Some families don’t have animals when they start having children, but as time goes on, they want to introduce pets into the family. It can mean that the children aren’t used to having animals around, so they might not know how to deal with them and respect them. To prepare them for any pet you decide to have, you need to think about ways to give them the experience and confidence to deal with pets correctly.
Set a Good Example
As with almost anything in their lives, they learn a lot from you as parents. That means you need to show them by example how animals should be treated. You can do this in many ways, try not to show any animals anger or say negative things to them. It is also important that you don’t try to trap or kill animals in your garden. It will lead your kids to think that all animals can be treated in that way. Of course, you also want to be respectful to other people’s pets, even if you don’t like a particular animal.
Take Your Children to a Shelter
One way that you can show them the effects of cruelty to animals is to take them to a shelter. They can then see the animals that no-one wanted or abandoned, and how they need someone to look after them. It will also teach them about all the people that devote their time to look after sick and abandoned animals. If they want, you can sometimes volunteer at a shelter as a family, which will give them valuable experience, especially before they get a pet of their own.
Show Them How to Care for Your New Pet
Once you get a new pet, you need to show them the correct way to take care of the animal. Ask them to help you prepare their bedding, get their food from the store and also arrange their outside shelter if they have one. You can also provide a dog house heater and mats, so your dog can be comfortable outside if that’s where they stay.
Show Them How to be Responsible Pet Owners
If you have a dog, then you need to show them how to take them for walks regularly. That will teach them to be responsible as owners and also help them to bond with their pet. Part of being responsible is also showing them what they should feed their pet and also that visits to the vet are important. Try to take them along with you so they can learn more about how to look after your pet.
Of course, all animals needs are different, and you need to show them how to look after each individual one in its own way. However, you also need to think about showing them animals in other parts of the world. One way to easily do this is to take them to your local zoo. They can then see animals that might be endangered, and also hear from the keepers about animals preservation and habitat.