Children and Dogs: Important Information for Parents Font Size: [small] [medium] [large] Research into the human-animal bond indicates that living with a pet may have some important benefits for children. Pets may enhance their self-esteem and help them to learn empathy. However, having a pet can also result in some negative consequences for both the child and the animal. Each has the potential to injure the other, and both can "get into trouble" for either not taking care of or not behaving correctly with each other. Good relationships between kids and pets don't just passively happen. As a parent, you will need to take an active role in forming the relationship between your children and your dog in order to make their interactions pleasant as well as safe for both the children and the animal. Selecting a Dog Age Many people have a "warm and fuzzy" image of a puppy and a child growing up together. If you are thinking of getting a young puppy (less than 6 months) and you have young children, there are a few things to be considered. Adding a puppy to the family will feel somewhat like adding a new baby. Only this new baby can't wear diapers and it has needle-sharp puppy teeth! Puppies require lots of time, patience and training. They require almost constant supervision in order to work with normal puppy behaviors such as house soiling and chewing. Puppies also require socialization for normal behavior development. This means they need to be taken places, to be exposed to new things and to meet new people. If you already have young children who naturally require lots of care and time, will there be time to care for a puppy — another baby — as well?? continued on next page < back to original page