Help me choose a family pet

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

We’ve decided to get our son a pet for his fifth birthday, and are trying to figure out what kind of pet to get.

Our first choice would be a dog, however we live in a fourth floor apartment(no elevator)so I’m not sure how well that would work out. We do have several areas nearby for the dog to go potty and exercise, so that’s not a problem. I’m mostly concerned that we’d need a smaller dog, and I’ve heard that most small breeds are not good with younger children. The stairs are also a concern.

Other than that, I’m open to anything except cats and birds. I’m deathly allergic to cats, and for some reason I get this creepy feeling around birds.

My husband thinks that a reptile/amphibian would be cool, but I’m worried about salmonella and I think that our son would prefer something more cuddly.

I don’t know much about rabbits, hamsters, ect. Do they do well with children?

Other concerns are money, I can spend $500 max on the animal & all initial supplies, plus about $50 a month on food & misc.

Of course we realize that we will be the ones responsible for caring for the pet, although I do plan on training my son to do as much as he can.

So, if any one can provide advice, web sites, books, please help. I plan on doing a lot of research before we make this commitment, and any help you all could provide will be most appreciated. :slight_smile:

2

My vote is for Strainger. He’d make a fine family pet.

3

We always had small dogs (poodles, mostly) when I was growing up. My parents chose poodles because my brother was allergic to dog hair, and they don’t shed. I think as long as the dog grows up with children around and the parents are careful to teach the child how to treat the dog gently, there shouldn’t be any problem.

My mother is partially disabled now and they have trained their current dog to do all its business on a waterproof mat in the laundry room. The mat is similar to ones used in hospitals to protect bed linens–you can find them in any drug store. I’m not sure you would want to do this, but it’s an option and kind of nice for the dog when it has to be alone for a few hours. You would have to make sure that the dog gets exercise, but with a five-year-old that probably wouldn’t be a problem.

We also had hamsters and mice when I was a kid. I think I would want my child to be a bit older. They can be fun, but you should be aware that they don’t live very long.

4

Tough one.

I would’ve suggested a small caged animal, like a hamster, gerbil, or rabbit. But after this Christmas, I wouldn’t suggest that for a 5 year old. I saw two boys with a new pet bunny. The older one was fine, but the younger one, about 5, terrorized the poor thing. You have to remember that they’re living beings, not toys.

A dog would probably be the best choice. They’re social, plus they can handle the playfulness of children.

As to breed, you’ll have to do some research. One pet store in my area has a computer where you input your info like family composition, living space, etc., and it’ll tell you the best breed to choose.

Besides money, also be prepared to spend lots of time with it. Dogs get lonely, and if left alone inside, will get into everything in an attempt to relieve their boredom. Also, they need to be trained.

If Michelle reads your topic, she’ll probably have better suggestions; she’s a professional. :slight_smile:

When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled

5

#1 draft choice for me is a Golden Retriever; wonderful with kids, big enough to take a tussling, and beautiful, too!

Find a reputable breeder, see both parents if possible, and select the smallest female of the litter. You won’t be disappointed!

VB

Tempus is fugiting all over the place! Carpe that diem!

6

Rabbits make wonderful pets! They’re affectionate, cuddly, and easy to care for. The only catch is that they are not good pets for small children. They are very highly-strung, and kids really can’t be expected to treat them with the calm gentleness that they need.

Growing up, I had hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs as pets. The guinea pigs tended to live about a year, and the other animals not as long. They can pick up colds and such from people, and are very susceptible to going to the Big Exercise Wheel In The Sky when they do. If nothing else, they teach children about the inevitability of death.

Dogs are grand pets, and particular breeds are very good with children. They do need exercise and a chance to do their business, and they need time and attention, which may not be so easy to give once your son is in school.

How about fish? They rate a -5 on the cuddling scale, but can be very interesting to watch. I had a Siamese Fighting Fish, otherwise known as a Beta, on my desk at work long ago, and grew surprisingly attached to him. His name was Sid Fishious. Not to recommend this particular type, but just to say that fish can have more personality than you might think.

7

A golden retreiver in an apartment? I wouldn’t.

I think dogs are almost always good with the children they’re raised with, even if they are of a breed that’s not usually “good” with kids. I’d suggest a small, good-tempered dog (like a Dacshund or a Jack Russell), or even a little mutt from the pound. I’d get a puppy, though, so that it can be raised with the kids and so that it won’t miss an “out-doors” sort of lifestyle because it won’t ever have had one.

I have a cocker spaniel, and when I got her I purposely chose the runt of the litter because I wanted a small dog, and she did stay pretty small, even for a cocker. She always lived in an apartment, until I bought my house last fall, and, as a consequence, is strictly an in-door dog. I mean, I walk her twice a day (short walk in the morning, long walk after work), which gets her outside (and she loves to go for walks) but she doesn’t like to be outside by herself or to be left outside – it makes her nervous because she’s not used to it.

