Choosing The Best Pets For Your Kids

So, your kids have been hounding you for a pet for months now? With your oldest child’s birthday in just a few weeks, you have finally decided to breakdown and buy them a pet, but what kind of pet are they ready for? Owning a pet is not only a rewarding experience, but also they can provide tons of joy for years and years, while teaching valuable life lesson. With that being said, pets can be a lot of work and responsibility throughout the years. This is why it is imperative that you know what type of pet your kids can handle. Below, you will learn about the different types of pets that are available for your kids, and which ones might be your best option.

Kittens And Cats

Kittens and cats are without a doubt two of the most popular choices for children, but are they suitable for kids? As long as you can choose a cat or kitten with the proper temperament they will make great companions. However, you will have to take the time to teach your child to move tenderly and pet the cat softly, otherwise scratching might be a problem.

Dogs

Another extremely popular pet that children oftentimes ask for are dogs. Once again, proper temperament will be a must for choosing a dog. Some breeds and mixes are more aggressive, so you probably want to shy away from these. If you do end up shopping for a dog for your kids the shelter might be your best option, because you can get an adult dog that has already been trained and less aggressive. Plus, when shopping at the shelter, you actually get a chance to see how the dog behaves around your kids before bringing him or her home.

Professional vet Jessica Lummis says, “Dogs can provide tremendous companionship, but they require a lot work. With the need of daily care and affection it is likely that you, as a parent will have to step in and assist at some point.” So, you really need to make proper considerations before shopping for a dog.

Rabbits

If your kids are asking for a cat or dog, but you don’t think they are ready, rabbits are probably the next best option. Once they get adjusted to their environment they can be very affectionate, and you will probably be surprised to learn just how intelligent they are. In fact, they are so smart that they can be litter box trained and learn to respond to your kid’s actions towards them. In order to get your rabbits to take on this type of behavior, you will have to keep them indoors and interact with them often.

Rabbits usually live anywhere from seven to nine years and they have to be handled properly, otherwise, you will hurt them.

Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are somewhat similar to rabbits, and they are an excellent choice for any child. Once they get adapted to their environment and your child they are extremely friendly and often times make squealing type noises, which indicates their joy. Guinea pigs can be placed in cages and kept inside your child’s room. As long as you make sure your child is feeding, watering, and cleaning their cage, there is very little work that you will have to do as a parent.

Fish

Fish are small, inexpensive, and pretty low maintenance pets. While they might not be your kid’s first choice, they are a great introduction into responsibility. Your kid will have to learn how to properly feed and clean their tanks. Most people will go with goldfish, but you might be surprised to learn that goldfish a more difficult to take care of than other species. Betta fish as a whole easier, because they don’t require aerators, filters, heaters, or chemicals. However, you cannot have more than two bettas in the same tank, because they will fight with each other.