Dog's Best Friend: An Activity Book for Kids and Their Dogs
Foreword he relationship a child forges with a companion dog can last a lifetime The friendship the shar ing the bond will stay with that child well into adult hood When reminiscing many people naturally dwell upon a special dog friend they had as children They may be purebred or mixed They may be big and galumphing or small and spritely They may be lazy hyper furry slobbery silly or majestic But in the end they are friends Often a dog is the first exposure a child has to the wider world of responsibility Lessons of duty and commitment frequently come in the guise of a canine companion Dogs depend upon people for all of the things s they need to lead happy healthy lives and children can play an important part in their care A Dog s Best Friend is a wonderful guidebook to help children develop a friendship with their dogs through participation and understanding The activities laid out in this book have been designed to maximize children's interactions with their pets Some activi ties emphasize direct involvement such as adminis tering proper feeding or recognizing when vet care is required Others though develop intangible yet equally important aspects of friendship such as
sharing and discovery with ideas ranging from creat ing appropriate gifts for a dog to learning about the history of dogs These activities are safe when all directions are fol lowed and under adult supervision and will help to promote a deep caring bond between children and their dogs Such a bond is invaluable not only to the specific relationship between child and pet but also to the development of the child's awareness of the needs of others human and nonhuman alike Com passion caring and kindness become happy acci dents upon the path to friendship Take a moment Peruse the book See the many ways in which a child can enhance his or her understand ing of a pet Participate in the activities with a child Then see that child develop a friendship and memo ries that will last a lifetime John Caruso director of humane education The Anti Cruelty Society
Introduction for Parents ids and dogs is a great mix Having a pet puppy or dog provides a regular source of fun and exer cise for your kids without carpooling and with no assembly or batteries required Caring for an animal can teach kids many valuable lessons including Responsibility from taking care of the animal Patience from training and playing games with the animal Confidence from teaching the animal tricks Leadership from remembering to provide for the dog's needs and Satisfaction from a job well done Kids will have fun and at the same time develop a positive self image A Dog's Best Friend is written with the belief that regu lar healthy interaction between a kid and her dog will lead to good care for the animal while teaching valu able life lessons Activities are designed to keep kids involved with their four legged pals after the initial excitement is over Your kid will find fun games to play with his dog and cool things to make for his four legged friend Most of the activities require only
household items and a little imagination many can be done individually Adult help is suggested for those activities that require the use of the oven or tools Good pet care tips and information collected from pet care professionals and extensive research are included as well Appendix 1 provides a valuable chil dren's reading list provided by The Anti Cruelty Soci ety You'll find books about dogs cats owls and other animals that will teach kids about caring for their new four legged friend help them to deal with the loss of a pet offer great adventure tales and more Appendix 2 is a resource section that provides the addresses of animal friendly Web sites cable sta tions and organizations that can provide you with more information or additional fun animal time B Healthy Hound Hint Many pet care professionals suggest that you keep your dog indoors and make him part of your family Checklist of considerations Before Bringing a Dog Home A dog is a constant loyal unconditional friend for your child However there are a number of important things to consider before bringing a dog into your household