If you live in an apartment and decide to get a small dog, be prepared for more responsibility. You can’t just toss the dog out periodically, and you won’t have a yard to leave it in. You’ll have to be willing to walk the dog often and to clean up after it, as curbing your dog in parks or public places without cleaning up is totally irresponsible and in many places illegal. House-training in an apartment is more of a challenge, too; be prepared to make 100 trips outside a day with the dog for a while.

Jodi

Fiat Justitia

8

How about a rat? Rats are surprisingly social, very clean, and generally pleasant animals to have around. They are sturdy enough to play with, but don’t require the walking that a dog would, and won’t wander like a cat would. Most people I know who’ve had rats really enjoyed them. They can be kept in a cage or terrarium setting, but they enjoy being out and played with.
The only problem with a rat is that the lab (white) variety is prone to tumors, and lots of people aren’t willing to go to the expense of treating them, and just have them put down. They are usually good for about 3-4 years, though.

9

Tot that is Tateresque, I’m a dog person so I vote: Dog!

There are many breeds which thrive in apartments. Check out these web sites for some ideas:
http://www.petsource.com/ADOG/e3w/a.htm
http://www.petnet.com.au/dogselectapet.html
http://www5.purina.personalogic.com
(At this site, I think you’ll have to click the dog link to get to that part.)

Good luck in your search, girlfriend!

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.

10

Dogs and apartments are a poor mix I learned the hard way. If you decide on a dog though, do not go for a ‘toy’ breed. Try terriers instead. Some pounds and shelters will let you ‘dibs’ a type of dog - if one comes in, you’re on the list. For God’s sake do not buy a dog from a mall type pet store.
OTOH, I really enjoyed the tropical fish tank we had when I was a kid. You can start small, 10 gallons or so, give the child the tank then take him out to pick his own fishy occupants. As I recall, mollies and tetras mix well, but angel fish tend to eat everybody else. There are scads of books on tropical fish from novice tank to salt water fanatic out there.
Just my two cents.

All you need to start an asylum is an empty room and the right kind of people.

11

They may not be available in your area, but turtles are terribly high maintenance. I wouldn’t recommend getting one unless you have a yard. I got a turtle in grade 6, and he was about an inch and a half long (not counting head and tail). They said “keep him in a small tank and he won’t grow much.” Ha! Two new aquariums and a pond in the garden later…He was nearly a foot long when the neighbours cat killed him 5 years later.

We never had a problem with salmonella. We were very careful about always scrubbing with soap after playing with him, and were careful not to get bit. If you have the space and don’t mind cleaning the tank every week, they’re fun pets. They love to explore outside and climb over things and try to bury themselves, and have their shell scratched. If I knew I wouldn’t be moving in the next couple years, I’d get another.

My sister now has a bearded dragon named Hades. He’s rather easy to look after. He only poops once or twice a week. He eats crickets, meal worms, chopped veggies, bits of cooked chicken, and any household bugs. He’s not the cuddliest thing, but he enjoys sitting on shoulders and exploring. They need heat though (that’s why they named him Hades…his tank is as hot as hell). He’s one of the few pets that being left in the car in summer is good for them.

Iguanas start small, but they get big. And they’re really messy when they poop. They hate pooping in their cages, so they wait until you let them out…then go under the blanket folded up on your bed or climb up your new drapes.

Fish can be fun, but they’re more likely to die if their bowl or tank is cleaned frequently.

12

OOPS! Sorry; I skimmed over that part; I agree.
If you want a smaller dog, my two reccomendations are miniature Schnauzers, and Scotties. Although both breeds can have that terrier temperamentality, these two tend to be calmer than most.

VB

Tempus is fugiting all over the place! Carpe that diem!

13

With your serious finanical constraints I strongly advise AGAINST getting a cat or a dog.

Hamsters are notorious biters.

Gerbils and rats are much more friendly. Rats are smarter than gerbils. Both, however, are delicate and children should not be allowed to handle them unsupervised. If supervision isn’t a problem, I’d probably go this way.

I also advise against reptiles, unless you do a LOT of research beforehand. These creatures are much, much, much harder to take care of than many people realize…good diet, proper lighting, temperature, humidity…this can be a lot of work for the novice. You don’t want to know how many horribly ill reptiles have come through my hospital, all due to ignorance of proper care.

So my vote goes for the gerbil/rat category. You still need to do researtch before you buy, because while rodents are rather easy to take care of, they do still have special needs most people don’t meet.

Good luck.

14

I have had guinea pigs and gerbils as pets when I was young.

I loved the guinea pigs and mine usually lived about three years. They are cute and cuddly and don’t take up much room. The most important thing is to keep their cage clean. I used a large aquarium as a cage, it was convenient to dump out the bedding and hose out the aquarium.

Gerbils are a good pet too but they don’t live as long. Most of mine croaked after about a year and a half. One disadvantage of gerbils is that if they get out of their cage they are hard to catch.

If you want a dog in an apartment get a SMALL dog. One of the best breeds I have seen is a minature Shih Tzu. They stay small and have good temperments. They tend to be a bit expensive though. A regular Shih Tzu is still a pretty small dog too, and less expensive.

