, if in doubt. Sometimes it does not appear immediately, but a few weeks after the appearance of the pet in the house. Act especially carefully in such a situation, try to think about an alternative to cats and dogs: for example, get a fish or a hamster.

For many parents, the safety of the child becomes an important factor. We are almost sure that with proper upbringing, a cat or a dog cannot have a desire to harm, but you should not forget about this aspect.
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In addition, the small child himself is able to do harm by painfully grabbing the animal by the tail or tightly squeezing it. Therefore, it is only after six years that it is recommended to have puppies and kittens, and up to six years it is worth stopping the choice of adult animals.


Of course, it matters if you have free time in order to take care of the pet. Remember that you need to walk with the dog, engage in its upbringing, monitor behavior. All of this can be a problem if you have a small child.
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Often the initiative to have a pet comes from a child. When children go to school, most often they begin to pay attention to pets and their owners, and they have the idea that they would like to have a cat or a dog at home too.

In this situation, you need to be aware that the child will be able to fully take care of a new friend at the age of 10-12 years (of course, it happens before, it depends on the individual characteristics of the child). At this age, you are likely to be able to share the care of the pet between all members of the family, and the child will be its full owner.

2. Which animal is more suitable for young children?
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The same fish can be started from birth, since they do not harm even the smallest child, but watching them is a pleasure. But, of course, the aquarium needs to be set higher so that it does not engage in the "catching" of beautiful fish. By the way, there are times when an allergy occurs on fish food!

Also, there should be no problems with cats and dogs that were already in the house before the birth of the child, because addiction in such cases is pretty fast.

3. How to prepare an apartment for the appearance of an animal?
To make the pet feel as comfortable and safe as possible in his new home, the owners need to prepare as follows:

Remove all wires and do not forget to turn off the chargers and electrical appliances from the network.
Remove poisonous houseplants, if any (e.g. Dieffenbachia, ivy, lilies, ficus, etc.).
Remove chemical detergents from the bathroom to the closet, hide medicines away.
If there is a cat in the house, special cat nets must be installed on the windows.
If the dog is in the house, take away your favorite slippers, children's toys and everything that you will find it difficult to part with if the dog wants to taste something new.
For a cat, you need to purchase a tray, a filler and a scoop, two / three bowls (for water and for dry and wet food), a suitable food (according to the recommendations of a veterinarian), a claw clipper, a special brush for combing wool and scissors for cutting claws, toys, and carrying.
Such a set will be enough for the dog: two bowls (for water and food), suitable food (according to the recommendations of the veterinarian), a special brush for combing wool, toys, bedding (bed), leash, collar / harness, addressee.
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It is important that the pets have the opportunity to hide and retire in case at some particular moment they do not want to make contact, but want to relax. Do not forget that animals need a passport and a chip.

4. How to explain to the child that it is impossible to squeeze an animal all the time, to force him to stroke?
Children learn the world, including at the level of tactile sensations, therefore they show interest and attention to the pet through such "hugs".

Animals understand that the child is in front of them, and treat them more condescendingly, but young children and older children should explain that pulling the pet, squeezing and squeezing, they cause him physical pain.

Moreover, it is also important to explain that a pet’s patience can come to an end and it can bite or scratch a baby.

Read also:

12 tips for not raising a flayer from a child
Invite the child to imagine a situation in which he would be constantly pulled, squeezed and squeezed in his arms. It is important to convey to him that a pet is not a toy that can be sold or exchanged for something more attractive. It is advisable that we regularly and with pleasure take care of the pet so that the child adopts responsible behavior from you.

5. What should I do if the dog has bitten my child’s favorite toy?
It is important to understand that if the dog does something, then the owner somehow allows it. To prevent such situations, the owner should:
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to keep things in order, in their places, so that the dog could not get them;
keep an eye on her: as soon as you notice that she is encroaching on a thing, say "no." Scold, raise your voice, but do not scream very loudly. The dog will perceive your anger and cries as aggression, so the situation may worsen. It is important to realize that the dog does not consider the destruction of things to be something bad. Therefore, it is necessary to speak with her calmly, but strictly, reproachfully, in a frustrated voice, so that she realizes that she has upset the owner with her actions, that these toys are important to you and spoiling things is bad;
provide the pet with enough of its own toys. Remember that dogs love plastic bottles, and balls and other toys must be bought special, tight, better from a single piece of rubber, because such a toy will last longer. The child should also be explained that the dog did this not specifically and not in order to offend him with this, and if possible, buy a new toy.
6. What should I do if in a few weeks someone in the family has an allergy to animals?
Of course, there are methods of prevention. These include thorough care of the animal, the use of household air purifiers, washing hands after stroking or playing with the pet. If an allergic reaction does occur, go see an allergist for an accurate diagnosis. Symptoms of allergies are similar to many other diseases.


