Nora Ephron once said, \u201cWhen your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you.\u201d As the parent of an adolescent, I took that advice to heart and last month, my family rescued a dog.<\/p>\n
He is our first pet, so welcoming a dog into the family means we have faced a bit of a learning curve. Thankfully, the four-year-old beagle we named Pascal is a very mellow guy. He has been very patient with us as we educate ourselves and get more comfortable with him.<\/p>\n After a few weeks of transition, we\u2019re all used to each other and settling into a happy routine together. I knew that getting a new four-legged family member would have benefits, but I\u2019ve been surprised at how this sweet pup with the floppy ears has been a parenting asset. I knew he would be good for teaching responsibility, but in addition that, his presence serves as a great catalyst for discussions about healthy choices with my daughter.<\/p>\n Making sure our pup has food and water is a top priority, of course. What I didn\u2019t foresee was how it provided an opportunity to talk about being responsible and the importance of making good choices when it comes to food and drink, both for him and for ourselves.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve covered things like why feeding the dog from the table is not okay, how chocolate could be very bad for him, and the importance of good nutrition. He only drinks water. My daughter recalled the Switchin Kitchen<\/a> game about healthy choices from the Ask, Listen, Learn<\/em> website<\/a>.<\/p>\n We had a conversation about how humans, like dogs, need to put healthy items into our bodies for them to work their best.<\/p>\n As a parent, I\u2019ve found my daughter is a bit more receptive to talking about healthy choices for others than she would be if I was talking directly to her about her choices. The same principles apply, of course, when talking about the dog and this is another opportunity to stress the importance of selecting healthy options.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s one thing Pascal loves, it\u2019s treats. (I think he’s in good canine company in this regard.) And who can blame our four-legged friends? I like treats, too. But our dog nicely illustrates a few key parenting points.<\/p>\n First, not all treats are safe for everyone. Humans may love chocolatey brownies as treats, but that delicious dessert is not safe for dogs. It affects them differently.\u00a0Similarly, not all treats that are okay for adults are okay for kids. Some treats, like an occasional cocktail, are fine for grown-ups, but not fine for kids, whose brains are not yet fully developed and alcohol effects them differently than it does adults.<\/p>\n Second, when it comes to treats, moderation is key. Our always-hungry beagle may disagree with me, but it\u2019s true that there really can be too much of a good thing. Knowing healthy limits is important, for him and for us.<\/p>\n My step count is a lot higher than it was pre-dog. Our new routine serves as a reminder to me and my child that healthy choices<\/a> are easier when they\u2019re part of a set routine and that being healthy can be also be really fun. Even better, healthy choices mean you feeling better, both physically and emotionally. That\u2019s a definite win-win.<\/p>\n Pascal is a very friendly beagle and as we\u2019ve walked around the neighborhood, he is eager to make (and sniff) new acquaintances. Walking him has provided many more opportunities to talk to our neighbors. And we\u2019ve found they\u2019re more likely to stop and chat with us when we have the dog than we were out walking by ourselves.<\/p>\n Walking the dog also gives us more time together and chances to connect in an easy and relaxed way.<\/p>\n Telling your kid, \u201cWe need to talk\u201d makes them about as receptive to what you have to say as Pascal is to the idea of bath time. Asking your kid to walk the dog with you, however, is far less ominous. Walks often lead to talks, and the stronger connection\u00a0<\/a>you have with your kids, the better.<\/p>\n Not every walk means a heart-to-heart, and that\u2019s okay. The opportunity to connect is valuable, even if she doesn\u2019t capitalize on it every single time. And I have these helpful conversation starters<\/a> that I can use if I want to talk about underage drinking, with the knowledge that when conversations about alcohol go up, underage drinking rates go down.<\/p>\n We’ve also been helped by friends and family who have offered encouragement and help. They aren’t all dog people, but they’ve not only respected our choice, they’ve offered support. It’s a good reminder of the importance of true friends and the connections we have with them.<\/p>\n Another benefit is that my daughter\u2019s bond with our pup isn\u2019t based on anything artificial. He loves her exactly as she is. She is enough for him, and she gets a tail wag, no matter what. \u00a0That kind of acceptance and affection without conditions is so valuable, especially to adolescents.<\/p>\n Adding a dog to the family has also strengthened our connections with our neighbors. Pascal is always happy to greet, or sniff them, and they\u2019re always happy to say hello. He\u2019s like the new mayor of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n We are all grateful for our new family member for a wide variety of reasons. In addition to his unconditional love, these conversations and connections are ones that are at the top of my list.<\/p>\n Prior Post:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>8 conversations to have with teens and tweens after seeing Incredibles 2<\/a><\/p>\n Please like Between Us Parents on<\/span>\u00a0Facebook<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0You can also find me on<\/span>\u00a0Pinterest<\/span><\/a>,<\/span>\u00a0Twitter<\/span><\/a>, and<\/span>\u00a0Instagram<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Pin for later:<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/betweenusparents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/beagle-164930_1280-640x427.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHealthy choices about food and drink are important<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Treats are fine \u2013 in moderation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nExtra exercise isn\u2019t a bad thing<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Fostering a strong bond and greater connections<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Authenticity is invaluable<\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"http:\/\/betweenusparents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/The-unexpected-parenting-benefits-of-getting-a-dog.jpg\")
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