Are children and pets compatible?
If you raised a dog from puppyhood, the appearance of a child in the house will become a fresh wind - but not without some planning.
There is a dog - add a child
If you bring a newborn child into the house to a sleek le-lion animal, this can cause problems as big as the rivalry between the older and younger children. Here's how to make an animal and child coexist quietly and peacefully.
Before the advent of the child
If your animal has been a baby in your childless family, teach it to stay close to the children before your newborn appears. Invite friends with children. Let your pet sniff( under supervision, of course) small children so that he can get used to their smell. Remember, the attention that you generously bestowed on Fido will now be directed at the child, so it makes sense to do a little prenatal excommunication. When your pet needs attention, sit in the rocking chair and "nurse" the doll, thereby accustoming the animal to what many people are capable of - to put off the pleasures. As with the arrival of a new child in the family, after the initial decline in attention, the arrival of a baby in the house means that over time the animal will receive more attention.
Veterinarians recommend bringing a damp diaper or baby sliders to the home from the hospital so that your pet can get used to the smell of the baby before the baby arrives.
And, of course, if a dog or cat is accustomed to sharing a family bed, teach her to sleep behind the doors of your bedroom before your new roommate appears on the bed.
If your animal definitely does not show friendliness to the children, however cruel and heartless, find a new home for him before the newborn appears. Do not take risks.
The first meeting of a child and an animal
When mom, dad and child return to the house to the animal, be prepared that it
will happily jump on you. The animal has become bored by you. Sit on the floor or on the couch, one level with the animal, so that it sniffed the baby and became acquainted with it. After the animal and child have met, sit the dog or cat next to you, when you feed the child or rock him, - as you would do with the older child.
Postpartum period with animals in the house
The first two weeks at home with a child and an animal is a period of acquaintance. Never leave them alone. Biting dogs are unpredictable, and cats like jumping into cradles and clinging to children.
There is a child - add an animal
Do you really want to have an animal? Before you start choosing a new member of the family, think about how much time, energy and money will go into caring for another set of legs - out of four pieces this time. If a friend gives you an animal, remember that there is no such thing as a free pet. Although dreams of how your child runs around the lawn with a dog are tempting, during the infancy, requiring you to give all the best, do you have the time and energy to take care of two children at once?
Beware of this trap of all parents: stray dogs or cats go into your yard, and your older children attack you with a request to warm up the poor thing. Clutching to the chest of a homeless fluffy friend, your child begs: "Please, Mummy, can we leave it at home?" Before an imploring child in combination with a hungry animal, it is difficult to resist. As the main members of the club "I can not say no", we turned our house into an overnight stay - and more than one night - for many stray animals. And sometimes for a fee, to which we were not ready. Here's the secret of how to bargain about an animal: when your older child wants an animal, be sure to find out if he agrees to take care of the animal - and it is better to obtain consent in writing.
Selecting an animal
Some animals and children are incompatible. Kittens and cats usually treat children kindly. Some breeds of dogs are more friendly to children than others. Avoid unpredictable breeds, such as Doberman Pinscher. Stay away from rocks that are bright, such as dwarf rocks or pocket dogs, which often compensate for their small size with unmanageable and unpleasant behavior. Try a breed with a complaisant character, such as a Labrador. To buy a purebred dog
is less risky, but you can take home a healthy mongrel with a polite character for a probationary period. Before you buy an animal or take it to your home, discuss with a former owner his probation period of two weeks. If the temperament of the dog is incompatible with the child, leave the child, and give up the dog.
Animal Health
Although it is true that animals bring more joy to children than infestations, to monitor the health of their animals is part of the concern for the health of the whole family. Before you finally decide on the choice of the animal( be it a gift or a purchase), ask the veterinarian to inspect the animal. Periodically contact the veterinarian to get rid of worms and fleas. A child who has a flea-bitten child and a flea-bitten flea-bitten animal is a bad combination. Do it in a timely manner to the animal. In most areas, there are clinics in which immunization is provided free of charge or with partial payment.
If the dog has bitten the child
Find out from the owner whether the vaccine is made to the dog and whether he forgot to make new ones in a timely manner. Wounds from dog bites easily inflame. Wash the wound with antiseptic soap and cover with
ointment with antibiotics until healing. If the bite has caused a serious injury, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics inside. If the dog is homeless and it is not known whether she was vaccinated, call the dog shelter or the local dog catching service so that the dog is taken to quarantine and checked for signs of rabies. Find out the results of the examination and let your doctor know if there are suspicions of rabies. Note in what circumstances the dog bitten the child. Was her behavior provoked or not? Did the dog behave strangely?
Caution: animals
By the age of two, your child can understand that care must be taken with animals carefully. Remember, children treat animals like toys. They pull them by the ears, by the tail, they jump on the dogs and throw the cats. Give the animals that sleep or eat calmly to do so. Teach your child not to snatch a bone or plate from the dog when she eats. Place dog bowls away from a curious two-year-old child. The most common cause of dog bites - the dog protected its food.
Teach your child how to approach a foreign dog, and be especially vigilant when visiting people who have an animal. Let the animal come to the child. Tell your child,
, that he stands still while the dog walks around him and sniffs. Teach your child that you do not need to look closely at animals, provoke them with sharp movements or run away from dogs. Talk to the dog in a high, affectionate voice as you talk to the babies. Children tend to provoke dogs, and some dogs provoke easier than others.
Animals and children are compatible, but with care.