What Kind Of Pet Is Right For Your Family?

 

Picture Source: Pexels - CC0 License

It’s a lovely idea to bring a pet into your home. It can also be especially healthy for young children to interact with an animal on a regular basis, because it teaches them love, compassion, empathy, gentleness, and to curate a friendship with a creature that cannot speak to them or communicate via conventional, human means. That helps us increase our empathy and imagination further. This is not to mention that in small ways, allowing your child to help care for the pet can teach them management, discipline, and protectiveness.

But what kind of pet is right for your family? If you have children or no children, a career or no career, the answer can be different. Of course, you’re also likely to find that pets can be expensive. Purchasing from a pedigree dog breeder, for instance, will be more expensive than adopting from a shelter, although that second method could mean more time in work and training needs to take place.

So, what metrics are best to consider for this most important of efforts? Let’s consider that, and more, below:

How Long Can You Stay At Home?

How long can you stay at home each day? We ask this, because even if you purchase the best and most patient puppy, if you and your partner work 70 hours a week, then you’re unlikely to be home that often. Leaving a dog alone in a house for long periods like that is cruel, and your lifestyle is simply incompatible with them in this respect.

If you have a large family, or you have children coming home throughout the day, or, of course, you expect your remote work capacity after national lockdowns have made that the norm to continue, then it could be that bringing home a puppy is a great idea. Certain pets, such as cats, might also be more independent and willing to do without you for long periods of time, but remember, not all cats are fully independent. 

How Much Can You Invest?

Pets can be expensive. If you’re not prepared for this in advance, then that can be a problem. For instance, let’s say you want to purchase a lizard. Some types of lizard can be very expensive given how exotic they might be. Then you need to purchase a full tank, which you may need to fill up with renewed filters once every two weeks. You may need to feed them other live insects in order to ensure they stay healthy. You might need to pay for electricity to keep the tank well lit and heated.

Of course, medicines, checkups, a great diet, teeth-cleaning treats, grooming services and more may also factor in to taking care of a furry friend. It’s important to keep all of this in mind, because while minor costs might not seem like they’re much to worry about, this does add up in the long run.

There’s no real pet you can purchase ‘for cheap,’ unless you don’t intend to take proper care of it. Sure, you don’t have to purchase a dog that costs thousands of dollars or pounds thanks to its pedigree breeding, but you also must be prepared to invest your time and money into this. Asking yourself what your budget is gives you a chance to make those decisions with care.

Do You Have Children?

Do you have children? If so, how old are they? Purchasing a greyhound when you have two children under the age of four years old might not be a great idea, because no matter how friendly your dog is, their bulk and enthusiasm can cause problems. In that way, maybe purchasing a breed known for its aggression isn’t a good idea in general, and when around kids.

It might be that with love and care, and online dog training, a larger pet, such as a chocolate labrador, can be a beautiful fit. However, you may also consider where to purchase your dog from. A dog that may have a history of being abused may not be the best choice for a family with many small children, as even if properly adopted from a shelter and with the best intentions in the world, your dog might feel very uncomfortable with children running around, or they might lash out even when you don’t expect them to.

It’s worth considering this, even if you only hope to have children someday. It will help you make more realistic decisions regarding the purchase of the pet, and their time spent in your home.

Home Environment

Your home environment also matters. You may have more than enough money to take care of a dog. You may be a professional working from home, with countless hours to invest in your pet. You may, however, also live in a tiny, cramped inner-city apartment or studio flat, with perhaps zero room for your dog to move and explore outside of going for walks. In effect, that can be cruel.

You might have a good amount of house space, but live on two connecting artist of a main road, with cars flying up and down it all day. Is this the best fit for purchasing a cat, one that might explore and ultimately find danger in the form of those arterial roads? It’s worth asking these questions. They can really make a difference.

Other Pets You Have

Of course, it’s also important to consider what other pets you may have in the household. If you’re bringing in a tiny puppy among many large dogs, or perhaps you know that your current dog won’t give up their ‘territory’ quite so easily, you can make better decisions regarding how suitable this approach is. When you take care of that, you’ll no doubt be able to focus on your home environment, of preparing it, and of purchasing the right pet for your home in the first place.

With this advice, we hope you can better understand what kinds of pet are right for your family. It’s okay if what’s suitable for you is not suitable for another, and vice versa.