DOGS and CHILDREN

Sometimes children and dogs get along extremely well - but shouldn't be left unsupervised.

The following excerpts are taken from, “Childproofing Your Dog” by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson. Paperback - 88 pages (April 1994) Warner Books; ISBN: 0446670162. Dimensions (in inches): 0.32 x 8.01 x 5.25

S.A.F.E. First and foremost, Dog and toddlers should never be left unsupervised. Even the most mellow dog will react when cornered by a child trying to measure the depth of the canine ear with a pencil. It is the parents’ job to keep the dog and the child S.A.F.E.

SUPERVISE: Keep them in your vision at all times or keep them physically separated, child in play pen or dog in crate. This means ALL times. From the stories we hear, problems occur when adult eyes are elsewhere. It is amazing how fast a dog and child can make mischief together – WATCH THEM!

ANTICIPATE: A dog has only a few ways of protesting. He can hop up on the furniture, move away or go under a bed. Once he has done this, he has no other way of stopping a child other than a bark, growl or nip. If you see the dog retreating from the child, stop the child! Anticipate problems before they happen. Do not expect your dog to tolerate something that you wouldn’t.

FOLLOW THROUGH: If you say it, mean it. If you tell your child to stop bothering the dog, enforce that. If you tell the dog to sit, make him sit. ALL things are easier if your child and your dog know that you mean what you say and say what you mean.

EDUCATE: This means child and dog. Teach your children by word and example that the animals are to be treated with care. Do not allow hitting, teasing, or other harassment. Teach your dog by practice and patience, that most people, children especially, make mistakes and how to behave when mistakes are made.

see Prepare your dog for a new baby in the house.

see kids and dog safety

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Cats & Kids

The 10 Commandments of Keeping Cats with Children
By Eve Adamson

1. Keep Your Cat’s Litter Box Sacred. A cat feels especially vulnerable when it is using the litter box. Keep your cat’s litter box in a well-enclosed area that is strictly off limits to children but easily accessible to your cat. Baby gates work well for this purpose.

2. Allow Your Cat to Dine in Peace. Cats like to play and to socialize, but when they are having dinner, they need to feel secure in the knowledge that a toddler is not sneaking up from behind with sticky fingers. If your cat is allowed to dine in peace and emerge when it is full and happy, it will be better prepared to face the more diminutive family members. Also, cat food isn’t good for your baby and dry food could cause an infant or toddler to choke.

3. Protect Your Cat From Small HandsChildren are fascinated with cats, especially when cats and child are of similar size. Long before your crawling infant knows the meaning of “no,” he or she will probably try to grab the cat’s tail, ears, whiskers, fur, etc. in its small fist. It might be funny, and it might look cute. For the cat, however, it is at best irritating, and at worst, frightening and painful. Do not allow your children to handle the cat this way. The cat may retaliate, especially if it feels threatened, with a hiss, a swipe or a bite. For your baby’s sake and for the cat’s sanity, only let very young children touch the cat under supervision.

4. Keep Your Cat’s Nails Trimmed. A claw swipe across the face can be extremely dangerous for a young child. Even with careful supervision, accidents occasionally happen. Well-trimmed nails can help avert disaster. Some people choose to get their cats declawed, however, there is some controversy about this procedure, and keeping a cat’s nails trimmed is a reasonable alternative.

5. Keep Your Cat’s Toys and Medications Away From Your Baby. The bright colors, feathers, bells, buttons, strings, catnip which frequently adorn or fill cat toys can be irresistible to a young child, but they can also be harmful and even deadly. Keep cat toys and medications away from youngsters at all times.

6.Practice Non-Toxic Pest Control. Many flea collars and sprays contain pesticides that can be harmful to children. Discuss available non-toxic pest-control methods with your veterinarian.

7. Protect Your Kitten. If you are considering getting a kitten and you have a toddler, you might think about waiting until your child is a little older. Just as you wouldn’t subject a newborn human to a toddler’s rough and boisterous curiosity, neither should you allow a young kitten to be handled roughly, even with love. Children too young to understand how to be gentle might injure a kitten; however, raising a kitten can be a wonderful experience for older children.

8. Don't Belive the Old Wives Tale that Your Cat Will Suffocate your Baby. Cats love warm cribs, sleeping babies (also wonderfully warm) and snuggling in car seats, bassinets, changing tables and infant carriers. You probably shouldn’t allow your cat to sleep in the crib with the baby; because the baby doesn’t yet know how to treat a cat and very young infants aren’t strong or coordinated to push away an overly affectionate cat. However, your cat will not “steal the baby’s breath,” suffocate the baby or otherwise harm the infant. Even if your cat is a little jealous, it will not be malevolent; it will just avoid the baby. Do not believe the old wives’ tale. Many cats begin sleeping with children when they are quite young and enjoy serving as a pillow, a confidante and a source of conform to the child for many years.

9. Remember to Give Your Cat Attention. When you bring a baby home, the family cat is often the last thing on anyone’s mind, and although your cat might not be particularly jealous, it will be curious about this new creature. It may also have missed family members who have been absent for a while. Make an effort to warmly greet your cat and carefully introduce it to the new baby. Be sure to continue to give your kitty attention when it seems to need it. Busy families can fall into a pattern of neglecting the cats, because cats don’t always demand attention even when they crave it.

10. Teach Your Children To Treat the Cat — and All Animals — With Respect. Once your children are old enough, you must consistently enforce the above rules and continually remind forgetful children that animals deserve respect and gentle handling. Teach your children always to ask before they pet someone else’s pet. Teach them to handle all pets gently and to leave wild animals alone. Help your children learn about all animals, and they will become fascinated with the creatures that share our homes and the Earth. Teach your children to respect all living things and, when they are adults, the world will be a gentler and more humane place to live.