For developing a life-long friendship, it is crucial that parents teach their children to respect their canine companions. In this blog post, we share a few tips to help you get started!

There’s nothing more heartwarming than watching children play with dogs.

Many people believe that dogs and children are natural companions. However, that’s not entirely true since young children usually treat the family dog like real-life toys. So, it takes effort on the part of the parents to teach their children to respect dogs.

In this blog post, we share some tips for teaching your children to respect dogs in order to create a long-lasting friendship and bond between your children and Fido.

Let’s get started!

Animal Abuse Is Real: Here’s Why You Need to Teach Your Children to Respect Dogs

Here are Some Tips for Teaching Your Children to Respect Dogs!

Kids Forget

Supervised Interactions Rock

Teach Your Children the Virtues of Kindness and Respect

Zero Tolerance For Mistreatment

Treat Your Dog Like You Would Treat a Child

Be an Example for Your Children

In Conclusion: Tips for Teaching Your Children to Respect Dogs

Animal Abuse Is Real: Here’s Why You Need to Teach Your Children to Respect Dogs

Did you know that animal abuse by children is more common than you’d think?

Children who aren’t taught otherwise treat dogs like playthings, and often play rough. So, either party risks getting hurt when playing unsupervised.

However, as a result of rough play, hundreds of small breed dogs--such as Chihuahuas, Maltese, etc.--are rushed to emergency rooms every year! They are commonly diagnosed with serious issues like broken bones.

On the flip side, children are rushed to hospitals for treating dog bites, scratches, etc.

All of this can be avoided if you teach your children to respect dogs and always supervise their interaction with animals.

Here are Some Tips for Teaching Your Children to Respect Dogs!

In this section of the blog, we’ll go through some tips to help you teach your kids to respect dogs and help create a live-long and fulfilling bond.

Kids Forget

While children know what is expected of them, it’s in their nature to forget things sometimes--especially when they’re excited.

It’s a normal part of childhood.

So, even though your children may know what the rules are, consistency is something you need to work on. When it comes to teaching your children how to respect and interact with dogs, you need to provide them with constant feedback.

This includes both negative and positive feedback.

Encouraging improvement in behavior on your part is important.

Supervised Interactions Rock

Trouble begins when you leave children and dogs alone. Kids are kids, and dogs are animals so, leaving them without supervision is a recipe for disaster.

Keep in mind the fact that young children have no boundaries, and dogs don’t either. So, the chances of either of them snapping at the other are very high.

Always keeping the interactions supervised is highly recommended by most experts.

Teach Your Children the Virtues of Kindness and Respect

You need to teach your children that the family dog isn’t a toy. It’s important for children to understand that dogs are living creatures that have needs of their own.

That dogs have the ability to feed sadness, pain, and joy.

If your child is old enough, you can simple tasks like filling up the dog’s water bowl, brushing the dog’s coat gently, etc.

 Zero Tolerance For Mistreatment

Make sure that you have no room for mistreatment of pets in your household--by children and adults alike.

If anyone in the house abuses or hurts the dog in any way, it is crucial to ensure that the act doesn’t go unpunished. When children and dogs learn to respect one another, the bond that develops is a beautiful one.

Treat Your Dog Like You Would Treat a Child

Don’t allow your children do things to the dog that you wouldn’t allow them to do to another child. So, this means no sitting on the dog, pulling his ears, stealing his food, etc.

Be an Example for Your Children

Children don’t learn what they’re told.

They learn what they see you doing.

So, if you (or any other adult in the household) are not treating the family dog with the love and respect that he deserves, they’ll learn it. Set a good example for your children by showing them how to act around dogs--how to play with them, pet them, approach them, etc.

Children are excellent observers, and they follow your example.

Also take the chance to teach them that animals also need their space. Make sure that you never touch a dog that’s having food or is fast asleep.

In Conclusion: Tips for Teaching Your Children to Respect Dogs

Did you find what you were looking for?

Watch your child play with the family dog can be heartwarming; however, keep in mind that with children and dogs, things can quickly take the wrong turn.

So, it is important that children know how to interact with dogs.

As a parent, it is your duty to teach your child how to treat dogs with the respect that they deserve--not like playthings or toys.

We hope that this blog post gave you insight.

Do you have any questions or concerns, let us know in the comments, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!