How Can Children Take Care of a Puppy?

Helping to care for a family pet can be an excellent learning experience for children. Caring for an animal teaches gentleness, patience and compassion and inspires an appreciation for the natural world. Families should take pet selection and ownership very seriously. Children need instruction and guidance in caring for a pet, especially a high-maintenance one like a puppy. Inappropriate interaction is dangerous for children as well as for the puppy.

  1. Safety

    • Talk to children about pet safety before bringing home the new puppy. Teach young children, especially, how to handle an animal gently. Teach children not to hit, startle or grab the puppy or pull on his ears or tail. If the dog is small, teach children safe and appropriate ways to pick up the dog. Discuss bite prevention methods, such as not provoking the puppy, getting near his face or running from him. Puppies are prone to nip and bite. As a family, agree on training methods and use them consistently. If your child is fearful around dogs, consider choosing a different type of pet.

    Training

    • Children can help with puppy training by practicing consistency. Everyone in the family should adhere to the same rules when dealing with the puppy, and everyone should use the same verbal commands for training. Let children observe and then help with simple commands like "sit," "stay" and "come." Older children can help with house training and commands that are more complex.

    Feeding

    • Feeding the puppy is an easy way for children to help with pet care. Teach children to measure appropriate amounts of dog food with a cup or scoop so they do not overfeed the puppy. Consider creating a family feeding chart so family members can take turns feeding the dog at consistent times. Children can monitor the dog's water supply and refill his water dish as needed.

    Grooming

    • Help children select the appropriate type of brush for the puppy's coat. Start with a soft-bristle brush that will be gentle on the puppy's sensitive skin. Older children can bathe the puppy and trim his nails. Demonstrate safe and appropriate grooming methods, and supervise children until you are sure they can carry out the tasks safely on their own.

    Exercise

    • Daily exercise is important for puppies as well as children. Interactive play is an easy, fun way for children to help care for a puppy. Most dogs enjoy "fetch" and other types of ball games. Games like tug-of-war may be tempting, but should be monitored closely, as some dogs perceive these types of games as a battle for dominance. Children can practice walking the puppy on a leash, and older children can take on the responsibility of daily dog walks.