Teaching Your Child Bull Terrier Care Basics

Is your child eagerly looking forward to the day a Bull Terrier joins your family? Caring for a first Bull Terrier offers many benefits for kids and may encourage them to become more responsible and compassionate. Here are a few ways your child can help care for your new addition.

1. Feeding, Watering, and Cleaning

Providing food and water is one of the most important aspects of caring for a Bull Terrier. Children can add food and water to dishes, give dog treats, or handle cleaning duties.

When you shop for Bull Terrier food, explain that you need to choose a food that has the nutrients your dogie needs to stay healthy. Just as junk food isn't the best food for people, foods that contain too many fillers or unnecessary ingredients may be bad for your Bullie's health.

Even very young children can help clean food and water dishes. Although the dishes may not look dirty, it's important to wash and dry them every day to prevent bacterial growth. If bacteria remain on the dishes, your child's new Bull Terrier could become ill.

By the time your child is about 9 or 10, they may be able to handle feeding or cleaning with little supervision.

2. Brushing Your Bull Terrier

Brushing removes loose hair and debris from your Bull Terrier's body.

Demonstrate how to use gentle strokes in the direction that the hair grows. It may be easier for young children to

understand how much pressure to use when brushing if they try out the brush on their arms.

Many dogs benefit from weekly brushing. Older children can also help sweep or vacuum dog hair from floors, carpets, and furniture. When bathing your Bullie, your child can help to lather and rinse the shampoo from your dog.

3. Walking or Exercising With Your Bull Terrier

Unlike you, your kids may never grow tired of playing fetch with your dog in the backyard. Exercise not only keeps your dog healthy but also improves socialization.

Teach your kids how to walk your Bull Terrier on a leash or harness by practicing in a fenced

yard. When your child is comfortable and can control your dog safely, let them take control of the leash occasionally while you're out for a walk. Eventually, they will be able to take your dog for a walk without you. Michigan Health notes that children may be able to handle solo walks when they're 12 or older.

Don't leave young children alone with Bull Terrier during exercise sessions or at any other time. Even normally well-behaved kids may be tempted to tease a dog or pull its hair or tail when you're not around.

4. Some Things to Keep in Mind

Every child is different. Some may enthusiastically participate in dog care while others need a little prodding. Before you give your children Bull Terrier care tasks, consider their ability to handle other chores responsibly. If your child tends to be forgetful, they might be better suited to exercising and grooming your dog rather than feeding it.

Ultimately, your Bull Terrier's health and well-being depends on you. If your children forget to feed your dog or take it for a walk, you'll need to step in and do these things yourself.