Abusive households are not the sole preserve of abusive behaviour towards pets; studies show that it happens too in ordinary non-abusive households. We learn from this that children imitate the behaviour they witness, do not outgrow it, but pass it down to the next generation.
Your children will learn how to treat pets and people by watching how you treat the pets and the people in your life.
Kids are extremely observant. The way you love and look after your pet will be carefully observed by them. They will pay close attention to how you respond when a pet has an accident, scratches the furniture, chews on your shoes, barks or whines. When pets behave in such ways, adults can become exasperated. As adults, your children will learn how to deal with any problems relating to their pets by seeing how you reacted to similar problems when they were children. If your reaction to a puppy that’s misbehaving is not constructive, you will be providing a bad example to your child. This could impact on your child’s personality and their relationship with animals as they grow older.
If your pet is exhibiting undesirable behaviour, then you need to handle it in a constructive manner. Neither your child nor your pet will benefit by your becoming furious; both will feel terror and confusion. Your pets are not insensitive animals, but beings that are capable of feelings and emotions. There are many similarities between animals and people. Pets do not misbehave for no reason. It is your responsibility as a pet owner to get to the root of the problem rather than shouting at your dog for messing on the carpet, for instance.
Below are questions you are going to have to think about and take into account in order to figure out why your pet is acting up.
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Are they lounging about too much?
Are they getting enough attention?
Are they left at home on their own too often?
Do they need feeding?
Are they ill?
How they are behaving may be the result of something quite simple. All possible items have to be considered before you arrive at the true reason. An analysis of the pet’s behaviour could lead to a sound diagnosis. You may find that contacting an animal training facility or scheduling obedience training classes will help.
If your pet’s health appears to have deteriorated as well, don’t hesitate to consult your veterinarian. Check the terms of your pet insurance policy too – if your pet has developed a condition for which they will need ongoing treatment, you want to make sure that your pet plan has full lifetime cover.
If your pet is misbehaving, do not give up and do not even think about getting rid of your pet. Abandoning the problem – or the pet – is unfair to the pet and your children and is never a satisfactory answer. Every year thousands of pets are discarded by people who find looking after them too difficult. Pets – especially dogs and cats – grow as attached to their family members as we do to them. Giving up with a pet as soon as it needs your support and help is unacceptable. You will not be able to eliminate the problem unless you have first found out the reasons for it.
Getting rid of your pet as a result of its bad behaviour won’t send the right message to your child about trust, commitment, and responsibility. You should avoid giving your child the idea that a problem is dealt with by running away from it. A child’s confidence, social skills, and general maturity have been proven to be increased by caring for a pet.
If problems occur with your pets, then it is your responsibility as a pet owner to get to the core of the problem. The problems you are having with your pet’s behaviour can usually be sorted out by a veterinarian or other animal professional.
Never forget that you are your child’s mentor. Your child looks up to you, and will follow your example. Teaching a child how to take proper care of a pet is every parent’s responsibility. For example, you need to teach your child how to discipline the animal without physically harming the pet or emotionally abusing it. You should treat your pet in exactly the same way that you would treat your best friend. Their love should be reciprocated. It’s important that any misbehaviour by your pet is followed by productive discipline. Children must learn that unacceptable behaviour to other children is equally unacceptable to pets. A pet deserves to be treated with as much respect as a person. If a child becomes abusive to a pet, whether the abuse is intentional or not, the parent needs to speak to the child, explain why it’s wrong and then explain the correct way to approach the matter.
Providing the basics of food, shelter, pet health care and love need not be difficult or expensive. All the family will benefit emotionally and physically, at the time and later, by having a pet to love and care for.
Animal Friends is the only UK pet insurance provider which donates all profits to animal welfare organisations around the globe. Dog insurance policies start at 3.27 per month, and there are a range of options to choose from. Their knowledgeable sales team can answer all your questions and help you to choose a dog, cat or horse insurance policy to best suit your needs and budget.
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November 22, 2011 
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