Many parents include pets as part of the family because they believe that there are many benefits to raising kids and pets together. Learning to take care of and being responsible for another creature teaches valuable lessons that last a lifetime, such as compassion, respect, self-esteem, self-reliance and social skills. It has also been noted that having a pet in the home also encourages physical activity and enhances parent-child involvement.

If pets are already part of the household when a child arrives on the scene, the child grows up being accustomed to having an animal around. But what if you have young children in a home that has never had a pet? When is a good time to get one, and what kind of pet should a first-time pet family buy? There are really no definitive answers, but there some general guidelines that you can consider in order to keep you and your children safe.

When getting a pet for your child or children for the first time, start off easy. Choose a type of standard family pet like a cat, dog, goldfish or hamster and save the more exotic ones for when they are older. Do your homework – not all dogs and cats are created equal: some breeds are more people-friendly than others. If you’ve decided that you prefer a dog over a cat, you may also want to take size into consideration and select a small to medium sized animal.

Instruct your children how to behave around pets, including all the basics like how to pick them up, no pulling tails, no bopping noses, etc. Also impress upon them that their pet at home knows them but other animals they encounter for the first time do not, and they should be careful and respectful around pets and animals that are strange or unknown to them.

Until they are old enough or you are comfortable with leaving them alone, playtime should be supervised.

Encourage and enforce proper hygiene. Food bowls are for pets, plates are for people. The litter box is for the cat and is off limits for young children. Teach children responsible for cleaning up after pets to always wash their hands afterwards. Accidents will happen: if your child does get scratched or bitten, treat it as soon as possible.

Younger children will not be able to accept full responsibility for the pet’s care and well being. Make it clear what you expect them to do and what you are willing to do when looking after Fido or Fifi.

Many veterinarians and experienced pet owners advise not to give a pet like a dog or cat to a child as a Christmas present. Christmas is a busy and exciting time when many households have friends and family visiting. Pick a “down time” in your family’s schedule to bring a new pet into the home, when there will be plenty of time to train the pet and to help your children establish new routines.