This will be followed by the appointment of drug treatment. This can be an antihistamine, a desensitizing therapy, or even a barrier technique. But, unfortunately, allergy is a predisposition, and if it manifests intensely when you have already taken a cat or dog, then the only right decision will be to transfer the animal to other family members or friends.

7. At what age can a child walk a dog or feed a cat?
It is impossible to accurately determine the age of the child, which would be universal in order to walk or not to walk with the dog. All children are different, with different abilities and level of awareness in relation to animals. In addition, the dog itself can be well brought up and prepared in order to walk with the child on its own, or it may not be ready for this.
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In any case, the child can walk the pet only if he understands that it is a big responsibility

And provided that you have all the necessary attributes for walking a dog: a collar, a leash, an addressee and a muzzle (if necessary).

It is worthwhile to show by personal example how to walk with a dog, how to clean up after it, tell why it is impossible to lower it from a leash. Take a few of these walks under the careful supervision of a parent.

Feed the cat - no less responsible task. The main thing is that parents clearly demonstrate how to do this: explain where the food is, how much to put, how to understand that the pet is hungry, and so on.

8. What if the child promised to care for the animal, but he does nothing?
Before you face this problem, try to check if the child is ready for a pet. For example, you can go together as volunteers to an animal shelter, help in cleaning the enclosures, caring for animals or with their socialization.
9. What should I do if a child asks for an animal, and then begins to cry and ask to give it back?
Everything is decided by talking and finding out the root cause - why the child began to cry. Perhaps the animal is scratching, biting, or even throwing itself at it. It is necessary to monitor both the behavior of the animal and the behavior of the child when handling it.
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Further, depending on the reason - take action. Most often they are educational. If the possibilities allow and the problem lies in the fact that the animal cannot be friendly to the child, you can seek help from a zoopsychologist or dog handler. The same measures should be taken if the child complains about an animal that has been living with you for a long time.

10. How to explain to the child that fish and hamsters have sex / eat their children?
Fish and hamsters have sex. It is their physiological need to give birth to offspring, which in turn will also reproduce itself. The instincts of all living beings are aimed at solving the main problem - the preservation of the genus. In our opinion, one should not hide the truth from children and try to deceive them by replacing the names of physiological processes with children's analogues.

As for cannibalism. Unfortunately, this is a natural process for hamsters. There are several reasons to explain it: the female eats babies who were born with any genetic deformities in order to get rid of them. The female has 8 nipples, she can feed 8-12 babies, but if there are 16-18 of them, it is likely that the mother will bite the "extra" ones. Most often this happens when hamsters are not yet two months old.


In the case of fish, the situation is somewhat different: most often the mother eats the cubs, obeying the instinct of self-preservation. The fry are perceived by the female not as her children, but as competitors in the struggle for food and territory. For fish, everything that is smaller than the individual itself is perceived as prey.

11. How to explain the death of a pet to a child?
Referring to the advice of psychologists, the following conclusion can be made: do not try to protect your son or daughter from sadness, grief and tears. These are normal, natural manifestations of human emotions.
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Children recognize and experience the problem in their own way. Your task is to try to make this experience easier by supporting the child.

Do not hide your emotions as a parent, because you are also a person. Do not be afraid to show sadness, do not hesitate to cry. Do not hide anything from him. Better survive the loss together, then the child will not consider you his enemy or deceiver.

12. What should I do if a child brings stray animals home all the time?
It is important to discuss with the child why he does this and find a compromise. The most appropriate tactic is as follows: to begin with, to explain that an animal picked up on the street must be examined by a veterinarian and most likely needs professional treatment.

In case you are not ready to take the animal from the street to the family, it is important to offer an alternative. For example, go as an volunteer to an animal shelter. Buy food or medicine with your child as a gift to the shelter and explain to him that such actions are more reasonable in relation to homeless animals and help to solve this problem in a civilized manner.