You might think that your children know that hitting animals is not acceptable, but do they really know? For adults, we look at it as common sense, children do not. We always want to reinforce safe behaviors for our pets and our children, here is how you can ensure that your children know not to hit animals.

It hurts, don’t do it! 

Explain to your children that pets, just like humans, experience pain in the same way.  Ask them how they would feel if somebody hit them, let them know that pets feel the same way.  Ensure your children understand, that not only does a pet feel the pain, they can respond by inflicting pain.

Monitor Your Children:

Many parents feel that they monitor their kids very well will of the presence of animals.  However, that may not be the case.  Count how many times you turn your back while your children are in the room with their pet dog.

Every time you turn your back, you’re not monitoring your child with the dog.  Unless you can be in the room and pay attention to every move your child makes, keep your dog in a secure area.  This is for the safety of the child and your dog.  Do this until your child understands that dogs have feelings too.

Teach your child which parts of the dog not to touch.

If your dog these iffy about having his tail or ears touched, teacher child that he does not like that.  Many dogs do not like children near their tail, or out of direct eyesight.  They do this for their safety.  Teach your children the zones that your dog does not like being pulled at or even petted.

Following the simple rules will ensure that your child and your dog have a safe experience with one another.

That's right. All you need to do is ask your child to read your dog some stories. This can be a good activity to keep your dog busy, in addition to being helpful for your child.

Pick a quiet space. Obviously, the dog is not going to be attentive if there is too much going on. Neither is your child. Choose a spot for the reading where there won't be interruptions or loud noises going on. It's also a good idea to use pillows, a beanbag chair, or another cozy space to keep them both comfortable.

Make it a routine. Have a specific time every day that your dog needs to hear his stories. Let your child know what that time is and plan it according to what seems to work for both your child and the dog. A good example would be the time the dog normally takes a nap. That way, everyone will be relaxed.



Keep it fun. Don't worry about whether your child is pronouncing everything correctly or not. Just let her read to the dog and have fun. Save the lessons for homeschool or study time. This time is intended to encourage, inspire, and delight your child.

Have you tried this yet or have ideas or questions? Let us know in a comment below!

Last updated on 12/8/2020