Baby feeds dog

Managing feeding time with your kids and dog

Yep feeding time can get quite messy here!

Managing feeding time with your kids and dog can be an interesting task, trust me I know this first hand!

Anyone with young kids will know that feeding time can be quite messy, hectic and stressful at the best of times, then add a dog in the mix and it can really turn to chaos. From your dog stalking your kids, to stealing their food, licking them clean, your children not eating because they think it’s funny to feed the dog, food being thrown across the room, the list goes on. We’ve gone through it all in my household and with a very food obsessed Goldie, it is all still a work in progress. Along with all these challenges however, comes the BEST vacuum cleaner ever!! At home, I never have to clean those tiny scraps off the floor; I have Cooper and I thank him for that every day! And yes, that is a photo of Cooper licking every piece of rice off our floor boards (sorry for those germaphobes out there, but I think it’s great for the kids’ immune system).

In today’s post, I will outline three tips we use in our house to manage some of this chaos. After all, your dog needs to learn that if your child drops a cooked chicken bone on the floor, that it is not theirs to eat!! Cooked chicken bones can be quite dangerous for dogs. And yes, again, unfortunately, this is something that has happened to us!! I might be a dog trainer, but my dog certainly isn’t perfect.

Management is key! Create boundaries/ a place for your dog to be during meal time

Invisible or physical. This can be as simple as a baby gate to block them out of the kitchen/dining area. A play pen for the dog, a crate or even putting your dog in another room, putting a special mat or bed out for them to lie on. Or for us, we have created an invisible boundary which works wonders. Personally, I think it is a MUST to separate your dog during meal time for their safety as things like cooked bones, corn cobs, and many others can be dangerous if your dog swallows them (image at bottom of article of unsafe foods for dogs). Click here for a great resource from Family Paws for different management ideas .

In our house, we have a rule that Cooper (and his friends) must lie down about 2-3 meters back from where the kids are eating. The kitchen table is on the floor boards, and Cooper must lie on the carpet in the play room. Cooper now knows that he will be allowed to clean up at the end of the meal, but only on my command. I have trained him to stay there until the kids are finished eating, and then I say, “Ok Cooper, clean up!” For those of you who would love to try this, but your dog is a bit too excitable, start out by putting your dog on a lead so you have control each time they get up or even better, use a baby gate initially. Set your boundary, ours is the line where the floor boards and the carpet meet and make them stick to it. If you have them on the lead, every time they get up or try creeping forward, you can redirect them back using treats – this is called positive reinforcement training. No it is not bribery, it is how dogs learn. By using treats to reward their good behaviour when they are lying behind the invisible line and relaxed, they will be more likely to repeat this behaviour.

The other alternative is to teach your dog the “on your mat/bed” command. It pretty much works the same as above… But it’s best to first teach them this command before introducing it at meal time. It will make it much smoother as teaching a new command without distractions around will be easier for your dog to focus. To do this create a nice comfy place for your dog to lie on, at a distance from where the kids will be eating, but where your dog can still see you. Make sure to have some delicious treats ready.

Teaching your dog “on your mat”:

Step 1. With a treat in your hand, tell your dog, “Go to your mat” in a cheerful tone of voice and point to his mat.

Step 2. Pause a second or two, then lure your dog onto his mat by putting the treat up to his nose and slowly moving it over the mat. If you move your hand too quickly or too far away from his mouth he may give up and lose interest.

Step 3. As soon as your dog has four paws on the mat, treat.

Step 4. Tell your dog, “Down.” Give the hand signal or lure it if your dog needs help. When he lies down, treat him. Continue to treat to keep your dog on the mat. After a few seconds, tell your dog, “Okay,” and allow him to get up.

Repeat steps 1-4, gradually increasing the amount of time you ask him to stay on the mat.

Please keep in mind that given your dog will be cleaning the floor for you at the end, and you will be using treats to reward them for sitting away from the food, make sure to reduce their meal size that day so they do not gain weight.

Train your kids

Teach your kids to always sit down and eat. No running around the house with food as this will entice your dog to follow them and stalk them.

