I have to agree with the above, too. I got a teacup poodle when I was seven or eight, and there are so many things I regret. Once I set her up on the counter, walked a foot away and she jumped/fell off the counter. Ever since then she had a little bit of a limp and it was all my fault.
There are countless other stories, too. Even now I have so much guilt over how I accidentally treated her. I was never ever cruel to her on purpose (which is how some children are); I was just not ready to understand her needs and to treat her with the care she deserved.
My poodle was a very even-tempered, lovely dog.
My mom was a stay-at-home mom, but it's still impossible to watch a child and her dog every minute of every day. Accidents happen, and there are just so many things I didn't do right.
Don't get me wrong, I loved her tons but it's just children don't understand how to express that love without inflicting harm.
I would recommend not getting a dog for a child until they're in their teens, actually. Only then do I think they can begin to fully handle the responsibility. |