When and How to Get a Family Pet
How to know when it’s a good time to get a family pet and how to get your child to take on the responsibility…
Chances are you have a child who has been begging you to get a pet (or another one!) which has led you to reading this. I say this because I have one myself! And chances are if you currently have a pet you are the one caring for it, am I right? One thing I will tell you is that getting a kitten or puppy (and sometimes older dogs and cats too) is like getting another child. You have to potty train them, pick up after them, watch them like a hawk so they don’t chew on the furniture and other things, take them for walks, play with them, feed them, etc. It’s a lot of work so be sure you’re ready to take it on or else have your child be the sole caregiver for your new pet.
In our house our rule is that if you want a dog then you have to take care of the one we have for 3 months without reminding (big key here!). This includes feeding, refreshing water twice daily, at least two walks, brushing weekly, and picking up the dog poop in the yard weekly. If our child can do this successfully then to us he has proven his ability to take on a pet of his own. Usually when I remind him of this rule he drops the issue for several months. We have not gotten a new dog yet!
We do this because I personally cannot take on another “household member” to take of on a daily basis. I’m sure you can relate to this to some degree. I do not want to end up being the person who has to nag my son to take care of the dog and I certainly don’t have time to do it myself.
If you don’t have a dog or pet for your child to practice with then I suggest talking with them about all the responsibilities they will have to take on if they get a pet. If your child insists that they can do this then also tell them… VERY IMPORTANT…that if they do not prove their ability to take care of this pet within a certain amount of time then the pet will go to the animal shelter or to a friend or family member.
IF YOU WANT THIS TO WORK YOU MUST FOLLOW-THROUGH ON YOUR END OF THE DEAL TOO! I know this would probably be one of the hardest things you’ve ever done, but you must get rid of the pet if your child isn’t responsible enough to take care of it! You have to do what you say you’re going to do so set it up that the consequence is one that you can deal with.
If matters come to this then I’m sure your child won’t ask for another pet for quite some time until they really feel they’re ready. At this point they’ll know what it takes to take care of a pet.
You can do this with any pet your child is wanting. And WHEN IN DOUBT…don’t get one! Just because they are cute and cuddly and may be something for your child to play with, are not good reasons to get a pet.
Where to get a pet…
My sons and I volunteer at our local animal shelter so I have to put in a plug for them. They do not euthanize animals there. They want a happy and healthy home for every animal. They have cats and dogs mostly with other animals occasionally I understand.
All the people I’ve talked to who have ever gotten a pet from “the pound” have raved about how loveable and friendly the animals are who come from there. I can say the same. And they don’t cost as much as a registered pet or one from a pet store (don’t get me started on that one!).
{ 0 comments… add one now }
You must log in to post a comment.