Teaching Children Responsible Pet Ownership

When I think about things that make my heart smile, two things often come to mind: puppies and children. As many families will attest, adding a pet to your home can create a lifelong bond between your children and the pet. As a former early childhood educator, I can tell you there are many good reasons for bringing a pet into your home. Pets bring love, joy, friendship and one of the most important things – learning how to take care of pets. Teaching responsible pet ownership can be challenging. Many parents are at a loss as to how to teach their little ones to be responsible for caring for pets and more importantly how to train a new puppy or adult dog. But one amazing woman, Karen Topping, has taken up the challenge to teach these skills in collaboration with Rescue Ranch, a canine rescue and sanctuary in Siskiyou County.

Karen Topping’s daughter Meghan is great example of how kids can learn to train and socialize shelter dogs. She has helped train foster dogs from rescue shelters since she was four. Photo by Karen Topping.

Teaching children how to be responsible pet owners

Karen, who has a 20-year background as an equestrian coach, now uses her skills and talents to teach children about responsible dog ownership. She has created successful dog socialization training camps for kids and now takes that program to local schools.

Last November, Karen launched her first presentation at Shasta Elementary to 250 first through third graders. Since then, she has presented to Weed Elementary and will soon be presenting at Evergreen Elementary and Golden Eagle Charter. Other schools are already lining up to participate in the program.

Karen says that her goal is to, “educate the next generation about the pet overpopulation crisis, but to take the negativity out.” Her approach is solution focused as she discusses the importance of responsible dog ownership and advocates for spaying and neutering pets.

In her presentations she also describes Rescue Ranch’s programs, upcoming events and plans for a new Rescue Ranch Youth Training Team in which young participants learn how to train rescue dogs and get to visit with several Rescue Ranch ambassador puppies.

Karen says the feedback from these presentations has been incredibly inspiring. “When you get something positive going, it attracts a lot more people.” She believes that education is the key to responsible dog ownership and reduction in overpopulation, and she is doing her part to make the community aware of the steps we can take to collectively and humanely reduce the number of animals in shelters, dog rescues and sanctuaries.

Reading to puppies makes reading fun for kids

Karen has taken her programs to an even more adorable level with Reading to Rescue Pups. Imagine walking into your local library and seeing 10 crated Rescue Ranch ambassador pups arranged in reading stations around the room, each with a cushion, hand sanitizer and a flyer about the crate’s occupant. On a table a selection of picture books is available to young readers of all ages. Volunteers are on hand to help answer questions, the atmosphere is peaceful and the dog’s best manners are on display. Not only is this a fun program for the pups, it’s in an effective and successful way to support children’s literacy. Even if a child is not able to read the words of a story, describing pictures and creating a story to a nonjudgmental listener builds confidence in their early reading skills.

Dog socialization training camps for children

In August 2023, 12 young participants and their assigned pups graduated from Karen’s Dog Socialization Training Camp held at Weed Elementary School. During the five-day camp, the children helped transform six insecure, frightened, unsocialized young dogs into confident, receptive, happy pups. The goal of this program is to help reduce returns, increase adoptability and promote dog ownership. In addition, children involved learn responsible pet care, gain confidence, learn empathy and how to work together to accomplish a goal.

Karen and Rescue Ranch will be offering Rescue Ranch’s Youth Training Team camps this spring and summer for ages eight to eighteen, workshops for children seven and under and, in the future, ladies only workshops. Call Rescue Ranch at (530) 842-0829 or visit rrdog.org for workshop schedules.