SPCA of Texas’ Pet Tip of the Week: Children and Pets
In a continued effort to reduce the potential spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and to protect the health and well-being of the animals in our care, our dedicated staff and volunteers, and our community, as well as in compliance with state and county orders, the SPCA of Texas’ shelters, clinics, mobile adoptions, and mobile wellness events will remain closed to the public through at least Thursday, April 30.
In the meantime, let us offer you this Pet Tip of the Week.
Living with children and dogs can be rewarding all around. Kids learn about being responsible for another creature and considering their feelings and thoughts, and the bond that kids and dogs form can be very strong. The whole family can benefit from living with pets.
But kids and dogs — or any animals — aren’t automatically going to know how to get along; it’s up to parents to make sure that the relationship goes well.
Establishing some basic rules for yours kids when interacting with your pets will help keep everyone happy and safe. There are some obvious ones, such as not pulling on a dog’s ears or tail. But the following two rules are critical: Make sure your kids know never to wake your dog up from a nap, and make sure your kinds know not to try to interact with them while they are eating or chewing on a treat or toy. And with smaller dogs, your kids will need to be gentler than they would with a big dog that likes to play and wrestle.
Most importantly, be sure to supervise your kids and pets when they are playing together, especially if your children are under the age of 10. This will allow you to redirect inappropriate behavior from either your dog or your child and avoid accidents.
For more information on teaching your children about pets and for more pet tips, visit spca.org/pettips.