One of the most inevitable things that comes with having children, is the fact that your kids are going to want a pet at some stage. And it’s a wish that shouldn’t be denied, because giving your child a pet teaches them about caring for another creature, about responsibility and it hopefully awakens an interest in nature. But it’s a road that isn’t as easy to navigate as you might think because for every pet that is good for children there are plenty that aren’t so great. Generally speaking you want something that isn’t too big, that’s not too much maintenance and which, when you as the parent are inevitably left to look after it, you don’t find repulsive or annoying. So here’s our guide of kid friendly pets.
Man’s best friend
You can’t go too far wrong with a dog. Steer clear of animals that are either too big or too aggressive and you should be fine. But some dogs have reputations for being better with children than others. For instance se if you can find bichon frise puppies for sale. Not only are they incredibly cute, with their fluffy white fur, they are also extremely tolerant and friendly animals. They are not too big, they are hypoallergenic and they don’t require too much exercise. Because let’s face it, the biggest downside of getting your five year old a dog is that you are going to be the one walking it most of the time. It’s why smaller pets are often better picks.
Fish
They are great to look at and they can have a very calming effect on youngsters as they watch the brightly coloured fellows swim round and round their tank. Fish can be the lowest maintenance pets or they can just spell trouble. The key is to not get overly complicated. Try and find fish that can live in unheated water for a start. The second you bring a thermostat into the mix you are looking at problems. And yes, while warm-water fish tend to have brighter colours and be a little more dazzling, they are a lot more difficult to maintain and their turn-over can be quite high.
Rodents
One of the best solutions because they can be cuddled and held, watched for hours, they are cute to look at and in some instances they can even be trained. Conveniently they live for just about the right length of time as well. Here we are thinking of rats and hamsters or other pets; active little guys, who are not fussy about what they eat, who don’t need walks or to be brushed but who handle easily and love nothing more than scuttling over curious hands and bodies when they are played with outside of their cages.
Birds
Parrots can very entertaining but they live for ages and might not be the best solution for little children. They can also be quite moody and badly disposed to certain people. Budgies and cockatiels are a better bet. Musical and gregarious, they are great to look at, and they can even be trained to perform simple tricks. My grandmother’s cockatiel learned to eat seeds off her tongue, which, for a party trick she would stick through the bars of the cage to amuse her friends.
