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Take the Bite Out of Your Kid's Fear of Pets
Filed under: Places To Go, Mealtime, Birthdays, Pets, Kids' Games, Expert Advice: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Expert Advice: Big Kids, Activities: Family Time, Expert Advice: Family Time
Help your kids overcome their fear of furry, four-legged creatures. Credit: Corbis
However, since experts claim it's good for kids to be around dogs and other pets, it pays to help your children overcome their fears of the four-legged set.
"Your children's pets are much more than pals -- they can also teach them some valuable lessons about life," Cesar Millan, who has been called the Dr. Phil of pets, says on his website. Milan, who hosts National Geographic's popular TV series, "Dog Whisperer," says he believes it's good for all kids to grow up around dogs.
So, what's a parent to do if a child loses it at the sight of Lassie?
Heidi Ganahl, founder, president and CEO of Camp Bow Wow, one of the largest pet care franchises in North America, offers a five-step program to get kids physically and psychologically acclimated to animals.
"Let's face it: Animals can be scary to some children," Ganahl says in a release. "They make loud noises, jump and lick your face, which, to a child, can be traumatizing."
What's more, children need to be taught how to behave around dogs. Pulling tails and grabbing food or toys out of the dog's mouth are no-nos, she says. Here are her tips for helping kids face their animal fears:
1. Don't force contact. Forcing your child to pet an animal or insisting that a pet is harmless may only increase your child's fear. It's important to keep your child calm around the dog or cat. If they are forced to make contact it may only frighten your child (or the animal) even more.
2. Create story times. Read your child stories about happy pets and owners. Depending on your child's age, this can greatly impact how your child feels about dogs and cats.
3. Practice petting. Try showing your child how to properly act around pets with a stuffed animal. Show him or her how to gently pet and safely play with their furry friend. This makes for a lovable practice buddy that your child can feel more comfortable around.
4. Arrange play dates. Once your child stops fearing pets at a distance, it may be time to try introducing him or her to a friend or relative's dog or cat in doses.
5. Adopt a pet. Take your child to a pet adoption site, and try letting your child pick out a new pet. The excitement of having a pet of his or her choice may be the incentive needed to lose the fear.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
10-15-2010 @ 12:48PM
logan said...be sure to check out "save creatively pet crazy"
we picked up a lot of tips that helped us there. plus they have a lot of free food samples for dogs and cats.
Reply
10-16-2010 @ 4:14PM
Sandra Griffiths said...I use the same site. Glad to see word getting around about them. More people should get freebies when they're available, be it sample in the pet store or online requests. Save Creatively has several pet foods right now free. It's a great way to save for sure!!
10-15-2010 @ 3:39PM
Alicia said...Try extended, repeated contact with an older, calmer animal. My dog is 8 and is fairly lazy, so when I was babysitting this summer and the little girl I watched was terrified of dogs, he was the best thing for her. She could run and he wouldn't chase and he only jumped when her older brother riled him, and even then he only jumped on her older brother (that was another lesson in how to handle dogs entirely). By the end of the summer, she loved my dog and is slowly warming up to other hounds. He was also a great animal to teach her how to pet, play with and walk a dog because he doesn't pull on the leash, can handle a little abuse with nothing more than a long suffering sigh and his interest in play is pretty much limited to chasing balls and tormenting the cat.
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