Teach them not to feed the dog. This can be a hard one depending on the age of your child. At around 6 months of age, both of my kids thought this was just hilarious. It’s the moment when the friendship between dog and baby really begins because the dog quickly learns your baby now equals food. But now that Harper is three, she understands that dogs can’t eat certain foods, it will upset their tummy or can be quite dangerous for them. So just explaining that to your kids can really help. Harper loves Cooper to pieces, so she would never do something if she knew it could hurt him. Paxton on the other hand (20 months) is still too young to understand this.

And if all else fails, put your dog outside

Sometimes it’s just not worth the risk.

Our biggest challenge with Cooper and our ‘invisible boundary’ is when we have people over. Cooper will sometimes take advantage of the fact that my attention is elsewhere and will test the boundaries and try to clean up before the kids are finished. And this is exactly the situation when he ate the chicken bone. I was busy cleaning up in the kitchen when we had family over for dinner, Paxton dropped a cooked chicken bone and Cooper literally pounced and inhaled it as it hit the floor. We were lucky, he was fine, he managed to pass it through. But always call your vet to check if something like that happens, cooked chicken bones can splinter on the way through and get stuck. I’ve learnt my lesson now and will often just put Cooper outside if we have a busy house. And if I do have to put him outside, I will give him a special long lasting treat whilst he is outside so he associates it as a good thing rather than as punishment.

You might be able to train your own kids, but you can’t train someone else’s, especially if they don’t live with dogs. So, if you’re hosting a mothers group or have a house full of kids eating, the temptation is too high, put your dog outside – it will be way less stressful on you and your dog!

Management with kids and dogs around food is SO important. So set some rules and boundaries and stick with them. It’s so important to help manage the madness.

*Warning*

There are lots of foods your kids may eat, that are dangerous or toxic for dogs! So as amazing as it is that they are the best hoovers, please always make sure to pick up the dangerous foods and put them in the bin before letting your dog clean-up for you!

Image found on the internet

And lastly, as briefly mentioned above, please do your best to keep your dog a nice lean weight, it is so important for their health. Especially as they get older and especially for bigger dogs who are prone to arthritis, etc. So, if they do eat lots of the kids scraps during the day, please make sure to slightly reduce the quantity of food you give them for dinner.

For more info on child and dog safety and how dogs communicate make sure to have a read of these articles:

How Dogs Communicate
Three steps to Teach your child how to safely say hello to dogs
Teach your child to interact safely with dogs and know the warning signs to look for
Five Important Skills to teach your Dog when Around Young Children
Lead by example to show your child how to interact safely with dogs
Managing your Dog when having Visitors and Children Coming Over

Mel xox

PS. Make sure to head to our SHOP if you haven’t already! Spoil yourself and your dog!!

Disclaimer: Cooper and Kids will not be liable for anything that happens to you, your dog or children by following the advice and tips in this article. If you have real concerns or worries about your dog and/or safety of your children, please seek out a professional to come and assess the situation asap.

Dog Meets Baby (Dominika's Account)

Dog Meets Baby (Blog) is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.

‍

It is such an exciting milestone when your baby starts solids. But remember: 1) your baby will drop a LOT of their food, and 2) Your dog might try to snag it before it even hits the floor. Let’s talk about it!

Where should your dog be?

Main options:

➜Your dog waits under the highchair for all the dropped food.
➜Your dog stays on their dog bed or outside the kitchen during the meal but is released to clean up the floor at the end.
➜A gate or closed door separates your dog, and you let your dog clean up the floor after the baby is done eating.
➜Your dog is separated, and you clean up yourself.

My preferred option is the training option (#2). Lola is in a down - stays put until the kids are done eating. But life gets busy, and I don’t always have time to feed my kids, unload the dishwasher, cook, and train my dog.

I love using a retractable gate when my kids eat at their kids' table in the kitchen. After we clean up the table and if the leftovers are safe for her to eat, she is let in to clean up the floor.

Watch this reel to see the recommendations of Judy from Feeding Littles on where to have dogs during baby’s mealtimes.

What are the risks of having dogs near or under the highchair?

