7 Best Pets for Families with Kids …
I remember my first pet, a beagle named Sneakers who had a talent for hopping on the kitchen counter and opening the cookie jar, eating everything he could manage before someone walked in on his thievery. Sneakers was a fantastic pet for the whole family, and I miss him still. If your kids are ready for a pet, and have been begging for one for as long as you can remember, then it might be time for a Sneakers or Spot or Fluffy. But which pet is right for your family? Here’s my list of the top pets for families with kids…
1. Dog
Photo Credit: dvm559
How many books and movies have been written about boys and their dogs? There’s a reason for that… dogs make great pets for children. They’re loyal and friendly but they do need a lot of care. Before you bring a dog home, you need to research breeds to make sure you’re getting a dog that’s good with children. Try a Brittney Spaniel or a Labrador, but avoid a Dalmatian or a Rottweiler or Pit Bull.
2. Fish
Photo Credit: Jonas Rask
They’re colorful, pretty, and interesting to watch. A fish would make a great pet for a child! Let your little one choose a fish, and let them help set up the tank or bowl. You’ll probably need to do the cleaning and maintenance of the tank, but let your child do the daily feeding.
3. Cat
Photo Credit: .rosebud.
Cats are fantastic pets for children because they’re soft and furry. But some children can be put off by their occasional aloofness and some cats don’t enjoy the attention of active, loud children. Be sure your cat likes kids and vice versa. Also, make sure you know in advance who will be responsible for feeding and watering the cat and changing the litter box.
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Have you heard, or don’t you care to remember, news stories about children being attacked by their pets!! ... See more A little 3 year old girl, had her face pulled off by her family pet dog, and her aunt blamed the little girl for teasing the dog. Lighten up pet lovers, and also think of the safety of the children who are damaged for life because of these animals. If you have animals and children, educate yourself about both, and never try to blame a child for provoking an animal to attack. I love animals, but do not trust them alone with children, and neither should anyone else!!!!
We’d like to apologize for posting some of the points that we did. It wasn’t our intention to hurt anyone or promote animal cruelty. We do agree that any ... See more animal can turn dangerous if not treated with care and it is our duty as humans and pet owners to make sure that they get the love and care they deserve. The post has been edited.
Thanks for pointing it out and voicing your concern :)
Also, declawing cats is a very wrong thing to do. It kills the cat ultimately, turning off the sense of balance shifting the spine, organs, and kills the animal far sooner then a natural animal would die. Claw caps are much safer for the children and animal. Declawed cats are afraid of their world and will bite far more often.
I also do not support rabbits as a child’s pet. At the moment I have a rabbit, and when not fixed they are sexually frustrated and violent, and even fixed are grumpy and hurt kids. I would add in guinea pigs, a gentle rodent who hardly ever bites and are sturdy, and rats, who are clean fun and gentle.
Any breed of dog is capable of causing injury if they are not raised with love and treated with respect.
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The same philosphy can be applied to all domestic pets and children should be taught to understand natural behaviour and respect the animal’s boundaries. Animals are not playthings there for our entertainment and amusement, they are sentient creatures capable of feeling pain and emotions. This is why I am so disgusted that you suggest declawing a cat before it’s even moved into it’s new home. This is wrong on so many levels. Not only is declawing the painful and totally unnecessary amputation of their toes, but you are making an assumption that cats cannot be trusted to be gentle around chidlren. Vets here in the UK have always refused to declaw and never even offer it as an option. Instead we are taught as children to understand the cat is not a toy and that if we upset them, we could end up getting scratched. This teaches us a healthy respect for the cat and more aware of their body language so that we understand when they want to be left alone.
A pet should be a cherished member of the family. So our decision on which species of animal to adopt should also include “which one can we provide the most enriching environment and happy lifestyle for?”.
Children need to be taught to handle cats GENTLY and with respect.They are NOT toys to have sharp bits removed, they are living feeling animals and come with claws for reasons.Those reasons are that they need them to walk as a cat needs to walk, groom, play AND exercise, as well as for self defence.
Many people who know how wrong it is to deprive a cat of these necessary parts are determined to get declawing banned.
So do some research and join those compassionate people please instead of promoting the abuse of more cats by your thoughtless and ignorant words.
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=002
Vet nurse UK
I am sorry if I came across as nasty, but this is really something I’m passionate about. When you work in a kill shelter every day trying to save dogs and see that most of the dogs being euthanized are wonderful wonderful Pit Bulls because people are scared to adopt them because of the stigma, I feel the need to speak out.