Buying a puppy for your child sounds like a fun thing to do, however a lot of things need to be taken into account beforehand.

• Firstly, how old is the child you are buying the puppy for?
• What breed is the puppy and what is its temperament?
• Will you have time to supervise all contact between the child and the puppy?
• Will the puppy have a ‘safe place’ that it can escape to where the child cannot follow?
• Will you teach your children how to respect and care for a dog.

Over the years of running dog training classes, I have been shocked by some student requests.  One request was to have a ridgeback cross dog trained to not annoy the 18 month old baby when it is lying on the floor.  When advised that the baby should not be left vulnerable to the dog, I was told quiet sternly that the dog was bought for the baby and it was the baby’s dog.

Years ago I saw a Chihuahua puppy under the arm of a three year old on Christmas day whilst this child maneuvered it and her other toys up the stairs.  This poor puppy was merely a gift for the child and a way of entertaining it for some time.  No matter what was said by me and other horrified onlookers to the child regarding not squeezing it or not holding it inappropriately, the mother just sat there and ignored the whole thing.  I doubt that that puppy would have survived the day and to this day I am angry with myself for not taking the puppy from the child altogether.  I am even angrier with the person who sold that puppy to that family.

So why buy a puppy for a child?  Children benefit greatly from growing upwith a canine companion.  I remember Laddie, our foxie X dog years ago, who travelled miles over hills with my brother and his mates when they went exploring the hills and countryside outside Mareeba, camping out with them as well.  I also remember he was there for me to cry on when things were not going so well, and how he would stop us from walking along the top rail of the front fence by not letting us get up there in the first place.  And the times we put him in our beds with his head on the pillow and the blanket pulled up around his neck.  He would play the game by closing his eyes for a few seconds and then suddenly spring at us causing great laughter.  I also remember sitting with him for hours each day and crying my eyes out when he was very ill, an illness which eventually took him from our lives.  As a child I learnt a lot from having Laddie in my life, from unconditional love, loyalty, fun times, responsibility and eventually death.

So think seriously about adding a dog to the family if your children are not of an age to be responsible for its care and needs. Statistics show that the majority of dog bites occur to children, less than five years of age, in their own home, by their own dog.  Children need to be educated about responsible pet ownership, and understand the most important lesson:  ‘that a dog is for life’.  Too often we teach our children how to shrug responsibility by surrendering our pets to pounds and refuges when we have no further use for them, or when a skin condition exists, or just because the dog is unruly.  As a wise woman once told me, “When a pet needs us the most, is when most people let them down”.  These surrended pets make their way into the care of dedicated Rescue Groups, if they are lucky, but that is another story.

Cheers,

Carmel Hodgins

Delta Certificate IV Dog Behavioural Trainer

Smart Paws Dog Training

Phone 0741 216041

Mobile – 0434351203

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Children, Empathy and Pets

How do your children treat the animals they share their lives with?  Do they care for and gently tend to their needs?  If they do, then they have empathy for them.  That is, they tend to put themselves in their pets situation and treat them as they themselves would like to be treated if they were that pet.

Research is showing that children lacking empathy with animals grow up to lack empathy for their fellow human beings.

Sadly many animals are abused by people who also abuse their very own family members.  Alas, many of these animals do not live through this experience and many children are mentally scarred in the process.

We are role models to our children, and having compassion for animals and fellow humans can be destroyed through abnormal family upbringings.

Therefore when we bring a pet into our homes, we have an enormous responsibility in ensuring our children learn to treat that animal with dignity.

When we decide to give a pet as a Christmas present, we need to be sure, for our children’s sake, that this pet is going to have responsible loving owners for the whole of its life.

Getting rid of the dog because it digs up the garden, chews the hose, jumps up or is an inconvenience when the family want to go on holidays, not only teaches our children that animals aren’t worth consideration, but also teaches them how to shrug off responsibility and take the easy way out of a situation.

So think carefully before bringing a pet into your home this Christmas.  If you can do so with commitment and empathy, you will give your children some of the best experiences and lessons for life.  If not, both your child and the pet will suffer the consequences.

Carmel Hodgins

Delta Certificate IV Dog Behavioural Trainer

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