You can help your parents put your pet’s food in their bowl and make sure that your pet eats all of their food. You may also be allowed to give your pet a healthy treat, with the supervision of a parent. Always ask your parents if it’s time to feed the pet before you do it yourself. Your pet may have a strict feeding schedule so they are not overfed or underfed. If you have a pet dog, rabbit, bird or hamster, you should also keep an eye on your pet’s water dish as your pet may end up drinking a lot of water throughout the day. Try to always keep it full with fresh water. If you are younger than 10 years old, you may need help lifting and pouring water into your pet’s water dish.
You may also be able to help your parents clean your pet’s cage or living area. If you have a pet hamster, bird, lizard, or rabbit, you may help your parents remove and replace the newspaper lining in your pet’s cage or help them pick up droppings in the cage. If you have a fish, you may help your parents change out the water in the fish tank so it is clean and fresh. Make sure you always wear gloves or use a tissue to pick up any pet droppings. Wash your hands well after touching your pet’s droppings.
If you have a dog, you can also make sure your pet gets a bath once a week and stays clean. You may help your parents bathe your pet or bathe your pet yourself. Make sure you use the right techniques to bath your pet. Do not try to bath other pets like a rabbit, a bird, a hamster or a cat. These animals can self clean themselves and do not need regular baths. If your pet is a dog, you should check your pet for fleas or ticks on a daily basis. If you notice your pet has fleas or ticks, you should tell your parents.
If your dog is a puppy, you should only walk him a five to ten minutes a day. Ask your parents about how often you can walk your new puppy and follow their directions. If you have other pets, like a cat, a bird, a hamster, or a rabbit, you may not need to walk them. Instead, you should spend time playing with these pets so they still get some exercise.
Make sure you use your fingers to gently pet and stroke your pet. Always be gentle when playing with your pet so you do not hurt them. Use pet toys to play with your pet. You may use a light pen to stimulate your pet fish or a treat to teach your bird a fun new trick. You can also use balls to play with a pet cat or a pet dog. Try not to play with your pet too often and give your pet some downtime during the day. Your pet needs time to nap and rest so they are not overly tired or stressed.
You should work with your parents to teach your pet dog to sit, stay, and come when called. You should also learn how to calm your dog down when someone is at the door or when your dog is around new people and new dogs.
You should also avoid giving your pet food from your plate the table, even when your parents aren’t looking. This can conflict with your pet’s training schedule and their feeding schedule. Do not put unhealthy food in your pet’s cage. Some pets are not allowed to have human food because it can make them sick so always check with your parents before giving your pet a treat.
If you are unclear about the house rules for your pet, you can ask your parents to write them down for you and post them in an accessible area, such as on the fridge or by the front door. You can then refer to the rules if you are not sure if your pet is allowed to do certain things in your house.
Instead, you should let your parents know when your pet is acting out or behaving badly and allow them to address it properly. As you get older, your parents may teach you how to address your pet’s bad behavior in a positive and helpful way.
It is important that you keep an eye on your pet and pay attention to your pet often, as this will ensure you notice any health issues before they become a larger problem. You may also discuss the symptoms of common illnesses with your parents so you know which signs to watch out for in your pet.
Children over the age of 10 can usually assume many of the basic responsibilities of caring for a pet. Your parents may supervise you from afar but will likely allow you to complete many of the daily tasks required for good care of your pet.
