20/02/2019
Having a pet is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn about responsibility whilst having a new best friend.
The list goes on and on why pets are great for children but you can find our reasons why they are great here.
However, not all pets are ideal to have around children. Here are the perfect pets for children:
Dog
Dogs and children are known to build fantastic relationships. Having a dog is also a great way to encourage the family to do more exercise.
Considerations – Dogs need a lot of attention. They need to be walked daily and they need to spend a lot of time in your company. If you find yourself out of the house most of time, it would be recommended that you consider a different pet.
Cat
Cats are a perfect pet for children as they are low maintenance and they love attention. Depending on where you live you can have an indoor cat or you can let it outside to explore. You can even teach some cats tricks!
Considerations - Although cats don’t need as much attention as dogs do, they still need to be looked after more than most pets. Another consideration is to think about which breed of cat will suit your family. If you feel you haven’t got a great deal of time, it would be suggested that you get a short haired cat as long-haired cats need regular brushing.
Rats
Rats have a bad name, but they actually make really nice pets for children and are definitely one of the better rodents for a child to have. Unlike hamsters, rats aren’t nocturnal so they’re happy to come out and play when your child wants them to. They’re also highly intelligent animals so they are easy to teach tricks to!
Considerations – Rats can be quite messy and smelly so they will need regular cleaning. They also prefer to live in pairs so you’ll need to have 2 rather than just 1. They generally only live for 2 years, so make sure you’re ready for the heartbreak when the time comes.
Guinea Pigs
Another cuddly pet in the rodent family. These small pets are perfect for children as they’re friendly and don’t tend to bite or scratch. They’ll also sit with you and don’t tend to run off.
Considerations – Guinea pigs like rats are quite messy and will need to be cleaned out regularly. They also eat a lot more food than your average rodent so the cost can add up.
Fish
A fish is the perfect first pet for any child as they don’t need a huge commitment but they need enough care and attention for your child to appreciate the time pets require. They also need very little commitment with their main priorities being feeding and cleaning out.
Considerations – If not looked after properly, fish can die very quickly. These can be down to very simple causes so death can happen a lot more frequently than other pets.
Please remember, pets are for life. Make sure you are 100% ready to make the commitment before you buy any pet.
Do your kids have pets? Tell us why they love them in the comments below!