Probably all of us in our childhood warmly sympathized with the main character of the book "The Kid and Carlson." The boy was so passionate about getting a dog! And one fine day many years later our own child begins to besiege us with the same requests to buy him a four-legged friend. How to behave correctly? What is important to know, deciding to respond to the child's request? Little children and pets are the topic of today's conversation.
In the appearance of an animal house many parents see only problems. Will the child be able to cope with additional duties, or will everyone again fall on the shoulders of the mother? Will all family members manage with a new friend? And, finally, is it not dangerous for the child? However, all this - parental fears, unavoidable doubts and questions - is not yet an excuse to deny your chadushka of acquiring a dog (a cat, a rabbit, a goldfish). Just to choose an animal you need to approach with all responsibility.
RIGHT CHOICE
Start only such animals, which the child can take care of independently. For the preschooler, the best option is a small rodent. Even small children are able to change the litter in the cage and pour food into the feeder. Of course, at first you should do all this under the supervision of adults, but later you will be able to entrust most of the caring care for the pet to his little owner. Guinea pigs are preferable to hamsters and ornamental rats - unlike most rodents, they lead a daily life and, with proper feeding and maintenance, live 6-8 years.
If you have a child of primary school age, you can start a cat. However, it must be remembered that the choice of breed should be guided by common sense. Long-haired cats, as well as American curls and bald sphinxes require special care. For their health, it is absolutely necessary to properly carry out hygiene procedures: combing, washing (this refers to sphinxes), cutting the claws. If you could not resist the onslaught of the child, you will have to accept the fact that you will most likely have to take care of such an animal.
If your child is already ten years old, you can think about buying a dog. According to the cynologists, this is the optimal age for the purchase of a four-legged friend. (Labradors make an exception - they get along with even one-year-old babies.) At this age the child is able to walk with the dog himself, to master the basics of training under the guidance of adults. Finally, by ten years a person usually has basic social skills, and he can become a dog for authority, a true master, whom the dog listens to and believes.
PREPARATION
It is not easy for young children to explain why a cat refuses to sleep in a puppet bed, and a parrot can not offer a cheese sandwich. If your child before seeing his pet saw pets only in cartoons and pictures, most likely he will treat the new acquisition as a living toy. Your task is to patiently explain the difference.
Be sure to visit friends who have animals in the house: let the child see how the owners and their pets communicate, how they are fed, how they take in their arms, how the sleeping place is arranged. Buy a CD with a popular film about how the relatives of pets live in the wild, see it together with the child, paying attention to the behavior of animals. All the items necessary for keeping the pet (cage, troughs, toilet, etc.) should be bought with the child. Explain the purpose of each subject, show how to use it. Your child should know that the animal is not human, and no animal can love the same thing as we are with you.
AGGRESSION: HOW TO FIGHT WITH HER
One of the serious problems with which, alas, parents often encounter, is the aggression of domestic animals aimed at the child. How to avoid such situations? It's very simple: you need to learn that everything depends on you. The fact is that we ourselves sometimes place the animal in conditions that provoke aggressive behavior. Thus, experts believe that each breed of dog should be used for its intended purpose: watchdogs - guard the house, hunting - hunting, etc. But some parents forget about this and strive to acquire a kind of "two in one" kit: they want the dog and the thieves to guard, and at the same time it was an intelligent and gentle nanny for a small child. It does not happen! Forcing the dog to do what it does not, and against which the whole set of her genes literally scream, the owners simply bring her to a nervous breakdown. To whom will the irritation result? Of course, the one who bothers most of all. That is a child.
The second reason for aggression is the unfavorable psychological climate in the family. Does the dog bite a small child? Perhaps, she only repeats the fact that every day she is in front of all members of the family. If the child is endlessly raised by the voice (barking, from the dog's point of view), they turn to him with threatening intonation (growl) and even spank (dog-bite), then the animal concludes: this is a good tradition for the younger member of the pack , the norm of behavior and this is permissible for all. Therefore, before you scold the dog, think about whether there are not too many similar scenes being played out in your family.
A healthy cat can apply claws and teeth to a small child only in two cases: it is either scared to death or this is the last resort to stop the child from doing what is extremely unpleasant for her. Usually cats show aggression towards children, to whom adults literally allow everything. Before you release the claws, the cat will always give the enemy a chance to think about and sob at him. If the child has not heard it, then it does not hear the adults, or rather, does not take their words seriously, when they run counter to his desires.
"SUBSCRIBERS"
"Ancestors" animal lovers are affectionately called animals, picked up on the street. It is not uncommon for a child to bring a street puppy or a kitten into the house. Your task is to correctly react to this event. First, do not make scandals, and, most importantly, do not throw the animal back on the street! Explain to the child that caring for a new member of the family will fall on his shoulders. Of course, the kid will warmly assure you that this will happen. Set for him and the animal a trial period, say, two weeks. If the child fulfills his promises, then one must leave the animal. If not, attach it to the orphanage, to the good hands of the ad (just do not return to where it came from!)
Closely inspect the four-legged alien: does he have any secretions from the eyes, nose, suspicious "dirt" in the ears, pricks, or combs? In most cases, something from this list in a street animal, unfortunately, will be required. Option you have one - a veterinarian and as soon as possible. You can even call him at home.
Before a visit to the doctor, measure the temperature at the animal (the thermometer should be inserted 2-3 cm into the anal opening and held for 3-5 minutes), in normal conditions, it should not exceed 39 degrees.
If there are no external manifestations of the disease, this does not mean that the danger has not lurked somewhere "inside". Observe the behavior of the animal - a healthy animal should be active. Of course, in a new place it can be frightened, but curiosity must take precedence, as well as a normal appetite.
Feed the found is better firstly natural products - a sharp transition to ready-made feed can cause digestive upset. The menu should be boiled meat products, rice porridge, cottage cheese, kefir, vegetables.
Have you discovered suspicious symptoms or not, any "podrugrantsu" will have to undergo a series of preventive and hygienic procedures. In your arsenal should be at least anthelmintic and anti-blockade remedies, shampoo for animals. After you drive the worms, the animal will need to be vaccinated in the veterinary clinic. Before vaccinations, you can not walk with him on the street!
CRUICIOUS GAMES
We all heard about how cruelly teenagers and even very young children can be with respect to insects, kittens, puppies ... What should you do if you are horrified to notice that your baby is also showing aggression? The relationship between young children and pets can be different. If your child tears off the legs of grasshoppers, presses spiders or tries to lift the kitten into the air by the tail - find out the reason. If it bears the character of a game or an experiment, it is necessary to explain to the baby that both animals and even tiny insects can be painful and scary. Tell the child how beautiful the world of animals and insects is, how perfect they are, hardworking, playful. Explain that love, including our little brothers, is primarily a willingness to help and protect. It is much worse if your child gets a clear pleasure from violence and his relationship with animals is sadistic. Perhaps, due to such actions the child tries to assert himself, because he feels himself in the family dependent and weak. Humiliate even weaker - this is the only way that his aggression finds. In this case, you need to start with yourself: analyze what is wrong with your relationship with the child. If it is difficult to understand, we strongly recommend that you contact a family psychologist!