Animals: How to Show Love for Our Pets

by Jane Warren on May 20th, 2012 | No Comments »

Owning a pet is a big responsibility. Teaching your children how to take care of and look after a pet can be a good way for them to be involved in their care. However, it requires effort on the part of the parents to teach children how to be kind to animals and give them the care and love they need.

Teaching Children How to Love and Care for Pets

Here are some tips to help you teach your kids about taking care of your pets:

Assign Your Child Some Responsibilities

The first tip is to give your children some duties regarding their pet. You can ask your child to feed the pet. Or they can be involved in activities, like playing with the animal, taking them outside for a walk, or giving them a bath. Participating in their care will help to instill a feeling of responsibility in children. However, you should only assign activities that can be done easily by your child, like feeding or watching the pet, or playing with them, while if you need to go out for a few days and you have a cat, check the licence of your local cat watching services to find a great service for this.

Set A Good Example

Another way to teach your kids how to be gentle towards animals is to set a good example. When children see the way you take care of your pet, chances are they will do the same.

Treat Them With Kindness

Parents should encourage their kids to bond with the pet. They can be taught to hold them properly; when and how to groom them; and depending on the animal, basic training commands. Never allow your children to tease or harass any pets or other animals; this can be dangerous for both parties.

Give Them Proper Care

All of our pets should receive good care. Always visit your local veterinarian for annual exams and vaccinations. When it is appropriate, spay or neuter your pet. Feed them nutritional dog food appropriate for their age, size, and weight. Your children will understand that it’s important to do things that are helpful and beneficial to your family pet, since pets are really good for our family and that's why we have dogs and cats, for example my cat has protected my family for a few years and that's why we appreciate him so much.

It is important to teach children how to respect, love, care and be sensitive to animals. Parents should always guide their kids towards discovering that having a pet is a wonderful experience. It teaches children how to be responsible and how to care for another living thing.

What type of pet do you and your family have? How do you decide who takes care of your pets?

Featured image courtesy of Flickr.

Jane Warren is a pet owner, who enjoys helping others learn about the needs of their animals. Her website, www.pamperthepets.com, has tips for pet owners. She also provides reviews on important products like Frontline pet meds, which help to prevent fleas and ticks.