A pet is great for a little one!

How to choose the right pet for your child?

Before a year, it is better to avoid?

For safety, you should not leave a child and an animal alone anyway. An abrupt dog can push him around, a cat can lie on top of him… For reasons of hygiene, Marine Grandgeorge, teacher and researcher at the animal and human ethology laboratory in Rennes, recommends preventing babies from having contact with animals : ” Before a year, they can develop allergies. Afterwards, it becomes protective and everything is open. But if the animal is there before the baby arrives, get him used to not going to his room before returning home. So he will not show signs of jealousy. It is good to make him feel a baby’s garment so that he recognizes it. The first meetings should be brief, always in the presence of an adult.

Dog, cat, guinea pig… which one to choose?

Children have a clear preference for dogs and puppies, and in second place, for cats and kittens! That’s good because they are great companions at any age. According to Marine Grandgeorge, before 3 years, rodents must be avoided (hamster, mouse, guinea pig …), because the toddler does not have fine enough motor skills to handle them gently. The hamster is a nocturnal animal, we don’t see it moving a lot during the day. In contrast, the guinea pig is nice because it can be cuddled. Dwarf rabbits are very popular, but beware, they claw and gnaw everything when taken out of their cage, and bite more easily than a guinea pig. They are not recommended before 4 years. As for NACs (the new pets), such as snakes, spiders, rats, amphibians, etc., they are interesting for older children (between 6 and 12 years old) and under parental control.

What about goldfish, birds and turtles?

Goldfish are easy to feed, they have a calming and anti-stress effect on the little one. Watching them evolve in an aquarium lowers the heart rate and hypnotizes. Birds are lovely and singing, but a little one cannot open the cage on their own to feed them, as they may fly away and there is no tactile contact. The turtle is very popular. She is not fragile, moves slowly and sticks her head out when presented with salad. The children explore the garden in search of her and it is always a joy when they find her.

Is it better to take a young animal?

When the child and the animal can grow up together, it is better. It is important to wait until the end of weaning so that the young animal is not separated from its mother too quickly before it arrives in the family, around the age of six-eight weeks for a kitten and around the age of ten. weeks for a puppy. If we choose to adopt an adult animal, we do not know its childhood, its possible traumas and this can be a barrier with young children. , veterinarian behaviorist for companion animals, specifies thatyou have to go find the animal you choose in its environment : “We see the mother, the people who take care of her, her environment. Are his parents close to the man? Has he been in contact with children? Observe him, see if he is soft, caressing, affectionate, calm or if he moves in all directions… ”Another advice, favor a good family breeding, or nice individuals who have provided the animal with good living conditions. If possible, avoid pet stores (animals are not nursed enough there and grow up under stress) and online shopping on the Internet without seeing the animal.

Which breed to favor?

According to veterinarian Valérie Dramard, it is not at all recommended to opt for trendy breeds: “When it was the fashion for Labradors, supposedly gentle and affectionate, I saw a lot of hyperactive, limit aggressive. ! Ditto currently for French Bulldogs and Jack Russel Terriers. ” In fact, the character of the animal depends more on the environment in which it grew up than on its breed. European cats, the good old alley cats, are hardy animals, affectionate and friendly with the little ones. Crossbreed dogs, “corns” are reliable dogs with children. According to Marine Grandgeorge: “Size is not necessarily a barrier, large dogs are often more adapted, small dogs are fearful, timid and can defend themselves by biting. “

What does the animal bring on the emotional level?

Besides being a great playmate, the animal is an antistress on legs. Scientists have proven that just stroking it lowers blood pressure and has an anxiolytic effect. Its smell, its warmth, its softness, its presence soothe the little ones, just like their blanket. Dogs party, “lick” and ask for caresses, cats give real proofs of love by purring and tenderly curling up against their little masters. They can also comfort and console them. According to Marine Grandgeorge: “We do not have irrefutable scientific evidence, but a lot of anecdotes which show that instinctively, a pet is able to sense the mood of his master and support him emotionally in the event of the blues. And besides, when you’re sick, he comes to sleep on the bed… ”

It is true thata pet is more than a living stuffed animal. As Professor Hubert Montagner, author of “The child and the animal. The emotions that free the intelligence“From Odile Jacob editions:” All those who grew up surrounded by domestic animals know very well that they bring something that adults, even the most attentive, cannot. Their main advantage is that they are always available and lavish unconditional signs of affection. The adoption of a cat or a dog following a separation, a move or a bereavement helps the child to overcome his distress. The presence of a pet, considered by the child as a support, allows him to get out of your inner insecurity. »Owning an animal has therapeutic virtues.

Being able to talk about it with boyfriends and girlfriends helps shy people become the star of kindergarten. As for the “hyperactive”, they learn to channel their excitement. When the child is agitated, cries too loudly, plays abruptly, the dog or the cat goes away. The child will have to learn to modulate his behavior if he wants the animal to continue playing.

Are there other benefits for the child?

Fetching the dog or cat, touching it, throwing the ball at it, these activities can motivate babies to learn four-legged and to walk. By playing with his dog, by stroking him, a toddler can organize the control of his movements, coordinate his walk and adjust his run. Animals are motor skills accelerators! And they develop the intellectual skills of their young masters. As Professor Montagner underlines: “Very early on, his presence allows the child to differentiate the living from the non-animate, the human from the non-human. Observing your animal brings a model of life to young city dwellers. It’s a home biology class.

What rules should the child adopt with regard to his animal?

The most essential notion that a child learns from his animal is respect for others. An animal is not a soft toy that you can stroke when you want to, but an independent living being. Valérie Dramard is categorical: “Parents must be the supervisors of the relationship between their child and the animal. There are rules to respect. The puppy or the kitten must have his own corner, where he sleeps, eats, defecates. We do not surprise him, we do not shout, we do not annoy him when he eats or sleeps, we do not hit … Otherwise, beware of scratches! The animal is a living being which has emotions, it can be tired, be hungry. By imagining what he is feeling, the child develops his capacity for empathy. If the little one has to respect the animal, it’s reciprocal, they educate themselves together. Parents need to socialize and pick up a biting, overly brutal puppy, scratching or spitting cat.

Should we let the child take care of it?

Caring for a living being at that age strengthens self-confidence and develops a sense of responsibility. Feeding it and making it obey is very rewarding. For once, he finds himself in a dominant position and learns that authority does not come through force, but through persuasion, and that one does not gain anything by typing or being brutal. But the veterinarian warns parents: “You shouldn’t give too many responsibilities to the small child towards an adult dog. This does not make sense in the mind of the dog for whom the notion of dominant is very important. His master is an adult. It can create discomfort. A little one can give a treat and feed it exceptionally, but not all the time. “

How can you be sure it’s not a whim?

It is important to make sure that it is not fair to be like your girlfriend, not to give in to the first request. Marine Grandgeorge recommends that parents ofobserve the behavior of their child when he goes to people who have animals. Does he want to take care of it? Is he asking questions? And even if he has a real attraction, the constraints will be more for the parents than for him. As Valérie Dramard explains: “A dog lives from ten to fifteen years, a cat sometimes twenty years. You have to take care of it, feed it, treat it (vet fees have a cost), take it out (even in the rain), play with it. Parents must anticipate who will take it during the holidays. “