Getting a puppy is every kid’s dream, and you can’t blame them! They are all adorable and the best companion to have. However, many parents refrain from getting their kids a dog because they may be too young or unprepared to take care of a puppy.
Just like adults, kids are all so different, so you need to pay attention to a few things, like their habits and how they care for themselves and their things. If you are thinking about getting your kid a puppy, here are a few ways to help them be responsible and see if they are ready yet.
However, please understand that no matter how much your kid can help with the dog, realize that there are still things you need to take care of that your kid won’t be able to. These are things like buying dog food and supplies and taking care of the vet visits.
Responsibility
The most important trait your kid needs to have before you get them a puppy is responsibility. It takes a lot to take care of a puppy. They need to show you they can keep up on homework or clean their room.
You can decide how long they need each, but about a month is the ideal length. Also, if your kid has a harder time putting their belongings where they go, you may want to work on that with them.
As I mentioned before, nobody knows your kid better than you, so once you feel they are responsible enough to take care of a puppy, they probably are.
Do You Have The Space?
No matter how responsible or ready you feel your kid is for a puppy, if you don’t have the ideal space for one in your home, it is going to be a mess. Dogs take up a lot of space; they need a spot to sleep, eat, and play.
Plus, it isn’t even considering how you need to store their food, supplies, and toys. Also, your dog will need a place in the yard where they can use the bathroom, so think about your yard, and if you have anywhere, you are willing to let your puppy use it as their bathroom.
Doing your part
It takes a lot to take care of a puppy so you have to find out what puppies that are very kid friendly and will be easiest to take care of. One recommendation that is always a very child-friendly puppy is the Cavapoo.
You would have to take into consideration of the cavapoo price and the responsibilities that you will need to do. While your kid may be able to do a lot when it comes to taking care of your puppy, you need to realize that you will still need to play a part in taking care of the puppy.
You will need to help your kid know how to train the puppy in the dust and maybe even do all of the training. You also have to be the one to find the perfect puppy from a reputable breeder.
Then you also hate going to have to be the one to pay for any food, supplies, and vet visits. So unless you are willing to still help with the dog in these areas, you may want to wait until you are ready or until your kid is old enough to do all of this on their own.
As I mentioned before, nobody knows better than you when deciding whether your kid is ready to take care of a dog yet or not. However, when deciding, don’t just say they are because they want one super bad and give you pleading eyes; think about the long term.
Some kids can and will get bored of the puppy after a while and won’t want the responsibility of taking care of one. One thing you can do is think about other things they said they wanted very badly. How long did they last until they wanted the next cool thing they saw on TV?