Are you considering welcoming a net pet for your toddler? Then you will need to keep few important tips in mind. This will help you to proceed with welcoming the best pet that you can possibly find for your family. Continue to read and we will share more details with you on how to find the best pet for your toddler.
Consider your child’s developmental stage while choosing a pet.
If you want to purchase a pet for your kid as a friend, wait until she is old enough to handle and care for the animal—usually around the age of 5 or 6. Because younger children can’t tell the difference between an animal and a toy, they may unwittingly instigate a bite by mocking or mistreating it.
If your youngster is developmentally appropriate, talk about the animal’s requirements and all that comes with caring for it first. The library has books on pet care that might assist your youngster grasp the responsibilities. Allow your youngster to see firsthand what it takes to care for a pet by visiting a friend or extended family member who has one.
Some dogs have laidback personalities that make them good with kids.
Retrievers and beagles, for example, are known to be gentle with children. Boxers, German shepherds, pit bulls, and Doberman pinschers, as well as small French poodles, are more unpredictable breeds. When choosing a pet, keep the animal’s traits in mind.
What if your toddler has?
Some animals’ dander from shedding skin cells, hairs, and feathers may cause allergy reactions in some youngsters. Bringing a pet into the home may not be a smart idea if your kid has allergies (eczema, hay fever, asthma) or if your family has a history of allergic illnesses. Seek guidance from your pediatrician or a local veterinarian.
Illnesses in the pet
The Pet Practice told us that almost every sort of pet has the potential to infect your kid with an illness. Salmonella germs, for example, may be carried and transmitted by all reptiles, causing severe diarrhea. Your kid should be safe as long as they follow good hygiene, including hand washing after playing with a pet and before eating.
Determine how much time your family has to devote to caring for a pet.
Dogs and cats, for example, demand regular care. They need to be fed, groomed, cleaned up after, and exercised on a regular basis. Fish, turtles, birds, guinea pigs, and hamsters, for example, need little maintenance and may be an excellent option for a younger kid who needs to learn about owning a pet or for busy families with limited time. A goldfish only has to be fed every two to three days, and its water needs to be changed on a regular basis. A dog can’t be left alone for even a single day.
Is it preferable to acquire an older or younger pet first?
Look for a pet with a calm demeanor. Because a puppy or kitten may bite out of pure friskiness, an older animal is typically an excellent option for a youngster. However, elderly dogs that were not reared in a family with children should be avoided.
Only purchase pets from reputable breeders and animal shelters. Otherwise, you run the chance of buying a sick or diseased animal, putting your kid and yourself in peril.
Precautions to avoid being bitten by an animal: While most animals are benign, some may be harmful. Animal bites affect children between the ages of 5 and 9 more than any other age group; around 5% of all children this age is bitten by an animal each year. The most common victims of animal attacks are children between the ages of 9 and 14.
Always treat the pets humanely
Humanely treat your pet so that it will love human interaction. Don’t, for example, tie a dog on a short rope or chain, as excessive confinement may make it nervous and aggressive. Allowing your youngster to taunt your pet by pulling its tail or removing a toy or a bone is not a good idea. Ascertain that she does not disturb the animal when it is resting or eating.
Animal abuse that is done on purpose is concerning and should be handled with your child’s physician. If your kid continues to taunt animals after you’ve spoken to her about it and made it plain that it’s both cruel and dangerous, she could benefit from therapy from your doctor or a mental health expert.
Never leave an animal alone with a little kid
Because the youngster is unaware when the animal becomes overexcited, many bites occur during moments of enjoyable roughhousing. Unprovoked aggressive assaults by a dog, for example, are uncommon. Teach your youngster to avoid touching an animal’s face.
Petting a strange dog or cat is never a good idea
Remind your youngster to avoid yards where dogs seem to be tense or hostile. Teach older children how to recognize the indications of an untrustworthy dog: rigid body, stiff tail at “half mast,” frenzied barking, hunched stance, and glaring look. Touching puppies or kittens in front of their mother should also be avoided.
If a strange animal approaches or chases you, stay motionless. Tell your kid that she is not allowed to run, ride her bike, kick, or make threatening gestures. Keep the dog in view by avoiding direct eye contact, gently backing away, and avoiding unexpected movements. If your youngster is riding his bike and is being pursued by a dog, he should not attempt to peddle away rapidly. Instead, he should come to a complete stop and dismount so that the bike is between him and the dog. A non-moving “target” may quickly lose the animal’s attention.
Final words
Always adhere to these tips and proceed with finding the best pet for your toddler. Then you will end up with discovering the best pet who lives out there to spend time with your toddler and grow up together.