42 – Family Pets Teach Responsibility and Empathy
Animals are wonderful as an aid to teaching. How many parents have gotten a family pet in order to help the children learn responsibility? There are many tasks involving the pet that children can handle if properly supervised. Each task should be reviewed as to whether it is age appropriate, but even very young children can learn to help care for the pet. As always, remember parents hold the ultimate responsibility for making sure both the child and the pet are treated properly with safety rules in place.
What kind of chores can younger children, roughly ages 4 to 8, do in order to begin the lesson of caring for a pet? At feeding time, they can place the pre-measured food into the pet’s bowl. Small children can help pick up the pet’s toys and place them into the toy box. It would be wise to teach them not to take things away from the dog at this time, too. Though your little fluffy may not mind having her favorite chewie taken away, that does not hold true of all dogs. It’s a great time to incorporate lessons concerning safety around strange dogs. Parents and grandparents can begin to teach the child how to pet the animal, emphasizing how to approach the dog. It’s best not to approach straight on, but rather from an angle. Many dogs are threatened by people reaching over their heads, so a scratch under the chin is safest. Most bites to children happen in the facial area, so teach your child that hugging a dog is not a good idea.
Older children, ages 9 to 12, can have increased responsibilities. They can learn how to appropriately measure the food, place it into the dish, and then place the bowl on the ground. Some more mature children may also help teach Fido to sit and wait as the bowl is put down. It’s a great lesson on self-control for the dog and also one on patience for the child as the bowl may have to be raised and lowered many times as the dog learns. Since the older kids have developed better coordination, basic grooming is a skill they can handle. A soft brush or a comb will give them the opportunity to help a cat or dog look its best. Depending on the dog and her feelings about water, some older children may be able to bathe the dog. Kids this age are great trainers! Have the child help you teach FeeFee a simple behavior like sit. Yes, cats can learn tricks, too, and are especially responsive to reward-based training (see http://www.catsplay.com/dailycat.php3?cat=mind&scat=mind_training and a cat trained to ride a skateboard at http://mainepets.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=11161 ) . The concept of rewarding good behavior may actually have a positive effect on the child’s behavior as well. Joining the kids as they walk the dog is a start to teaching them what is appropriate exercise for the pup. They need to learn that one does not drag a puppy around by the leash and also that walks when the pup is less than 6 months old may cause structural damage, resulting in orthopedic problems later in life. Games of Frisbee and ball are better for wearing out both the child and the dog.
Once into the teen years, the responsibility of caring for the family pet may become a bit of a battle. Still, what an important lesson for teens – living beings are not to be confused with toys that were once fun, but are now boring. Pets still require care and interaction with owners. Since teens can be so involved with activities outside the family, allowances should be made in their assigned responsibilities. The important lessons of compassion and empathy are still there to be learned. Teens are quite observant of how the pets are treated and relate their handling to how to treat other people. Is appropriate care is arranged when the family goes on vacation? Wwhat kind of care is given when the pet becomes ill? Does care of the pet become an issue if there is a family argument and are threats made to “get rid” of the pet as a tool to manipulate family members? How is the decision made regarding life and death when a pet becomes terminally ill? Watching the adults in charge handle issues such as these with care and love will set the stage for young adults to develop concern for the well-being of others, human and animal alike.
If you think having a family pet is just about children learning responsibility and empathy, then please be aware there are many studies reporting benefits to children’s health and emotional well-being as a result of pet ownership. Children raised with pets were reported to have fewer allergies, fewer sick days, and higher self-esteem. Animals help youths in reading programs by providing stress reduction through unconditional approval. They help teens in juvenile offender programs learn to cope with anger, learn patience, and improve communication skills. Just petting an animal will reduce stress levels in young and old alike. Having a pet to care for will help most children be less self-absorbed and more interested in the well-being of others, they’ll get more exercise, be more social and closer to the family. Perhaps the family pet is far more important than anyone thought!
Jan Casey is a reward-based trainer and owner of Smiles and Wags, offering behavior consultation and training for dogs in Cookeville. You may reach her at 931-510-0119 or email jan@smilesandwags.com.