If you’re looking to teach your children about responsibility, it’s well worth giving in to your children’s request for their first pet. While cats and dogs, maybe the obvious choice, continue reading to discover a wide variety of suitable family pets to consider.
5 of the best family pets:
Dogs
A family dog will give your children more attention than a cat or fish and will happily spend countless hours playing fetch with your children. If you opt to add a dog to your family, you’ll also be able to spend quality time as a family, by creating a family ritual of taking your dog to the park or for a walk each evening. As an added benefit, most dogs will also watch out for your child and will alert you if your child is in danger.
Hamsters
If you’re looking for a pet which is fairly independent and doesn’t require a great deal of human social interaction, you may be interested in purchasing a hamster. As hamsters are cute and cuddly and will tolerate being pet by your children but don’t need to be taken for a walk or played with, in order to remain healthy and happy. As a bonus, hamsters are fairly low maintenance and their cage only needs to be cleaned once per week, which most children will be happy to do.
Axolotls
Axolotls are also known as Mexican salamanders and are the perfect choice for busy families who can’t commit to taking care of a dog but are looking for a family pet which is more exciting than a goldfish. Axolotls are incredibly cute and boast arms and legs as well as interesting gills which grow from the side of their heads. Your children will love watching an axolotl hide in their tank and will get great enjoyment out of racing their family members to be the first to spot their axolotl each time it hides.
Rats
Rats make better pets than mice as they are extremely intelligent and can be taught to perform tricks, such as walking across a piece of rope, like a tightrope artist. You can even train a rat to spin around in a circle, in exchange for an edible treat.
Rats are also affectionate pets and once your children earn their rat’s trust, it will feel at home sleeping on their lap or perching itself on your children’s shoulders whilst they complete their homework or watch tv.
Rabbits
Rabbits also make a great family pet as they boast a relatively long lifespan of 5-10 years and if hand raised, will be perfectly happy to be cuddled by your kids. Just make sure to choose the right breed of rabbit for your family as some breeds are more affectionate and child-friendly than other breeds. As a bonus, if you choose to keep your rabbits outdoors in a hutch, your children will be more inclined to spend time outdoors!
So if you’re looking for the perfect addition to your family, it’s well worth considering purchasing a rabbit, a rat, an exotic axolotl, a hamster or a dog. All of which make excellent family pets!