Dogs may feel invited to jump on the chair or grab food from the baby's hands. Or demand bark.
Multiple dogs can get into fights under the highchair over dropped food.
Some foods are very toxic to dogs, and some foods can give your dog an upset tummy. Educate yourself on foods that are not safe for dogs.
Dogs might become protective of that space or the dropped food. Ensure your baby is not on, under, or near the highchair when they eat the food from the floor. This could be dangerous for your baby.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dominika|Certified Dog Trainer (@dogmeets_baby)

What does a dietitian recommend?

Renae from New Ways Nutrition is a dietitian, a mom to 2 little ones, and has a Labrador.

Here are her 3 tips on feeding babies with dogs around

If your baby starts to throw food for your dog, do your best to calmly redirect it to where you do want the food to go. Ask them to put the food in a 'no thank you bowl' if they don’t want it, or tell them that food goes on their plate.
More often than not, when food starts to go on the floor, your baby is done! It is so tempting to keep giving them food, especially if they haven’t eaten much. But that is usually their done/bored/get me out of here sign.
Keep in mind the distraction level your dog is creating. When babies start eating solids, they can get easily startled or excited. That quickly becomes a risk for choking. As your baby gets practice eating, a little distraction is less of a safety concern.

Does my dog like my baby, or just their food?

Dogs learn by associations. If you allow your dog to be your “clean-up crew,” your dog will likely build a positive association with your baby in this specific scenario:

Baby in highchair = great things for me (dog).

When a dog approaches and is attentive to the baby in the highchair ≠ dog loves the baby.

What to watch out for:

➜Dogs love food, and some may get close to the highchair only because there is food, not because they love the baby.

➜Since your baby is contained and the situation is somewhat predictable, your dog may be more relaxed in that context.

➜Don’t assume that your dog loves your baby because they can lick the food off your baby’s hands or your baby has been dropping food on the floor.

➜Your dog may still be scared of your newly mobile baby* when not contained in the highchair.

^{*Newly mobile babies are scary for many dogs. Their movements are unpredictable, they crawl and don’t walk, and they make sounds adults don’t make. It is normal for your dog to be unsure about your not-so-long ago immobile baby.}

❗Improperly managed interactions can prevent your dog from building a positive association with your child.⁠ It is important you give your dog time and distance to acclimate to your baby’s new milestones.

If you need more guidance on safe interactions between your child and dog, download my Toddlers and Dogs Guide. This free guide is for parents of older infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Common foods to NEVER feed your dog

When you have small children in the house, it can be hard to control the human food your dog consumes because kids tend to drop food, leave food around, or intentionally try to feed the dog. It is essential to manage your dog’s access to the following foods which can be hazardous to dogs:

Chocolate (dark chocolate in particular)
Grapes and raisins
Avocado pits and cherry pits
Anything that contains xylitol (common in sugar-free gum and peanut butters)
Corn cob
Raisin bread, toddler bar with raisins
Advent calendar
Foil cupcake or muffin liners
Cooked bones
Onions, garlic
Star fruit

Consult your veterinarian for a more comprehensive idea of what your dog should avoid.

Some items are toxic and NOT dose-dependent on their effect, so no amount is safe (xylitol, raisins, grapes). Some items can become toxic if ingested in bigger quantities (chocolate, avocado pits), and some can cause an obstruction (foil liners, corn cob).

Depending on the culprit, you may monitor the dog at home, and your dog may have an upset tummy for a day or two. Or you may need to rush your dog to the ER for emergency surgery to induce vomiting or stomach pumping, fluids, and overnight monitoring.

Call your dog’s veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 8884264435 (US) for directions (there is a fee, but it is well worth it).

I asked Sylvalyn Hammond, DVM, to share her experience as an ER veterinarian. “It is important to know which foods may be potentially harmful to our pets. If your child is eating something that could be hazardous to your dog, put them in another room or area of the house until your child has finished the meal and you’ve had a chance to clean up. It’s better to take this extra precaution than spend a few hundred dollars at the emergency clinic to have your pet vomit, or worse, treat any issues that develop if the toxin is ingested without your knowledge.”

⁠Bonus Tip! How to introduce a high chair to your baby.

Starting solids and using a highchair could be challenging for kids as well. ⁠Alyssa from Nutrition for Littles is a registered dietitian and mom of three. Her beloved dog Rafa passed unexpectedly recently.