Do not buy a Schnauzer! I’m sure there are exceptions but every one I ran across barked and bit like crazy.

If you get a dog, get one from a reputable breeder.

good luck

“It’s like banging your head against a wall because it feels so good when you stop.”

15

When our eldest was bugging us for a pet and Mrs. kunilou didn’t want to be saddled with another job of cleaning up, the two of them compromised on a snake. They’re remarkably low maintenance, you can get pretty non-aggressive ones, they’re relatively inexpensive, except for rare breeds, and while they’re not what you’d call playful, you can at least take them out of their cage and pet them, unlike fish. Like other pets, it’s best to find a reputable breeder and not rely on a mall pet store.

Two big drawbacks. Number one, they try to escape constantly, so you have to be very careful about making sure the cage is locked, etc. Number two, a lot of people hate snakes, and are completely freaked out by them.

16

How about “Tommy the Tapeworm?” You don’t have to feed him or clean up after him, and you’ll drop those extra pounds off in no time. No? How about “Louise the Louse?” She feeds hermself, doesn’t take up too much space, and has lots and lots of babies for all your sons friends to take home and enjoy, too. Still no? Geez, what’s wrong with you?

Really, though, what’s your aversion to birds? They make great pets. I had a love bird (“Birdie”, real creative, uh?) that was fabulous. Smart, clean, beautiful to look at and very affectionate (when he wanted to be). They don’t take up much room and are great with kids. And they live as long, if not longer, than cats and dogs. Plus no hair all over the house. Excellent choice, if you ask me.

17

Thanks for the suggestions guys, you’ve given me a lot to think about. Luckily, his birthday isn’t until July so I’ve got a lot of time to research.

I’m assuming he comes already housebroken? Hmmm, I just might do it since kiddo is also bugging us for a sibling…

Michelle, are smaller dogs really that expensive to feed? The last time I had a dog, my parents took care of the money-side, so I really have no idea! BTW, the $50 a month I quoted was only for food. I plan on asking the vet how much regular check-ups and shots cost around here and plan accordingly. We keep a pretty good amount in savings, so that should cover illness/emergencies and as a last resort we could put it on credit cards. Does that make a difference, or would it still not be enough?

Dirty Devil, I don’t know why, but birds really do freak me out. Not wild ones, just the house kind. We used to have this budgie, and she’d give me this look, I still get shivers just thinking about it.

And for everybody who suggested fish, we’ve already got an aquarium, I’m just trying to figure out where to put it so that it won’t get too much sun, drafts and convient to an outlet so we won’t be tripping over cords. This new pet is just for our son, even though I’ll be the one on poop patrol.

18

Get a Piranha!! They are great pets! I had two of them, but the older kid decided to put her hand in the tank and lost the tip of her index finger.
Just kidding, actually the kids were taught to stay away from the tank, and to never, ever, ever put anything into the tank. When I bought the Piranha’s both were only the size of my thumbnail, but they grew to be bigger than my hand, and about four fingers wide. We first fed them with flake food until they got large enough to take on guppies, and then they graduated to goldfish.
They were never aggresive towards my hand, in fact, they were scared of it and hid on the other side of the tank. The tank was a 60 or 70 gallon setup, I don’t recall, as we sold it to a friend after we got sick of moving the damn thing.

Find my shape by the moonlight, why my thoughts aren’t so clear.

19

As a die-hard critter fan, I’d suggest a rabbit or a guinea pig. (Hey, check out my email addy; where d’ya think I got the “rodentia” thing?)

I love dogs, cats and reptiles, but hey all are somewhat care-intensive, and your apt. venue and the age of the child factors in.

Rats really are great pets, as are gerbils. If you want nearly carefree, try a gerbil. They’re desert critters, so they don’t (bluntly) piss all that much. But they can be pretty fragile and skittish for a child.
Rats are very friendly and trainable, and somewhat less “itsy”.

I’ve had a total of 6 guinea pigs, from all those “starved apartment dweller” days. They are very friendly and “tameble”, and none of mine lived less than 5 years. (My first, a snuggly Peruvian (longhair) named Endust lived until almost 8.)

So I’m partial, but I’d go w/ a guinea pig (aka squeaker). Females are gentler, but all need more care in terms of keeping the cage clean. A “drop through” floor helps a lot; just dump the newspaper and put in clean.

They more you handle, cuddle and love them, the tamer they are. But you’ll need to do some “handling” training, to help little hands learn that it’s an animal, and can get scared/hurt easily. And they can bite, but if you get a sweet-tempered squeaker the “fright” instinct can be overcome.

The most important thing, for your child and the pet, is that trust is learned. It takes patience, but the rewards are enormous. I could gush on forever, but it’s a great thing to have a warm, loving being to teach responsibility and love.

IMO, every kid should have a loving critter to care for and talk to. Therapy pets aren’t just an idle concept.

Sorry, wandered far afield on that one.

Veb

20

If you’re allergic to cats, you might want to test to see if you’re allergic to rabbits/rats/gerbils, too. My husband is allergic to all of those.