As a family psychologist, I’m always interested in learning about different therapeutic approaches to helping kids. One approach that receives much less attention than it deserves is therapy involving animals, especially pets.

Animals can help reduce the vulnerability children feel when they are working on different types of behaviors or emotional challenges. Whether you have to talk to your child about “all the missing cookies” or a more serious matter, the presence of a pet can go a long way toward reducing his or her discomfort and self-consciousness. Being able to hug a dog or pet a cat while dealing with some tough issues helps to limit the feeling of “being on the spot.” The warmth of an animal’s body, the softness of its coat - the very fact that it is a living thing - provides an opportunity for emotional relief and connection.

Many pet owners say they enjoy the unconditional love an animal provides. What is perhaps more important is the opportunity a pet provides to express love.

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So you’ve done everything you need in preparing to bring home your new baby. You have the nursery decorated, the layette, have chosen a name and decided whether to breastfeed or bottle feed. One thing you may have forgotten is Fluffy and Rover… your pets.

Up until now, your pets have probably been your “babies” and gotten most of your attention, they are used to being the king or queen of the house (my cat owns our house, she just lets us live here). Pets are a very important part of your household, a part of your family. How will they react to a new member of the family getting all of the attention that they once received? Will they be jealous? Will they become unsociable? It is very hard to say as each animal has a different personality, much like people. The following are a couple points that may give you some insight and tips for coping with your baby and your pet.

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I always advise that as soon as you are aware that there will be a new baby in the house, begin to prepare your family dog. Do not leave it until the new baby arrives. It is important that your dog associates the new baby with as few disruptions as possible.

It is essential to ensure that your dog has a basic understanding of good behaviour. The dog should be able to lie quietly for short periods, not jumping up, walking on a lead without pulling and coming when called are all essential.

Most dogs are used to being the “baby” in the family and may find it difficult losing this position. Get your dog used to being ignored and left alone for short periods of time every day. If it is your intention to exclude your dog from certain areas of the house after the baby arrives, establish these rules well in advance to the baby’s arrival. Ideally, the dog should be excluded from the baby’s bedroom.

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In the movie business, they say you should never work with children or animals, but if the children and animals are yours, what choice do you have? Come moving day, it is important to remember that any stress you are feeling may be multiplied many times by minds that don’t understand what’s going on. After all, moving usually means new friends, a new school, and a new set of worries for your children, and a complete change of territory for your pet.

One of the most important things that can help your child during the move is keeping your own stress level down. Kids pick up on parental emotions. If you’re apprehensive or nervous, kids will mimic that behavior. Remember that they will have their own concerns about the move, things that would seem inconceivable to an .

Currently Grandma, Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny know where they live and the bogeyman doesn’t. By moving you are throwing the whole system out of whack: presents will be misdirected and chocolate eggs may never arrive ever again! So it is important to communicate with your children as much as possible and to maintain a good stress-free vibe around them.

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Teaching children the do’s and don’ts regarding animals is among one of the most important lessons you’ll ever teach them. Animals are everywhere and though many are domesticated, this does not automatically make them safe. For example, in the U.S. alone, 1-2 million dog bites occur annually.

Today many homes are raising children along with the family dog. Naturally kids delight in hugging, petting, and playing with their pets. But unfortunately, many children grow up believing that all dogs are gentle and friendly like their pets, and commonly fall victim to a dog attack, simply because they’d never been taught when it’s not okay to approach a dog.

Start teaching your children the following safety guidelines regarding dogs when they are quite young, and continue reinforcing these precautions frequently.

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At some point every child asks that all time famous question. ‘Can I have a pet’? While owning a pet fosters responsibility and compassion, some children are just not ready to help take care of a pet. It is a huge responsibility and one that must be given careful thought.

There are many things you should consider as a family.What kind of pet?

What kind of pet would fit into your life style best. There are many options from large dogs to little fish. You should carefully consider the needs of each and what you think will fit into you life style as well. The happiest pet is one with happy owners that don’t feel stressed by its care and needs. You should study into types as well as breeds so you know exactly what to expect breeds.

Can you afford the addition of a pet?

Now that you have decided on a type of pet. You need to consider the cost of owning a pet. Pets even if you are given on free are very expensive. If you have a dog or a cat there will be vet visits, food, licensing, toys and supplies and if your pet should become sick there are medications they may need. Owning a pet is very expensive.

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Because my wife is a toy dog breeder, it isn’t unusual for her to get several calls a week from people who practically beg her to sell them a puppy. They cite their financial and social ability to care for the puppy and often try and avoid the question of children in the household. As a rule, my wife finds this humorous. People shouldn’t have to beg, fill out a twenty-page adoption application or hide the fact that they have children to purchase a puppy. It’s pet protection gone wild.

There isn’t an honest or ethical Dog Breeder in the world who would send a beloved pup to someone they had questions about. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult and not entirely lawful to make that kind of determination. In most States it’s technically illegal to provide some sort of ‘test’ for a consumer to be able to purchase a product. That comes later and isn’t the responsibility of the Breeder. A good example of a similar situation would be buying a car.

If a person has the cash or credit to purchase a vehicle and possesses a current drivers license, they get a car or the dealership gets sued in most places. The dealership can’t run a check to see how many DWI summonses the person has had or how many times they have been convicted of speeding or some other moving violation. If they drive their new vehicle in an irresponsible manner, it’s up to the Police and Courts to decide if they should continue to do so.

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The most frequently bitten people are children. By the age of 14, about half of all children have been bitten by a dog. The overwhelming majority of bites occur in children under nine years of age, sometimes resulting in both physical and emotional damage. Through an understanding of canine behavior and preparation for what to do in the event of a canine confrontation, many such bites can be avoided. Most dogs are fun and safe to be with, but certain dogs, and it’s hard to tell which ones, have their own set of “rules” regarding children. Whether or not we humans feel the rules of this minority appropriate, we must help our children become aware of situations to avoid.

This article is not meant to blame children if they are bitten. There is rarely a good excuse for a dog biting a person, but knowing the reasons a dog might bite, from the dog’s point of view, may be helpful in avoiding bites. Here are some statistics from Chicago and Dallas University which were based over a three year period of reported dog bites. Many are not reported. Of all dog bites of children under four years of age, most were bitten in early May. Sixty percent were bitten on the head, neck and face, 90 percent were bitten in their own home, 40 percent were bitten by their own dog and 60 percent of the dogs had no previous history of biting. Of all dog bites of children age four to 16, most were bitten in early July. Eighteen percent were bitten on the head, neck and face, 38 percent were bitten in their own home, 18 percent were bitten by their own dog and 50 percent of the dogs had no previous history of biting. Further studies showed that 51 percent of the infants bitten were bitten in their cots and most were bitten by their own pets. None of the reported bites were by strays, and most were not witnessed by the parents. This posed questions:

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