Pet care jobs for kids, by age, with a printable chart
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says children around age 5 or older can help with simple jobs, like leashing the dog, giving treats after walks or refilling the water bowl, while parents do most of the work. Its chore guide lists filling the pet's food dish at ages 5 to 7 and walking a pet at 8 to 10.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Which jobs at which age?
Lines marked (AAP) come from the pediatricians' pages. The rest are our ideas: every family knows its own child best, and a grown-up is always the real carer.
| Age | Jobs |
|---|---|
| Ages 3 to 4 |
|
| Ages 5 to 7 |
|
| Ages 8 to 10 |
|
| Ages 11 and up |
|
Make a jobs chart
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Our pet's jobs this week
Child 1
| Job | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fill the pet's food dish | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Refill the water bowl | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Give treats after a walk, as a grown-up says | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Hold the leash with a grown-up | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Put toys away | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
A grown-up checks every job. Wash hands after helping with the pet.
Washing hands, every time
The CDC says to wash with soap and running water after touching pets, their food, their supplies or their living areas, and to supervise handwashing for children under 5. Teach children not to kiss pets or put their hands in their mouths after handling animals (CDC).
Which pets are not for homes with young children?
The CDC says children younger than 5 should not handle or touch reptiles, amphibians (frogs, turtles, lizards, snakes) or their habitats, and not chicks, ducklings or other backyard poultry, because of Salmonella germs. It advises against keeping reptiles and amphibians in homes with young children (CDC). Reptiles and their supplies should stay away from where food is made or eaten.
Rules that keep everyone kind
- Use treats and praise. Pets should never be yelled at or hit (AAP).
- Leave pets alone while they eat or sleep (AAP, CDC).
- Keep your face away from the pet's face, and don't tease pets with toys or treats (AAP).
Bitten or scratched?
Wash the wound with soap and water and tell a grown-up right away. See dog safety for what the CDC says to do next.
Sources
- AAP HealthyChildren: How old should our children be before we adopt a pet? (updated 22 April 2026) (checked October 29, 2026)
- AAP HealthyChildren: Age-appropriate chores for children (updated 9 February 2024) (checked October 29, 2026)
- CDC: Ways to stay healthy around animals (checked October 29, 2026)
- CDC: Reptiles and amphibians (checked October 29, 2026)