Here are Alyssa’s tips for a smooth transition:⁠⁠

⁠➜Start in a high chair as early as your baby can sit up safely.⁠

➜Let your child play and get used to the high chair so that they associate a positive experience with it when you’re ready to start using it for meals and snacks.⁠
⁠
➜Once your baby is ready to start solids, set your expectations low. Most little ones can only last in the high chair or eat for 5-10 minutes. This is completely ok!⁠
⁠
➜If your child is getting fussy or frustrated in the chair, it’s ok to take a break and let them try again at the next meal or snack time.⁠

Many of my clients and Instagram followers initially let the dogs stay near the eating baby in the highchair. Seeing them bond in a new way is cute, and those pictures are so adorable. For the reasons mentioned above, most parents end up separating the dogs after a few days or weeks.

To help your dog feel comfortable being separated from you and your baby, prepare and train in advance. My Preparation Course gives you many tools to best train and prepare your dog for life with your baby. Parents often return to the course after the baby is born, as many modules are helpful during the infant stage.

Mowgli from Podolsk, who was raised by a dog, graduates from college

Komsomolskaya Pravda

Search results

Viti Kozlovtseva [video]

Vitya with his foster mother Lilit Gorelova. The 19-year-old boy looks much younger than his years. Photo: Andrey MINAEV

Mowgli children were discussed again in early March, when a five-year-old girl was found in a Moscow house. Her mother, 47-year-old Irina Garashchenko, turned a three-room apartment on Leningradskoye Shosse into a garbage dump and a prison. She herself settled with a roommate and only occasionally visited her daughter to feed. As a result, the girl became wild - she stopped talking, and due to lack of hygiene, an elastic band for hair grew into the child's neck. The girl was still rescued from the garbage jungle. According to doctors, she has every chance for a full recovery. She remained a Mowgli child only in the articles of journalists. In the discharge from the hospital, such a diagnosis does not appear.

The same can't be said about Viktor Kozlovtsev, whose medical record clearly states "Mowgli's syndrome".

Vitya Kozlovtsev told how he lives

Andrei Minaev

Couldn't look in the eyes

In 2005, the story of this six-year-old boy from Podolsk near Moscow shocked the whole country. His mother was replaced by a mongrel. From birth until the age of six, he lived locked up with a dog in one of the rooms in an apartment in a high-rise building. And no one cared about the baby.

- Well, someone is howling behind the wall from morning to evening. They thought they were just dogs, then the neighbors justified themselves.

Vitya was discovered by a pediatrician at a children's polyclinic. The boy was observed in the polyclinic for up to three months, and then disappeared. Vitya Kozlovtsev's card hasn't had a single entry in six years. This is what the doctor saw when she audited the documents of the children attached to her site. Why they didn’t realize before, now it’s impossible to figure it out, but, as they say, better late than never. The doctor tried to visit the child for several days. Nobody opened the door, but the strange sounds that came from the apartment alerted the doctor. The woman went to the police. The door was opened and a wild picture was seen.

- A child and a dog were locked in one of the rooms. There was no furniture inside. There was a bowl on the floor, from which the dog and the boy ate, - recalls Valery Shumilin, an employee of the Moscow Region police. - The kid was naked, he crawled on all fours and made sounds reminiscent of a dog barking. He bared his teeth, howling like a dog. Lice swarmed in the boy's head of hair, the child's fingernails and toenails were about five centimeters long. From the interior in the room there was only a rug on which the boy and the dog slept and generally spent the whole day. Nearby they relieved themselves, and the child did it in the same way as a dog. When we entered, the boy got scared and hid in a corner. He was so wild that he couldn't even look people in the eye.

A child in the first days after being released from “captivity”. Doctors believed that the boy would never learn to speak. Photo: Channel One

In such conditions, Vitya was kept by his mother and grandmother. Women lived in the same apartment in another room and only occasionally fed the dog and the boy. Granny pretended not to notice anything, and the mother then assured the investigators that these were just methods for raising her son.

A woman who worked as a cleaner at a local factory was deprived of her parental rights. The forensic psychiatric examination found her sane. The child abuse case went to court, but the woman received only a suspended sentence. She is alive and well and is still mopping the floors at the plant. All this time, she was not interested in the fate of her son.

