Here are some steps you can take now to strengthen this bond and pass it on to your child by involving them in the care of the animal.

Let the children play a role in animal education in a fun way

The time spent at home is a great opportunity to involve older children in pet education.

According to Dr. Annie Valuska, behaviorist at Purina, "It could be teaching them an exercise, like jumping to touch their hand or rolling, or even working on something like getting your pet used to having their claws cut, to travel in a transport cage, to support a harness, the noise of the vacuum cleaner, to learn to walk without pulling on the leash, etc. ".

As with human friends, playing together brings children and animals together. We suggest you play with your dog or cat while hiding a treat that he will be looking for; in the cup game, the animal must for example find the treat hidden under one of the three inverted cups.

Giving children the opportunity to train animals to play is an excellent development opportunity for all. When your animal and your child interact, you will see everyone come to life, the dog will wave their tail and jump: Eureka! "

Encourage responsible rewards

When it comes to training and playing, animals are sometimes sensitive to different types of encouragement. While animals generally like treats (and children like to give them), it's important to teach children that too many treats every day can be bad for animals.

Instead of always handing out treats, encourage your child to notice that the animal may be motivated by something else: it can be a special toy or a social interaction, such as petting or congratulations.

Involve children in animal activity

When the family spends their days at home, it is essential for everyone's mental and physical health to devote time to physical exercise. This is a great opportunity to let the older children take care of the family pets.

It may simply be a matter of choosing a route for a family walk or run and setting the time when it will take place. If it is a park, check before it is open.

Teach children to take breaks with animals

While exercise and regular activity are important to our health, moments of calm to nap and relax are also essential for animals and people alike. Animals love spending time with family, but being there all the time can be a stressor.

Now is the time to help your children understand the importance of these moments of tranquility and to involve them in the development of a timetable that incorporates them. In families with a cat, children can be encouraged to design safe hiding places for cats.

For children, spending time calmly with animals while being connected to them can also involve reading aloud. Children always need to learn and animals have been shown to promote learning.

It's never too early to learn how to care for an animal responsibly

An extended stay at home offers family members the opportunity to live differently. Putting more responsibility on a child to care for an animal can enrich the life of the animal and help your child become a better owner.