Helping Kids Understand Boundaries With Pets PROTECT YOUR PETS FROM HOLIDAY HAZARDS PETS AREN’T TOYS Tinsel, Lights, and Trouble
If you’ve ever watched your child light up around a dog or cat, you know how special that connection can be. Pets bring joy, comfort, and plenty of laughter into a home. But as sweet as those moments are, kids don’t always know how to handle animals safely. With these six tips, children can learn how to be safe and caring friends to the animals in their lives. Ask before you pet. Always ask first. This is one of the most important lessons to teach a kid. Whether it’s a family pet or a dog at the park, kids should get permission from an adult before approaching. This habit prevents unwanted surprises and teaches children that animals deserve the same respect as people when it comes to personal boundaries. Create calm introductions. Excited little hands often want to rush in for hugs, but that can overwhelm an animal. Encourage your child to let the pet sniff their closed hand before petting. Start with gentle strokes along the back or shoulders, steering clear of tails, ears, or paws. Showing kids how to move slowly and softly makes the experience safer for everyone. Recognize animal body language. Children may not realize when a pet is uncomfortable. Teach them to notice cues like a tucked tail, growling, or a dog pulling away. These signs mean “I need space.” By framing it as listening to what the animal is “saying,” kids learn to pay attention and respond with empathy. Respect quiet time. Pets need rest just like kids. If a dog is eating, chewing on a toy, or curled up in their bed, that’s their private time. Explain that interrupting can make a pet feel protective or grumpy. A simple rule of “if the pet is busy, give them their space” can keep everyone safe. Avoid excitement around pets. Running, yelling, or rough play can trigger a pet’s instincts and cause accidents. Encourage your child to move calmly and use an indoor voice when interacting with animals. If they feel nervous, teach them to stand still, fold their arms, and wait for the adult to step in. Always supervise young children. No matter how well-behaved your pet is, children younger than 5 should never be left alone with animals. Supervision allows you to step in quickly if things get too rowdy and to model the right way to show care.
Decorating your home and covering a holiday tree with lights, tinsel, and ornaments are among the most joyful rituals of the season. For pet owners, however, the fun comes with a holiday hazard: the risk of injury to their dog or cat. Ornaments, electrical cords, tinsel, ribbons, mistletoe, and holly all pose safety and health risks for your dog or cat. That doesn’t mean you have to shelve all those festive decorations, but it does call for vigilance on pet parents’ part to keep the holidays happy. Here are four precautions to keep in mind. Ornaments
Cats love to knock ornaments off trees, and dogs enjoy chewing them up. Fragments of broken glass ornaments can get stuck in pets’ paws or mouths. Use shatterproof ornaments whenever possible, and pick up any that fall immediately. Also, keep a watchful eye on puppies and dogs to prevent them from swallowing anything they shouldn’t. Electrical Cords
Puppies love chewing just about anything, and electrical cords are no exception. Biting them hard can cause electric shock, burn the inside of the puppy’s mouth, injure internal organs, and induce muscle tremors or seizures. To avoid this risk, re-route the electrical cords under rugs or above your puppy’s reach, or cover them with cord protectors or PVC piping. Tinsel and Ribbons
Cats tend to chew and swallow these baubles, at significant cost to their health. These decorations can ball up and block your pet’s digestive tract, requiring surgery to remove them. Supervising your kitty 24/7 is impossible for most pet owners, so the best solution may be to omit these items from your decorations. Holiday Plants Many people enjoy brightening their homes with traditional holiday plants. Many of them are toxic to dogs and cats, including mistletoe, holly, amaryllis, and paperwhite narcissus, which can potentially cause vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, and a drop in blood pressure. The glossy, dark green foliage of the yew tree is often used in wreaths and garlands, but it is also toxic to your pets, potentially causing shortness of breath, seizures, and heart failure.
To avoid emergency trips to the vet during the holidays, plan ahead to make all your decorations pet-friendly.
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