photo credit: rengel134

This guest post is brought to you by Dog Fence DIY’s staff veterinarian Dr. Susan Wright. Dog Fence DIY is a site that will help you choose the right system for you, help you install it, and help train your pet to use the new system. Dog Fence DIY has a variety of  dog fence systems to choose from at the best available prices. For more dog fence information see here.

Owning a dog is a big responsibility. Your new family member needs to be fed, bathed, groomed and exercise. As a busy parent, it’s important to include the whole family in caring for your dog, and this includes your children. Caring for the dog can be part of their home duties, but your expectations should vary, depending on the age of your child.

Children from the age of 7 years can easily manage the job of feeding your pet. Spend some time training your dog to wait for his dinner, and to not eat until he’s told. Show your child how much kibble to put in your dog’s bowl. When she puts the food down, tell your dog to wait, so she can put the bowl down safely. An untrained dog will often jump up to get to the food in the bowl, which can injure your child.

Make sure you spend some time with your child discussing foods that aren’t safe for dogs. Most children know that their dog loves bones; they may not know that cooked bones are dangerous. They may also not know that chocolate isn’t safe for dogs, and excessively fatty table scraps can make their pet very ill.

Older children can bathe your dog, and brush the loose hair from his coat. The size of your dog will determine at what age your child can manage this. Small placid breeds will be easy to bathe, but large dogs that don’t like water can be a handful for even an adult. You may find that your child isn’t able to bath your dog until she’s in her early teens. Your younger child may be able to help by lathering the shampoo into your dog’s coat, while your teen wields the hose.

Similarly, it’s not safe for your child to take your dog for walks on their own until they are a teenager. Your dog may pull free from her grasp, or he may be involved in a dog fight.

Your children can also take responsibility for some of your dog’s regular maintenance.

Younger children can learn that it’s their job every morning to make sure the dog’s water bowl is full. Older children can be responsible for checking the calendar to see when their dog’s monthly flea control or three monthly worming tablets are due.

It’s a great idea to include your child in caring for your dog. Not only does it relieve you of some of your domestic duties, but it allows them to learn to be responsible for caring for another living thing. Many children become quite proud of the fact that they are the ones who care for the family dog