How can I tell if my child is ready for a dog?

[MyBusyUser]

My child keeps asking for a dog and I’m torn. I don’t doubt the enthusiasm, I doubt the follow‑through once it becomes daily work. Has anyone found a good way to test whether a child is actually ready before getting a real pet?

We have had dogs for most of dd’s life but it’s only really since she was about 16 that she took any responsibility for feeding and walking them. I can leave them with her now she’s 18 for a few days. Dogs need training and unless you are prepared to take responsibility for this ongoing task then don’t get one.

The question is are YOU ready for a dog. All well and good to have a canine companion for your child (in my opinion a great idea), but you need to understand the impact it will have on you. Dogs are a huge commitment.

This will be your responsibility.your child may be interested for a while but then it will be down to you for feeding,making sure they have water,and for walking.then there is pet insurance to pay and dog food etc.will you be able to afford it if the dog has illness,and needs constant vet treatment ie diabetes etc.puppies can chew and be bites and chaos for a good while,also poo and wee everywhere until you train them.do you have the time for that.

I agree with everyone else. Most children can't be relied on for consistent dog care. They genuinely forget or lose interest, it's not them being difficult.

That said, there's a difference between "dog is entirely your responsibility" and "child helps with specific tasks." Some things that work better: making feeding part of a routine they already do (like after breakfast), keeping it visual so they remember, or pairing it with something they enjoy (playing with the dog first, then feeding her together).

In reality, if you're not prepared to do 100% of the dog care yourself without resentment, and you're getting one partly so your child "learns responsibility," it might be worth waiting or reconsidering. Dogs deserve reliable care, and kids develop responsibility better through smaller, age-appropriate tasks - not by feeling guilty they forgot to feed the dog. In our home, we have guinea pigs and added feeding them and helping us clean the hutch to their chore list.

We tried chore charts and a few other methods to help keep them reminded of what they need to do. Ultimately I built a tool (Harthena) to give our children the visual reminders they need.

Link here, if you are interested to see what I built.

It sounds like you’re not ready for a dog if you have any expectation of delegating care of it to your child.

I got a dog when my children were about 2 & 3. He died about 18 months ago. They begged & begged me to get another, made promises about how they’d look after him (they’re 16 & 17 now) but they have very little interest in him. My DD will take him for a short walk a few times a week but care mostly falls to me. I knew this would be the case though & I got him because I wanted him really. If I’d have made a decision because I thought my children would be responsible, I’d be sorely disappointed.