How to Teach Children to Interact with Animals

There probably isn’t a more adorable sight than a furry little puppy and a cute little kid playing together. It’s an absolute pleasure to see your child having fun with the fuzzy pet companion, isn’t it?

While your kids must be over the moon when you bring home a new pet dog or a cat, it is important to teach them how to interact with animals. Small children, in particular, need to be taught how to safely interact with animals so that the transition is as smooth as possible.

The key is to be patient, understanding, and use positive reinforcement to help your child mingle with the pet animal.

Show Them Through Example

Kids learn many things by copying their parents, siblings, and other people around them. They watch and learn, so a great way to show your child how to be with animals is through example.

You can teach them how to pet animals, how to approach them, and also different ways to be gentle and playful with them.

You must exhibit all those behaviors and traits in front of your child that you wish for them to pick up on. At the same time, also set an example for them by treating animals with respect and kindness.

Explain the Do’s and Don’ts

Children are generally very curious, daring, and have a knack for risk-taking. They don’t normally understand that it’s not okay to pull a dog’s ears or a cat’s tail.

It is best to set some rules and explain to your children the do’s and don’ts of interacting with animals. For example, tell them it’s not nice to squeeze a pet because that will scare them away or pull their tail or ears for the sake of having fun. At the same time, tell them it is okay to rub a dog’s back gently or to ruffle through their furry hair.

Setting rules is very important to ensure proper safety for both your child and the pet animal.

Appreciate them For Good Behavior

Positive reinforcement works really well with kids, and it helps them understand the difference between good and bad behaviors.

Every time your child is nice to animals or follows the dos and don’ts that you taught them earlier, appreciate and praise them for good behavior. This will help reinforce the idea in their head that this is what they need to do when interacting with animals.

Give Them a Few Responsibilities

From filling your pet’s food or water bowl to brushing their hair after a bath, there are many responsibilities that you can give to children to teach them how to care for animals.

Doing pet-related tasks will teach them a great deal about pet-care and how to befriend them.

At the end of the day, the goal is to ensure that your child mingles well with your pet, and your pet feels comfortable around your child.

The Right Way To Approach An Animal

If you are bringing home a pet for the very first time, you need to start slow and give your child time to adjust to the new environment. The same goes for your pet animal. They might show aggression at the start, but you must teach your child how to approach an aggressive animal in the right manner.

If your new pet seems to be displaying weird behaviors, you can always contact Cliffdale Animal Hospital and get help for your pet.