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Your child has been talking about having a dog for several weeks now. Every time he crosses one in the street, he can’t help but repeat his request. He assures us that he will take care of it and take care of it. But you are still hesitating. For Florence Millot, psychologist and psycho-educator * in Paris, it is quite standard for a child to want a dog, especially around 6-7 years old. “The child enters CP. Groups of friends are formed. He can feel a little lonely if he has a hard time integrating one. He is also more bored than when he was little. He may be an only child, or in a single-parent family … Whatever the reason, the dog plays a real emotional role, a bit like a blanket.
Hugs and care
The dog shares the daily life of the child. He plays with him, cuddles him, acts as his confidant, gives him self-confidence. Used to receiving orders at home and at school, the child can reverse roles. “There, it is he who is the master. He embodies authority and educates the dog by telling him what is allowed and what is not. It empowers him », Adds Florence Millot. No question of thinking that he will take care of all the care. He’s too young for that. “It is difficult for a child to realize the needs of another because he is self-centered by nature. Whatever the child promises, it is the parent who will take care of the dog in the long term, ”warns the psychologist. Not to mention that the child may lose interest in the animal after a while. Thus, to avoid possible conflicts and disappointments, you can agree with your child that he gives the dog the evening meal and accompanies you when he wishes to take him out. But it must remain flexible and not be seen as a constraint.
“Sarah had been asking for a dog for years. I think, as an only child, she imagined him as a playmate and a constant confidant. We fell in love with a little spaniel: she plays with it, often feeds it, but it’s her father and I who educate her and take her out at night. It’s normal. ”
Mathilde, mom of Sarah, 6 years old
A thoughtful choice
Adopting a dog must therefore be above all the choice of parents. We must carefully measure the various constraints that this implies: the purchase price, the cost of the veterinarian, food, daily outings, washing, vacation management … If daily life is already difficult to manage in At this time, better to wait a bit! Likewise, it is important to be well informed before choose an animal adapted to its housing and its lifestyle. Also anticipate the problems: the child can envy this companion which requires the attention of the parent, the puppy can damage his business … And if you crack, the psychologist suggests to practice a few sessions with a dog trainer from the start, so that everything is going well.