Doctors then assured that Vitya would never learn to speak, that he would be an aggressive animal, to whom everything human is alien.

So what happened to the boy and where is he now?

Howl at the moon

Komsomolskaya Pravda found Vitya Kozlovtsev, the guy will turn 20 on April 24th. We visited him and talked to a woman who 14 years ago was not afraid to become the mother of a Mowgli boy.

In 2005 Vitya was abandoned not only by his relatives, but also by specialized orphanages. The boy shone a solitary ward in a children's psychiatric clinic. But the mother of many children, Lilit Gorelova, found out about him. So he ended up in the family orphanage "Mercy".

- I remember asking in custody if he bites. But even if they told me yes, we would take it, - says Lilit. “The first month was the hardest. Vitya was afraid of light, water - he trembled all over when he looked at the tap from which it flowed. He lay for hours without moving, slept badly at night, listened to everything, sometimes just howled at the moon. He lay down on the bed like a dog, curled up on its very edge with a ring. For a long time I could not understand why you need to go to the toilet. I had to use diapers - they were able to refuse them only when the boy was eight years old. He could not walk and moved on all fours, which caused calluses on his fingers. Vityusha also ate like a dog - he greedily grabbed pieces of food with his teeth and swallowed them instantly, he lapped up the soup with his tongue, bending down to the plate.

The guy likes order. After finishing dinner, he immediately goes to wash the plate after him. Photo: Andrey MINAEV

The first words - from the advertisement

Brothers and sisters taught Vitya to speak. It looked like this. “Vitya, say: “ma-ma”, and he answered: “woof-woof”. But the extended family did not despair. Worked with him all day long. Even the schedule was drawn up: from 10 to 11 - Masha, from 11 to 12 - Dima ... Unaccustomed to such attention, the wild boy at first hid under the bed, but after a month everything changed. He began to listen attentively, and then to speak. That's just the first word Vitya, which he said two months after the move, was not "mother" at all.

- For a long time we could not understand what this word was. It turned out, almost like in "Heart of a Dog" - "bonduel", - Lilith continues. - It was only later that we guessed that he had heard it in commercials on TV. The biological mother often turned on the TV in her room, and the boy listened and remembered. He then gave us whole slogans: “Take a break, eat Twix”, “Russia is a generous soul”, “Image is nothing, thirst is everything”. This, of course, amused everyone, but there were also sad words. One of the first - "alcohol" and "hysterical." Apparently, it was them that Vitya most often heard in the conversations of his mother and grandmother.

Vitya spoke some phrases out of place. "Vitya, how are you?" Mom asked. “The sofa is beautiful,” he gave out in response.

- We tried not to notice these oddities. Doctors diagnosed - pseudo-autism. But, fortunately, gradually it passed. A year later, he began to communicate normally. I still remember that one of the guys got a bad grade, and then Vitya gives out: “You need to study well and obey your mother,” Lilit smiles.

Vitya's first independent steps are also well remembered by the family. This happened about three months later.

- It could not have done without the help of doctors: massage, gymnastics, physiotherapy. Due to the fact that until the age of six he moved like a dog, on all fours, his spine was seriously deformed. Vita's first steps were given through pain. He then returned to the habit of crawling for a long time. I did it when I was worried...

It was hard for the boy even in Sunday school. Vitya could not get used to strangers.

- At first he just sat under the table and only occasionally looked out to look at the teacher and other children. But we were very lucky with the mentors. They were patient, and a year later Vitya became a model of discipline, - mom rejoices.

Date to the movies

Now Vitya lives with his mother, father and 15 brothers and sisters in a five-room apartment near the Timiryazevskaya metro station.

- This is my room. We live here with my brothers, come in, - a curly smiling guy met me.

He looks absolutely healthy, but his movements and gestures betray uncertainty and some kind of naive childish embarrassment. He still cannot look into the eyes of the interlocutor for a long time, and answers questions very briefly.

In short sentences, the young man described his simple life: “This is my bed”, “There are sports simulators on which I work out”, “This is a computer, but I don’t play it.”

Now Vitya is studying at a specialized service sector college No. 1 - to become a tailor. Every morning he collects his backpack and goes to class by subway. And the guy is a volunteer, together with his parents, brothers and sisters helps the homeless. Five times a week, the large Gorelov family feeds those who need it.

