Already have kids and now thinking of adopting a pet? While a family pet is an extra commitment, there can be many benefits to becoming a pet owner with kids. Pets are great for teaching kids respect and compassion for animals. They can also help teach kids responsibility from a young age – especially only children or younger children who do not have younger siblings.
But just which type of pet should you choose? There are so many different animals that you can adopt as a pet and they each have their own benefits and drawbacks. This post delves into some of the main questions to ask yourself before adopting a pet in order to choose the right one.
Pet for your kids or family pet?
Some children want a pet of their own. However, pets are a lot of responsibility and not all kids are responsible enough. In many cases, it’s best to wait until your child is 8 or order before buying them their own pet to take care of – and you should probably stick to low maintenance pets like hamsters and guinea pigs at first. Even in these cases, you’ll likely need to oversee many tasks like feeding them and cleaning their cage. Never buy a pet for a child that you are afraid to handle yourself (e.g. like a snake or spider) – if they cannot look after the pet, you need to be able to step in.
Taking on a family pet encourages shared responsibility and is often a much better idea with younger kids. Cats and dogs should always be taken on as family pets – everyone in the household will have no choice but to interact with them. It’s therefore important when getting a cat or dog that everyone supports the idea and not just one or two family members.
How much responsibility do you want to take on?
Some pets are higher maintenance than others. Consider how much time and energy you are willing to dedicate to your pet so that you don’t end up taking on a pet that’s too much stress.
Fish arguably require the least amount of responsibility of any pet. Beyond feeding them and cleaning their tank, there’s not much else you need to do. For many people, they’re the perfect starter pet.
Small mammals (like hamsters, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits) require a bit more upkeep such as topping up water and regularly handling them. However, they similarly won’t consume too much of your time. The same goes for a lot of exotic caged animals like reptiles and birds (just be wary that if you have to leave them at home for a week, you need to have someone on standby who is not afraid to feed them).
When it comes to uncaged animals, cats are a good choice if you don’t want anything too high maintenance. You still need to feed cats, clean up after them, train them not to scratch, pet them and take them to the vets when they’re ill – but they’ll otherwise be content to do their own thing a lot of the time and can be left alone while you go away providing you have someone to come in and feed them/check up on them.
Dogs are comparatively very high maintenance. On top of the duties required when looking after a cat, dogs need to be exercised and groomed and kept regularly stimulated. Of course, the amount of upkeep can depend on the type of dog you adopt. Some breeds demand more walking and playing than others. Meanwhile, an older rescue dog is likely to be less of a handful than a puppy, which you also need to train (some people find looking after puppies to be just as strenuous as caring for a newborn because of the amount of attention and supervision they require).
Do you want a pet that your kids can pet/play with?
Not all pets can be petted and played with. For example, you can’t pet or play with a goldfish. As a result, some kids may quickly find these pets boring.
Small mammals are a popular choice for families because they can be handled and because they are viewed as more active. However, they can sometimes still be inappropriate pets for families with young kids. This is particularly the case with hamsters – these animals are nocturnal (and so often quite inactive during the day) and often don’t like to be handled (especially if not handled gently). Rats and guinea pigs are more likely to appreciate handling, so long as it is gentle. Rabbits meanwhile don’t actually like to be picked up, but many do appreciate being stroked.
Cats can be a suitable interactive pets for families as many do like to be stroked and played with (especially kittens). However, they can have different personalities, and some may not appreciate being constantly stroked as others. Cats will also quickly develop a dislike for heavy-handed young kids and may respond by running away or scratching whenever a child is around.
Dogs generally make the best playmate for kids, but of course it depends on the breed as to how suitable they are. Small dogs like chihuahuas can behave aggressively towards kids, while larger dogs like great danes need to be watched around small kids due to their size and clumsiness. Breeds like chocolate labradors as found at this site are renowned for having the best temperament for a family environment – they enjoy playing with kids, while being very cautious and patient around them. Golden retrievers, beagles, poodles, border collies, newfoundlands and french bulldogs generally have a kid-friendly temperament too (as do many mutts).
Any pet allergies?
If a member of your household has a cat or dog allergy, this could be a clear indicator as to which pet you should not get. While some mild allergies can be controlled with medication, a serious allergy could make it impossible to live with certain pets.
It’s worth noting that some breeds are reported to produce fewer symptoms in allergy sufferers. For example, some people with a mild dog allergy are able to live comfortably with low shedding and no shedding dogs such as a bichon frise or schnauzer.
How tight is your budget?
There are many costs involved when looking after a pet ranging from food to vet bills. With some pets like horses, these costs can be very high. With other animals like fish, the costs can be very low (although not so much for tropical fish due to the energy required to heat their tank).
Think about how much extra you can reasonably spend per month. Costs like vet bills can quickly get families into a lot of debt if they are not financially prepared.
How much space have you got?
You should also consider how much space you have in your home. When it comes to cages and tanks, some animals may require relatively small enclosures which are easier to find the space for (such as hamsters). Other pets may require large runs such as rabbits or chickens.
Free-roaming pets like dogs will also need enough space. Big dogs may get stressed if they have not got much space to explore indoors. If your home is very cluttered, you could also find that they cause a lot of carnage.
Outdoor space may be necessary for some pets, which could be something to consider if you live in an apartment. For example, dogs typically need private outdoor space, unless you’re willing to walk them out of your apartment each time they need to use the toilet. Cats on the other hand can be kept indoors providing they are not used to being let outdoors.
Are you looking for a pet that you exercise with?
Some pets need to be exercised – and you’ll typically need to exercise with them. Dogs are the most obvious example of this. While some breeds require shorter walks than others, all dogs need to be walked. Examples of dog breeds that only need short walks include greyhounds, bulldogs and pugs. Dog breeds that need long/multiple walks meanwhile include huskies, labradors and collies.
Horses are another pet that needs at least 20 minutes of exercise per day. This could include riding or leading them. As with dogs, certain breeds of horse may require more physical activity than others to keep them from getting overweight.
How many years’ commitment are you willing to give?
Finally, you should consider how long a pet is going to live. Some pets will only live a few years while others are a lifelong commitment.
Some people don’t like the idea of getting a hamster for this reason – most only live two years, which means you don’t get much time with this pet.
A pet tortoise on the other hand can live to 100 years or more. If you buy a young tortoise, you therefore need to accept that it could outlive you.
