Dana Gutkowski
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What kids need to learn before getting a dog
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My nieces and nephews are dying to get a dog! They talk about it every day. They collectively save all of their money so they have it to spend on pet supplies. They’ve even named the dog that they don’t even have (though all of them can’t agree on one name).
In their minds, they are dog owners. But what do they need to know about actually taking care of the dog? And how can you prepare kids for getting a dog?
When we decide to bring a pet into our home, they’re not another creature with four legs. We play with them, love them, feed them, and care for them like they’re family because they are our family.
It’s no different for children. My nieces and nephews adore my dog, Newman and view him as their furry cousin. They desperately want their own fur baby, but they’re not quite ready for that. So instead, they help me with him whenever they can. I refer to them as dog owners in training.
You can prepare kids to be dog owners before they have the opportunity to bring one into their home. There are great life lessons to learn as a dog owner. However, it’s also a lot of responsibility. Dogs have the potential to teach your kids unconditional love, loyalty, responsibility, and commitment.
Things kids need to know and accept before they get a dog:
Dogs should be viewed as babies.
Their survival and wellbeing are completely dependent on you. That means they are the main caregiver for the dog. You are responsible for feeding them, making sure they have clean water, that they get regular visits to the vet, etc. Their life is in your hands.
Dogs are not toys.
You can’t be rough with them. Kids like to play rough. They throw, kick, and hit their toys without a second thought. And sometimes they play with them once and never touch them again. That’s not the case with a dog. You wouldn’t throw your baby sibling the wall, so you should never do that to a dog either!
Dogs are need to be walked!
Just like humans, dogs need regular exercise to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. Dogs need to be walked daily. Are they prepared for that? Having a backyard for them to run around is not enough.
Dogs need to be trained.
Just like a baby, dogs don’t know anything when they first come into the world. They have to be taught not to jump on people, to ask to go outside to go to the bathroom, how to sit, etc.
Additionally, kids have to be trained on how to treat the dog. How do look and know the signs or aggressive, fear, hunger, etc.
Dogs need to be washed and groomed.
No matter what type of dog you have, they have to be bathed and groomed. Some dogs require a lot more maintenance than others, but it should be made known to them that dogs need their fur washed and brushed and their nails clipped.
Dogs need attention even when they’re old
Nearly all kids get puppy fever and the baby dogs. I can’t say I blame them, they’re adorable. But when the grow up, they still need the TLC you give to puppies without a second thought.
Teaching Kids About Owning a Dog Beforehand
Some families have dogs and then kids. On the other hand, some families do the reverse and wait for their kids to get a little older before bringing a dog into the home.
My sister’s family is the latter. They are waiting for the kids to be old enough to take care of a dog before bringing one into their family. In the meantime, my nieces and nephews are learning how to take care of a dog by helping me.
If you have a family member who owns a dog, you can ask to babysit them so that the kids get used to the responsibilities that come with a dog. In the beginning, they will need adult supervision to ensure their safety and the safety of the dog.
We go on walks together.
My youngest nephew is the only one that’s not allowed to hold the leash on his own. That’s because he’s only four years old. However, he comes along with his sister and brother who are nine and six years old. They all take turns holding the leash. Julian, who’s four is allowed to hold on if he’s with someone or he’s in the backyard and the gate is closed.
When they come to stay over, we do this daily. And when I go there, we all do the same. They have to get used to the fact that a dog needs a daily walk. Additionally, they have to learn how to lead a dog so that he’s not the one in change on a walk. Repetition is key.
Lately I’ve been allowing Layla, who’s 9 to take him on small walks around the block. She’s been walking my dog Newman with me since she’s about 3 years old, so she’s had enough experience that I trust her to do it on her own. Jayden is allowed to do the same, but only in front of the house.
They help feed him
All dogs need to be fed, they can’t go into the kitchen to fix themselves a meal. So my nieces and nephews learn how much food to give him and where to put it. My dog gets a mixture of both wet and dry food so there’s a little preparing. With my help, they measure, mix, and warm up his food when it’s meal time.
They clean up his poop
This is the dirty job that no one wants to do, but it’s one of the most important for them to learn before getting a dog. They don’t use the toilet, so they can’t just flush their poop like humans.
It takes so coaxing to get them to clean it up and Jayden is the only one that does it semi regularly. However, I always tell them, if you’re going to get a dog, you’re going to have to pick up his poop. That usually motivates them for the time being, but there are circumstances when I have to do the dirty work.
If the kids aren’t ready to clean up poop, they’re probably not ready to own a dog.
Much like babysitting prepares you for parenthood, dog sitting prepares you for dog ownership. Kids can learn a lot from taking care of someone else’s pet first. If you don’t have someone in your family who you can pet sit for, sites like Rover and Care, and set up a free profile to have dog boarding opportunities in your home. Since you’ll be taking on the brunt of the supervision, you’ll want to get paid for it. However, the kids also have an opportunity to earn some money too if they help.
If you want more help about teaching kids how to be a good pet owner, check out this book, Puppy Training for Kids: Teaching Children the Responsibilities and Joys of Puppy Care, Training, and Companionship. The more prepared they are before owning a dog, the better dog owners they’ll be once they have one. And that means less work for you!
Check it out on Amazon:
