Do you remember your childhood dog, Milo?

He was your best friend for the first 10 years of your life. Then one day, he up and ran away.

It made no sense. He loved you and your family. He never even wandered when you would take him out without the leash. Why would he run? Why, Milo?!

Well, maybe Milo didn’t run away after all. The old “dog ran away” line is a common one that parents tell their children to avoid the conversation about death.

Death is difficult for anyone to understand, much less a child. So it’s understandable that parents would avoid the topic. But if you’re thinking of walking down that road yourself, there are some things to consider.

See this as an opportunity

Oftentimes, the death of a pet is a child’s first experience with a loved one dying. It’s sad and it’s difficult, but it is a teachable moment. Unfortunately, life is not permanent. Your child will have to deal with someone’s death sooner or later. When a pet dies, it’s a good time to talk about the cycle of life and help your child through the trauma.

Your child is dealing with loss anyway

No one wants to see the sadness in a child’s eyes when they find out that their dog died. But whether your dog died or ran away, your child is left to deal with a loss. And you risk adding another layer of hurt if the child believes the dog chose to run away, leaving him behind. It’s better to be open and honest about what happened. Give your child the opportunity to learn from this experience.

Lies put trust at risk

It’s one thing to find out that your parents lied about your dog dying when you’re an adult. You’re probably over the loss by now and you also understand why your parents would have lied. But if a child finds out, that’s another story entirely.

Children are more likely to think of things as black and white. Parents are people we trust and they do not lie. Finding out that your parent lied about something so painful can be a bit traumatic at a young age. Even if you lie for the right reasons (to spare your child’s tears), you’re putting trust at risk.

What if your dog is sick?

You love your dog too so, of course, you want to do everything you can to take care of her. But it’s especially important when a child is involved. Be sure to feed your dog a healthy diet, let her get a lot of exercise and consider homoeopathic remedies to keep her system in balance. Homoeopathic remedies can help relieve the ailments your dog is suffering from and restore her system to a state of health.

Take every step you can to ensure your pet stays healthy and lives a long and happy life alongside your child. Let’s try to avoid the conversation for as long as we can!