For families who are considering choosing a family pet, you should consider an animal that all members of the family are going to enjoy. There are many different animals that could make a great pet, from dogs and cats, to turtles or other small rodents (hamsters, mice, etc). So, before making the choice, families should consider all options, and ask all family members what they would like best, prior to selecting the animal to bring home as a first pet.
When you have smaller children, a pet that is interactive, loving, and fun to play with might be the best option to look for when choosing a family pet. Dogs are probably the best option, especially with younger kids. Breeds like Retrievers are probably the nicest breed, as they are loving, will play with the kids, and are caring pets. For those who want a house pet, a cat or other pets like a turtle might be a great choice. They are small, inside animals, and are easy to care for. Additionally, they keep to themselves, and do not make a mess in areas other than the designated liter box or cages.
Introducing Your Pet to the Family
After choosing a family pet, you have to know how to introduce it in to your family. With younger kids, you are going to want to bring the dog (or other pet) in slowly. You should let the pet learn its way through the home, get used to the family members, and most importantly, go at its own pace. Making sure the kids do not move too quickly and trying not to force the pet to do things it does not want to do is also important. Letting the pet get accustomed to his/her surroundings, where they will live, and who the owners are, is an extremely important part of the introduction process.
Interaction
Once the pet has made itself comfortable with the home, the kids, and owners, you can now start allowing the kids to interact and play with the pet. Especially with dogs, as they are so loving and interactive, once they know who the owner is, they are extremely loyal. Playing out in the yard, inside, or anywhere else the pet is allowed to be, is suggested, so that the dog learns who the owners are and how to play and interact with them. With younger kids, parents must be around early on to ensure the kids do not do something to irritate the pet, which may cause it to lash out in defense.
There is no one set way to introduce the pet in to the home; you have to give it time to get accustomed to the family, its new home, and surroundings. After choosing a family pet, give it a few days to learn who will be caring for it and that it is now living in a caring home. From there on, each family will go about interaction, caring for, and playing with their pets in a different manner than other families.
If your new pet still seems a bit stressed and is not adjusting well, pick up our guide to the upper right of this page titled “10 Ways Your Pet Can Become Stressed and What You Can Do About It.” Apply the techniques we suggest and your pet will be on its way to feeling right at home.
