Life has a lot of responsibilities. How do we learn to take care of ourselves at a young age? Well, taking care of pets certainly helps. Having a pet dog in the family really does a good job of introducing children to many concepts associated with responsibility– for themselves, their pets and for their lives, overall.
Start kids young– little ones can be responsible for making sure the dog’s supper dish is cleaned and dried nightly. They can also make sure their water bowl is full when it needs to be. Providing the basics– food and water– teaches kids to take care of another living creature. In the end, they’ll eventually have to do this for themselves, too! Also, something simple like brushing the dog’s coat is a good way to teach kids about grooming habits. They also learn how to be gentle with the dog so they don’t hurt it.
Older kids can take on more responsibility for their pet dog. It’s kind of like giving them a baby to take care of, except dogs are easier! Older kids can help their pet dog exercise by taking them outside on walks, on a leash, protecting them from any problems such as oncoming traffic or mean dogs in the neighborhood. Furthermore, kids can practice training their dog to do certain things like roll over, fetch and “shake.” Usually kids are being taught by adults; with dogs, the kids get to teach the dogs and this gives them great pleasure. It’s also rewarding to see their efforts pay off when a dog follows their command.
Rather than approach the care of a dog as a chore, parents should encourage their kids to see having a dog as a privilege. The kids are helping this dog live a good life, and for that, they’re rewarded with licks, barks and wagging tails. Having a pet dog not only teaches youngsters responsibility, but also brings a lot of joy into their lives, too.
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