- We are now preparing an Easter performance for them. I will play the role of a beggar, ”Vitya says, and then, smiling embarrassedly, turns away.

The young man spends all his free time at home. In this large family, he is almost the main lover of cleanliness. She herself watched how, after finishing dinner, Vitya immediately went to wash his plate...

- In college I like Alina, she is friends with me and very good, - Vitya admitted to me.

- So maybe invite her to the movies? - I immediately get used to the role of a matchmaker. I really want the guy to do well.

Vitya liked the idea...

“Simple and kind”

But even if this first date takes place, for the foster mother Lilit Gorelova (the woman raised five of her own and 26 adopted children), he will forever remain a child. The guy will graduate from college this year. Then, by law, he must leave the foster family and start living on his own.

But the foster mother decided that they would not part with Vitya.

- My husband and I understand that he simply cannot live alone. Therefore, they issued life guardianship over him. He is a completely unsophisticated, kind and honest guy. The successes that he has achieved in his development once seemed like a fantasy. But a difficult childhood left its mark. I think today its level of development can be compared with a 10-year-old child, Lilith told KP. - And you know, it seems to me that this dog, which was Vitya's mother, she was very kind. She and I raised a boy who is not prone to aggression at all. There was no case for Vitya to raise his voice. He has a very kind heart.

But despite the kindness of his "four-legged mother", Vitya is still afraid of dogs. This is perhaps the only phobia that has been preserved since childhood.

- He avoids dogs. I don't think he wants to remember those days. And somewhere very deep in his soul he is still afraid to return to that terrible room...

COMPETENTLY

"You can teach to speak, but you cannot create your own family for such children"

- Mowgli's syndrome is a combination symptoms observed in children who grew up in conditions of complete social isolation and brought up among animals - explains psychiatrist Dmitry Klevtsov . - As a rule, isolation from people leads to the inability to achieve normal mental and personal development. The shorter the period spent in the wild, the easier the recovery and adaptation. The most important period in a child's development is from birth to six years of age. The child learns not only to walk, talk, but also to exist in society. Vitya spent this period in inhuman conditions. The fact that today he speaks and can walk is a phenomenal success. Science knows cases when even these functions were lost forever by "wild" children. But, most likely, the young man will never be able to create his own family. He is not alien to such a feeling as love, but the basis of the relationship between a man and a woman in the period from 3 to 6 years simply was not laid. Children, as a rule, take their parents as a model, when they are absent - relatives or neighbors. Mowgli children who have matured simply do not feel the need to build personal relationships with the opposite sex. Although physiologically they are healthy. But he has every chance to be realized in the profession. Hard work is a trait that can be instilled in a child at a later age.

SEE ALSO

“Dump in my apartment? Sick child? This is a provocation”: the mother of a Moscow Mowgli girl told KP her version of what happened

The story about the Moscow Mowgli girl shocked many. Recall that on the night of March 10, 5-year-old Lida (name has been changed) was found in a cluttered apartment on the Leningrad Highway. Neighbors heard children crying, called the police, they called the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The door was opened. In a three-room apartment knee-deep rotting garbage (details)

“The father immediately left the family, and the mother lied that she worked in the “power grids”: the neighbors of the Mowgli girl told how they rescued a child from an apartment littered with garbage

Moscow investigators are looking into the details of a shocking story. We already wrote: the day before, a Mowgli girl was found in a Moscow apartment. 5-year-old Lida (name has been changed) cannot speak, she is shy of people (details)

Read also

0003

The online publication (website) is registered by Roskomnadzor, certificate El No. ФС77-80505 dated March 15, 2021.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE SITE - KANSK VICTOR FYODOROVICH.

THE AUTHOR OF THE MODERN VERSION OF THE EDITION IS SUNGORKIN VLADIMIR NIKOLAEVICH.

Messages and comments from site readers are posted without preliminary editing. The editors reserve the right to remove them from the site or edit them if the specified messages and comments are an abuse of freedom mass media or violation of other requirements of the law.

JSC Publishing House Komsomolskaya Pravda. TIN: 7714037217 PSRN: 1027739295781 127015, Moscow, Novodmitrovskaya d. 2B, Tel. +7 (495) 777-02-82.

