Bringing a New Pet to the Family Safely and Responsibly

19/12/2018

Bringing a New Pet to the Family Safely and Responsibly

If you have weighed the pros and cons and opted to own a pet, introduce it slowly to your kids. Start off by speaking to them beforehand and letting them know that touching, petting, and playing with a dog or cat is not a right, but a privilege. It has to be done on the pet’s terms, because we cannot reason with a pet in the same way we can with a person.

About the Author

Jennifer Glenn left her corporate finance job to pursue her true passion of writing. She now prefers to spend more time with her three beautiful children.

Dog ownership in Singapore has risen considerably in the past few years, with over 62,000 canines providing love, companionship, and unconditional friendship to families. Pet numbers (including cats and other animals) as a whole are even more impressive, with numbers estimated at over 825,000. If you have a family with children and you would like to make it bigger and more active in 2019 with the addition of a pet, how can you ensure that you do the right thing by your pet and your children, and that your pets gets all the loving care that God intended?

Finding Inspiration from the Bible

Before looking at individual things we can do to foster a good relationship between our kids and pets, it may help to see what the Bible had to say on the subject. In Luke 12:6, Jesus spoke of the power of faith, referencing sparrows. He noted that sparrows may have been sold for a couple of pennies, but “not one of them is forgotten by God.” Psalm 147:9, meanwhile, describes how God ensure that all living creatures, including ravens, had enough food. Genesis notes that God created human beings in His own image. It was his intention that we should take care of all creatures on the Earth the way He cares for them… and for us. It is important to understand that when we are dealing with pets, we are very much God’s representatives. We must ensure they are fed, medicated, and loved, to honor the role that God gave us as their keeper.

Picking the Right Pet for our Families

It is important to research well into the needs and character traits of each pet before bringing one home. Depending on the age of your child, certain pets may not be suitable. For instance, iguanas are cute and often sought after by little children, but they need to be trained to go against their natural ‘scratching’ instincts. This will take various hour-long sessions, so unless you can train your iguana prior to taking it home, this pet might be best left for when a child is a little older.

What Dog Breeds are Popular in Singapore?

It is interesting to note that the top dog choice for most Singaporean families is the mixed breed, followed by the toy poodle, shih tzu, miniature schnauzer, Maltese, Jack Russell terrier, golden retriever, chihuahua, labrador retriever, and pomeranian. All these pets are lovely family pets that get on with children and that can easily be trained. It is important to keep size in mind as well. If your little children will be helping you with tasks like taking the dog for a walk, the dog should be light and small enough for older kids to handle well.

Making Sure a Pet is Affordable

Before taking a pet home, it is important to create a yearly budget and to see if you can meet all expenses involved with pet ownership comfortably. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority stipulates that all dogs must have licences, which must be renewed every year. The cost of these is $15 for a spayed dog and $90 for an unspayed one. If you are adopting a dog, know that you will be expected to pay between $180 and $500, approximately. Food, meanwhile, will set you back around $1000 a year, and healthcare will cost around $400 a year. Dogs also require monthly changes of toys, treats, and grooming products, which can cost around $30 or so per month. Cats are a little less expensive but insignificantly so.

Time Also Matters

Your pet should fit into your lifestyle time-wise as well. Cats are more independent, as are reptiles, but a dog will need a couple of good, long walks a day, during which it can run and give its heart, muscles, and joints the workout they need to stay in optimal condition. As a parent, if you find that you are struggling with either expenses or time, be realistic. Don’t take on more responsibility than you and your family can truly afford.

Introducing a Pet to Your Kids

If you have weighed the pros and cons and opted to own a pet, introduce it slowly to your kids. Start off by speaking to them beforehand and letting them know that touching, petting, and playing with a dog or cat is not a right, but a privilege. It has to be done on the pet’s terms, because we cannot reason with a pet in the same way we can with a person. Thus, with dogs, for instance, kids should be taught to stand with their side to the dog and their fist closed, waiting for the dog to come to them and avoiding direct eye contact. Once the pup comes up, has a sniff and a lick, and shows signs that they are relaxed and happy to be with your kids, you can proceed to teaching them the power of touch. Kids should be taught that cats really like having their own ‘space’. They show they do not like something by wagging their tails vigorously, pulling their ears back, and, sometimes, hissing. Their fur can also ‘stand on end’ when they are annoyed. All these signs should be watched out for and the cat’s need for solitude should be respected. Dogs will often show they are not interested in affection by turning their heads away.

Show your child the right way to touch a pet by putting your hand gently over their hand, guiding them over your pet’s back. Let them know how gentle their touch should be. From the very beginning, children should be told that pulling ears and tails are a strict no-no. Inform them that a pet that is hurt can sometimes react in the only way they know how: by snapping, biting, or scratching the person who is causing them pain.

Safety Procedures

Children should be taught to keep a safe distance from dogs and cats, and to avoid hugging them unless the pet comes in for the hug. Essentially, most dogs and cats feel harassed when their personal space is invaded. Instruct kids to keep their face far away from a dog’s or cat’s mouth and paws. One scratch can cause a painful eye lesion, and the same applies to the pet. That is, kids should keep cutlery, sticks, and any pointed or long toy away from a pet’s eye. Some breeds (such as brachycephalic or flat-muzzled dogs and cats) can be particularly prone to eye ulcers and abrasions because their muzzle is so short that it cannot protect them from protruding objects.

Giving Everyone a Role

Mature or older kids may enjoy caring for the new family pet. One child may be in charge of bathing their pooch or kitty with you supervising the process, another may measure and put food into your pet’s bowl, once again with you watching over. Kids can try their hand at training your dog to sit, roll over, etc., using a clicker. As your kids grow into teens, they can take on new duties such as taking the dog for a walk. Children are likely to feel more bonded to their pet if they take care of them in addition to simply playing with them.

Picking out a new pet is an exciting time for your family, but it will require research beforehand. Make sure that expense and time aren’t an obstacle, and pick the right type of pet for your kid’s age and energy levels. Finally, instill a true love for animals by teaching your kids to treat their pet gently, as God intended. God takes care of all living creatures and since we are made in His image, so should we.

Allow me to close with a verse from the Book of Proverbs: "A righteous man respects the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." (Proverbs 12:10 WEB)

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Pinterest Pinnable Image. Picking out a new pet is an exciting time for your family, especially for your kids, but it will require research beforehand. Make sure that expense and time aren’t an obstacle, and pick the right type of pet for your kid’s age and energy levels. Finally, instill a true love for animals by teaching your kids to treat their pet gently, as God intended. God takes care of all living creatures and since we are made in His image, so should we.

Pinterest Pinnable Image. Picking out a new pet is an exciting time for your family, especially for your kids, but it will require research first. Make sure that expense and time aren’t an obstacle, and pick the right type of pet for your kid’s age and energy levels. Finally, instill a true love for animals by teaching your kids to treat their pet gently, as God intended. God takes care of all living creatures and since we are made in His image, so should we.

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