What do you wish your neighbours' children knew?
Posted by: leafyleaf
17th Nov 2010 02:39pm
I don't have pets. We have had hens, previously, but I'm not really inclined to keep animals. I wonder, though, what pet-keepers wished non-pet-keepers knew about pets. What should I be teaching my children (and myself!) about how to interact with and enjoy animals kept by other people?
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Comments 11
Anonymous
I agree with stretch too - don't ever feed a neighbour's pet! Our neighbours threw a cooked roast meat bone over the fence and we found her with it. She was not willing to give it back, and fortunately she had no ill effects, but NEVER give cooked bones to dogs - they can splinter and cause a lot of damage.
The other thing is get your children used to dogs. Teach them to always be wary of a strange dog until they are told it is friendly. We are very fortunate to have an extremely friendly dog, but we have had kids just come right up to her to pat her without checking. A lot of dogs aren't so friendly.
Tada22
its good to treat any animal you don't know with respect, and don't assume its friendly. if the animals owner tells you that its ok to touch and interact with the pet then go for it!
stretch
i sometimes wish that people that dont have pets would learn to have patients and maners as have seen some stupid things done as well coments made by none animal owners
aspecially in regards to dogs that bark when people are around walking
they are only letting us know they can sence the other persons
mika08
My kids are growing up with a dog in their life. It teaches them so many life skills including the joys of unconditional love, responsibility and (unfortunately) death. Our first dog gave such a great impression on all the positives they bring into your life that I can't imagine my life ever without one in it. My kids thrive on the love they receive from our much loved pooch.
SarahEC
Agree with Stretch - don't feed an animal that belongs to someone else - I have a very bright and bouncy Burmese cat that loves visiting the neighbours (who also like the visits). But (like all Burmese) he is lactose intolerant - he likes the taste of milk and cheese but it is very bad for him. And (unique to him) he has heart problems and thyroid problems, which you wouldn't guess from his general approach to life, and so is on a special diet and medication. At one point a neighbour was giving him a "gourmet cat treat" food, which turned out to have levels of taurine that nearly killed him. Quite apart from the $1200 odd of vert bills, time off work to go to vet etc that it cost to find that out. So please don't feed another person's cat unless you have okayed it with them first.
stretch
ok for starters dont tell a pet owner how to look after the animal just because you believe you know personal experience from one dog lover to another
and the other tip dont feed the dog as the owner gets hungry with temptation
apart from this get a pet and try it out man the bad guys hate barking dogs
Warnsy
I agree its a place for someone to tell someone to get a pet.We have been pet owners and for a number of years breeders of corgi's. We also had 2 cats.
pets are ideal for kiddies learn the importance of understanding and respect, but then again not everyone is suited to owning a pet.Our pus have always gone to good homes and if we had any doubts about the person wanting a pup we would say we will be in contact. We grew up in the bush, we moved to the hunter valley and our animals came with us. I don't like the idea of holiday dog kennels we always had someone stay over to care for the animals.
Any pet can be good therapy for peace and happiness. My dog came with me to the office at weekends and customers loved her as did she coming to the office.
Warnsy
glenoak
Agree with you for the most part. But never tell anyone to "get a pet and try it out". What are they going to do with this pet if it turns out they don't like it after all? A dog is good as it will let you know if someone is hanging around the house that should not be, although some will lick them to death!. What I am saying is if someone gets a cat or dog and doesn't like it, they will put it in a shelter or pound, and they are overcrowded with unwanted animals, and so some have to be put to sleep. People need to know a pet feels love and pain and if it is dumped anywhere, that animal will pine for the owners and wonder what they have done wrong, and keep waiting for the owner to come back for it. So sad. A pet is for life, not until you get sick of it and "get rid" of it. I am supposing that you personally would not do this cruel thing, and advise friends to think carefully before they get a pet.
Evie
I wish they knew that even though he's little and fluffy, he doesn't like kids. He grew up with us as kids and now he's old and doesn't want his fur pulled or to be constantly followed.
They wonder why he snaps at them, even though he hides from them and we tell them that he's not good with kids. Parents blame him for it but if you were constantly pestered, wouldn't you lash out?
Anonymous
That animals have feelings too and that you shouldn’t do things to them that you wouldn’t llike done to you.
I have a friend that has never had animals and one day I caught her child hitting our dog with a stick (I was horrified and asked the child if they want me to hit them with the stick when the reply was no I’ll tell my mummy, I said to the child then don’t hit animals because they have feelings too). The mother had never thought to teach her children to tread animals with respect because they never had any. The sad thing is that it’s usually these incidences that make animals vicious, that child is just lucky our dog is such a good natured dog.
Also I think it’s important to teach kids that if a dog comes running at you barking don’t turn your back and run (it makes the dog want to chase you). Keep very still, curl your fingers into your hand (like a relaxed fist) and keep your arms and hands pressed into your thighs. Don’t look the dog in the eye but look towards the ground, and then once the dog has stopped or slowed it’s running to a walk SLOWLY back away from the animal. If a dog is vicious It’s going to attack anyway, but if it’s like a lot of dogs it’s just running at you because it doesn’t know you and if you turn and run it’s pack instinct to hunt takes over.
Anonymous
I think its is important to know friends and other family members pets. My parents have two dogs and my children love going to see them as the dogs love seeing the kids. I have two dogs also and have taught my children to be nice to animals and dont be scared of them..my niece goes to my parents and screams at the dogs and is scared as she doesnt have a dog and it gets my parents dogs all worked up and normally locked outside when she visits. Just teach kids to respect animals and be nice and not scared of them, also not to approach an animal they dont know.