Preparing the child for the arrival of the dog
The greatest challenge is to make the child understand that a dog is not a toy intended for their pleasure, but a living being who, like man, feels all emotions and needs love and care.
Even before the pet arrives at home, it is a good idea to tell the little one about the responsibilities of owning a dog, giving specific tasks: cleaning, walking, playing and, of course, feeding; and that some of these will be the child's responsibility. It's also a good idea to explain to your little one that the dog will be in the house for years, not just weeks, and that they won't always be a puppy and will still need care when they grow up.
During this conversation you should observe your child's reactions, and if any of the words or grimaces you hear give a clear signal that your child doesn't like the ideas presented, perhaps you should reconsider adopting or buying a pet?
vegetarian dog treats
How to teach a child to feed a dog properly?
First of all, you yourself must be well aware of the rules that apply when feeding your dog. We are talking about:
- not overfeeding
- your dog
- giving too much food or snacks is one of the most common mistakes, which can unfortunately lead to
- your
- dog
- becoming overweight or obese and therefore causing problems with its health and wellbeing;
- choosing good quality food and snacks
- cheap, commonly available dog foods are a mass of fillers and empty calories that give your pet little more than energy; they lack many important vitamins and minerals, and the nutrients are mostly saturated fats and protein; it is therefore worth replacing them with higher quality foods and e.g. vegetarian dog treats based on natural and plant ingredients;
- establishing
- regular
- feeding times
- every animal, just like man, appreciates repetition and regularity; therefore it is worth establishing times or characteristic moments of giving food (e.g. after returning from a walk) and sticking to them from the very first days; this will bring calmness to the pet's life and allow to control the amount of food given.
Once you know these rules, you can tell your child about them. However, we must not stop there. Young children in particular should always feed their dog under adult supervision. This is about the safety of both the pet and the toddler. When you see the little one making mistakes, don't be afraid to tell him again how to feed the dog - but do it gently, so as not to discourage them. Conversely, when a child does well with this form of pet care, we can give them more independence. After a while - with increasing experience and simply age - your child should master almost to perfection how to serve vegetarian dog treats correctly.