Dear doctor;

I love pets and had always been thinking of getting a puppy for my daughter. But at 17 months, she gets hysterical when even watching animals on TV, and will pick something to try and chase birds away or kill crawling insects. Do you think it is possible to get a puppy in the home or would this scare my baby? Marion.

Dear Marion,

Your daughter is too young to have any  negative feelings like fear or hatred, unless she has watched somebody throwing stones at animals or abusing them in any way maybe directly or on TV. Another possibility is somebody has been talking to her negatively about animals and telling that they should be hit. Don’t worry. Pets are always good for children. They provide healthy amusement and play to both children and adults alike. Through animals kept as pets, a child learns to love, care and share. Only prerequisite is that a good hygiene should be maintained while handling animals and a healthy distance has to be maintained. Because proximity to animal furs can cause allergic problems such as asthma, recurrent cold, among others. Paws and tongue of animals can carry disease causing germs.