Choosing a Family Pet

Are your children constantly begging for a dog? Does your spouse complain that the children need a pet? If so, it might be time to consider getting a family pet. Deciding if your family is ready for a pet can take a lot of thought and research. Do you want a dog? A cat? Maybe just a goldfish? Would you want a life long companion or just something to help stop the begging for a while? These decisions will be things you will need to consider when choosing a family pet.

Before deciding on a family pet, you may want to consider how much time you and your family members will have to dedicate to a pet. Will you have sole responsibility in taking care of the family pet or would the pet's care be shared by all the members of your household? Who will feed, bath, clean up after or walk the family pet? These decisions are best made as a family. Consider the age of your children and what you feel they are old enough to handle.

Cats and dogs are the most popular family pets in the United States. Dogs need a great deal of daily care. If you get a puppy you will also have to handle training; obedience and potty training. Dogs need several bathroom trips outside each day. They need many baths, grooming sessions about every six weeks and require several vet visits for shots and checkups during their first year of life. The Humane Society states "On average, dog owners spent $263 on veterinary related expenses in the past 12 months." Having a dog as a family pet can be a very rewarding experience. A dog can quickly become a loving member of your family.

Cats can be a bit easier to care for than dogs. Cats generally cost less money in vet visits also. The Humane Society states "Cat owners spent an average of $113 on veterinary related expenses in the past 12 months". Cats like their independence. Cats like to do their own thing. Cats only need an occassional bath since they do the majority of their grooming all on their own. Cats do not need you to take them for bathroom breaks or out for daily walks like dogs do. Cats use their litter boxes all by themselves. You just need to come by and clean the litter box every 1-2 days and you're all set. You will need to watch out for scratching caused by your family pet. Cats will use anything and everything around them as a scratching post. Including that brand new leather sofa you just had delivered. A cat can be a wonderful and loving family pet. They like to cuddle up on your lap for a little petting time. Cats also enjoy sleeping with you. Kids love waking up next to their fuzzy purring family pet.
Hamsters and other rodents are family pets that mainly stay confined to a cage. They only need food, water, toys and a fresh supply of shredded paper in their cage to stay content. Cedar chips should be avoiding since they can cause respiratory problems in hamsters. They love to exercise so don't forget the little spinning wheel. Your children will love watching this family pet curl up in little balls to sleep, run on the exercise wheel, build little nests and even make it's way through little colorful plastic tunnels. Be careful of these tunnels as they can be difficult to clean and offer an easy way for hamsters to escape.

In my opinion, fish are the easiest of all family pets. Plus their habitats make a beautiful addition to your home. Fish only need a shake of food flakes and an occasional tank cleaning. Fish don't mind if you sit and stare at them for hours and hours. You could get a small tank with only one or two fish. Or you could get a giant tank with it's very own fish metropolis. It all depends on how much time and space you have to dedicate to your new family pet(s).

There are many other family pets to choose from aside from the ones listed here. Family pets range from the more traditional like birds, turtles, hermit crabs to the less traditional like snakes, rats and small pigs. When choosing a family pet you just have to decide which pet is right for your family and how much time you can dedicate daily to your new family pet.

No matter what kind of pet you choose, always make sure that your children feel comfortable around that pet. No one wants a skittish child acceidentally provoking an equally skittish dog. Adult supervision is critical when it comes to any and all child-pet interactions. Have fun deciding on a family pet. Always include everyone in your household in the decision-making process. Do plenty of research on your prospective family pet before making your final decision. Keep in mind that you aren't just choosing a pet, you are choosing a new member of the family.