Exclusive rights to materials posted on the website www.kp.ru, in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation for the Protection of the Results of Intellectual Activity belong to JSC Publishing House Komsomolskaya Pravda, and do not be used by others in any way form without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Acquisition of copyright and communication with the editors: [email protected]

“Mom, he will live with us!” When a child brought home a puppy | Animals

Children's kindness usually indescribably pleases loving parents, but sometimes it also forces them to make difficult choices. For example, when a child brings home a kitten, puppy or chick and declares that he has found a friend. What to do in such a situation? The parent has two options: either allow or not. But how do you make the right decision? And how to negotiate with a small zookeeper? Let's figure it out together.

Forbid or allow?

Do not rush to immediately forbid the child to get an animal and tell him something like “take him where he took him”. Perhaps the baby really needs a pet: children also need to show love and care. If the living space and circumstances allow (for example, none of the household has allergies, and dad has dreamed of a dog since childhood), then a new friend can become not only a playmate for the child, but also a real educator.

Have you decided to take the animal home? It does not hurt to agree with the child about who will take care of the beast. It is necessary to immediately show the children that the responsibility for the beast will lie with them. To get started, a puppy or kitten will need to be taken to the veterinarian to examine the animal, get vaccinated, and purchase medicines for parasites. Then the animal will need to purchase everything you need - from the tray and toys to food.

If all these details are explained to the child and if he agrees to assume such responsibility, then the matter remains small.

If it is decided not to leave the uninvited guest from the neighboring yard, then the child should be refused very delicately. Remember yourself at his age: surely every parent in childhood also wanted to take almost all street animals home with him. Since it is impossible to shelter all offended and abandoned animals (either due to lack of desire, or for objective reasons), it is necessary to talk with the child in order to find understanding.

We find a compromise

Swearing and categorical refusal without explanation in the style of “no means no” can offend a child. Try to find the right words to explain to him the impossibility of leaving the animal at home. For example, you can refer to:

family members have allergies;
small living space;
financial difficulties;
prohibition to have animals in a rented apartment;
lack of time to educate the animal.

Perhaps not all good arguments will affect the child. Tell him that because of the work of his parents and his studies at school, the animal will feel sad and lonely at home. This is especially true of puppies, which grow into large dogs and, out of loneliness, howl destroy the apartment, while the owners, for a good reason, spend time outside the house.

There are situations when the animal brought home by a child is obviously domestic. Pets can get lost and run away. If you see a collar with a phone number on a found dog, tell the children that the animal already has an owner and should be found. You can make a phone call, put up ads, or write to local social media groups and chats. It is good if the child is active in this.

If a child out of pity refuses to return the animal to its "natural" habitat, then a compromise can be found. For example, take a shaggy baby to a shelter or to a special animal care center. Municipal shelters rarely accept new guests, but the child can become a volunteer there and come on weekends to help walk the dogs or feed the cats.

Another option is to invite the children to take the animal for overexposure. This is the temporary keeping of the animal at home, while the household will look for permanent owners for it. Agree with the child that you will accept the animal for a short time, but set a firm condition: he will have to find a new home for him. Of course, you can help the young curator in distributing ads and posting on social networks.

What to do with feathered and prickly ones?

Cats and dogs sorted out. And what to do with chicks, hedgehogs or some frogs? Children actively bring them home, which causes shock and bewilderment among moms and dads.

The child needs to be explained that hedgehogs and frogs will definitely not survive outside the wild, so they should be released back to the park or forest. It is even better to tell the children in advance that touching wild animals (hedgehogs in particular) is a very bad idea, since they are carriers of many dangerous diseases.

Did the child bring home a chick? You definitely don't need to leave it at home. Firstly, it is very problematic to keep a wild bird in an apartment environment. Secondly, many birds rear their chicks outside the nest, and human interference can greatly interfere with the life of the entire bird family. Biologists say that if a child brought a chick home, it must be returned to where it was taken within 2-4 hours. In this case, the chance increases that adult birds will find the baby by squeak and continue to feed it.

In any of the options, the child should be reassured: wild animals definitely live better in their natural habitat. The main thing is not to swear at children for such a sincere manifestation of care and compassion.