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Children and pets seem to go hand in hand. Most of us have an image of the little boy playing with the puppy or the kitten. Children, though, have to learn how to care for pets. Teaching a child to feed and water their pet, teaching them how to play with them, and teaching them to respect a pet as another living being is very important.
Children as young as two or three can be taught to change a water bowl, to make sure that a pet gets fed. At this age they also need to be taught how to play gently with a pet. No pulling the ears, or tail, no poking at eyes and don't wake them up.
Set some rules about playing with your pet, when, and who must be around. If you teach your child to play gently with an animal the pet will be gentle around the child. It is a good idea when young children are playing with a cat or dog to make sure they are supervised. Very few children intend to hurt an animal, but can get rough and accidentaly hurt their pet.
Older children can take a dog or cat for a walk. As long as the animal is not taking them for a walk, then they shouldn't have too many problems. This might be a good opportunity to spend some quality time walking the dog together if your child needs assistance.
Teach a child to brush their pet regularly. This doesn't mean give them a brush and say brush the dog, it involves showing them how to brush the hair, how to check for ticks and fleas.
Young teens can learn how to teach a dog some simple tricks. Teaching a dog tricks involves patience, which is something that most children need to learn. This becomes a great way for them to learn patience and persistance. Make sure they have instructions on how to teach a dog, and help if they have problems.
Children learn so much from pets, it is hard to say what the greatest benefit is: the friend who always loves them no matter what, or the patience and kindness that caring for them instills. With supervison and time your child can learn to be a responsible pet caretaker.
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