Can a child get a dog?

When a dog appears in the house, the family becomes more friendly, and children learn responsibility and kindness. A common belief that is not always true. All this will really happen, but only on the condition that all family members will be ready for the appearance of the pet, that they are fully and fully aware of their responsibility.

Psychologists recommend getting a dog for children, and here’s why.

Dog:

• teaches the child responsibility and discipline

• instills in the child

• teaches love and friendship

• makes children kinder

• encourages keeping order

• gives the child self-confidence

• helps the child to socialize

• Encourages you to move more and lead a healthier lifestyle

• And the dog is the best friend!

But there are downsides to adopting a dog.

• Caring for a dog will be harder and more expensive than you thought.

• The child will not be able to take on the responsibility of caring for the dog

• The child may not cope with the dog

• Child and dog may not get along

• The dog can simply bore the child.

Having studied the arguments “for” and “against”, you can find the golden mean, which experts are talking about. What does it mean?

A dog will bring a lot of joy to the family if everyone is ready for its arrival, if the child can take on some caregiving responsibilities and if the breed is selected correctly. Here’s what opinion leaders have to say about it:

• Get a dog only if you really want it and are ready for difficulties. Remember that a dog is not a toy or an aquarium fish. She needs education, training, socialization and requires a lot of time. The dog is very serious.

• When getting a dog for a child, parents should understand that the responsibility for this decision lies primarily with them and that the main care of the pet will be their responsibility. Even if the child is old enough to manage the pet, he will need to be guided and secured.

• Parents should explain to the child how and how not to treat the dog, and control their interaction.

• It is the parents who have to teach the child how to handle the dog and instill in him responsibility to the pet.

• From the above points it follows that it is better to start a dog when the child is at least 7 years old. At this age, he will be able to learn the rules for handling a pet and take on some of the responsibilities for caring for him.

• If the child will walk the dog himself, the weight of the pet should not exceed his own. Otherwise, the child simply will not keep the dog on a leash!
• Carefully choose the breed of dog, study as much information as possible before taking a puppy. There are dogs that get along better with children than others and are easier to care for. And there are those that even experienced dog breeders cannot cope with. Be careful and do not hesitate to consult with experts.

A child can dream about a dog and beg for it from their parents for days. But if deep down you doubt, you should not get a dog!

If all the pros and cons are weighed, the difficulties do not scare you and you still want to get a dog, we congratulate you! For responsible owners, a dog is a family member and best friend, not a burden. And with children’s fears and selfishness, she will cope better than any psychologist. Definitely!