More than 50 bucks to feed a pet? No, probably not. What I advise is this: if you are really set on getting a puppy, research, research, research. Research what breed will best suit your lifestyle, what health problems a breed might be prone to, what kind of attitude does it have, how long will they live, etc. Do not buy whatever looks cute. Once you think you have found a breed, know your rights as a consumer. Find out what your state’s pet lemon laws are. Try to find a private breeder over a pet store or “puppy nursery”. Visit several breeders. Find a vet before you even get the puppy. I have outlined how to find a vet in the Pet Health thread. Get price quotes on all basic care. If you get a puppy I can tell you right now you will spend HUNDREDS of dollars in the first six months you have it. Be aware that a puppy turns into a 14 years or more commitment. Accidents and emergencies can and will happen at some point and it can run into THOUSANDS of dollars. (Last night we had a man come in with a cat with a foriegn body, between diagnostics, surgery, and post op care, the bill was 1,000). As a vet tech, the one thing I hear all too often is, “If only we had known how much money this was going to cost us, we never would have gotten a pet.” Please don’t be an owner like that. Get pet insurance. Check out costs of obedience classes. You could probably save yourself a lot of money at the start if you get a mutt from the pound, an older one who is already housebroken, up to date on shots (at least for a year), and spayed or neutered. If you must have a purebred, you can inquire about breed specific rescue groups. A friend of mine got two Akitas that way. Just really know what you are getting into before you do ANYTHING.
You’re right about food, Tatie. It’s not too expensive for smaller dogs. I feed my 30 lb. dog Nutro Lamb and Rice Formula (I have no affiliation with the company, just like their stuff.). She gets 1/2 a cup twice a day and it takes her about three weeks to get through a five-pound bag.
Vet bills, on the other hand, are soooo unpredictable. Crease had problems with her urinary tract when she was a puppy. She had crystals in her urine which led to vaginitis over and over. The vet theorized that the problem was an immature immune system and put her on prescription dog food for a few months. We switched her back to regular food in November and the problem has cleared up. Between February and November we saw the vet about eight times and spent about $450.00 total. That doesn’t count her puppy shots ($75.00) and spay ($150.00).
We think it was all worth it, of course, but our story just goes to show you that anything can happen.
Getting a dog has changed our lives, for sure!
Have you considered a rock?
BTW, I’d probably vote against cold-blooded critters for a five-year-old, as well. We have had a number of lizards, snakes, frogs, and turtles (along with some millipedes). Some of them are very low maintenance (once you’ve provided a warm terrarium, it isn’t that hard to feed them or clean it). However, it is not easy to tell when they are ill. We lost our dragon to an internal infection–and we do watch for problems.
Tom~
Well, it looks like we’ve run into a bit of a problem in finding a new pet. See, my husband is in the army, and we got to talking about what we would do with a pet when it’s time to move and we realized that none of the alternatives were very good.
The only animals that we can take back to the States with us are cats and dogs. We have no idea where we are going and it seems like it would be very stressful for both us and the pet.
We talked about getting a smaller animal and giving it away when we moved, but that just seems mean. My philosophy with pets is if I wouldn’t do it to my son, I won’t do it to an animal.
So, I guess we’re just going to have to stick with the fish for now, because I know that when I leave my mother will be able to give them a good home.
Thanks again for all the good advice, I am saving it for when we move & find a stable place to live. I feel very disappointed right now, but I’m glad that we thought this through before making such a big commitment. I am also feeling very bitter thinking about all the lousy, no good people who have pets, when decent loving homes like mine must remain pet-free. Can you tell I’ve just read Michelle’s “I am sick” thread?
BTW, we did not tell our son that he might be getting a pet, so the poor little boy won’t be disappointed. Instead we will be making a contribution to the local animal shelter in his name. 
Our ferret is the best pet I have ever shared space with. Ferrets are easily litter trained, they are playful, very curious and very friendly. Be sure the ferret is de-scented and neutered, but even so, be prepared to shampoo the guy at least every two weeks. We use a cage for our ferret when traveling, otherwise he has free run of our house. Other than a tendency to climb into bed with us at 3:00 AM, he is no problem at all. Ours has never bitten anyone, in spite of some rough handling by young children.
Crystalguy, do you know if you can take a ferret on a plane? Or if hotels will accept them? We will be flying internationally, I don’t know if that makes any difference, but I’ve only known of people taking dogs and cats on board.
I don’t know, I guess it would be just as stressful for a ferret to have to live out of a suitcase for a month or two as it would for a dog.
I think I’m going to go to my room now and sulk about this for a while. 
Tater, if you don’t know what part of the US you’re going to end up in, ferrets aren’t a good idea for your family. There are a number of places in the US where it’s illegal to own them.
My wife flew from Seatle to Tampa with the ferret and the poor thing was relegated to the pressurized cargo hold. She says he was in poor shape when she recovered him. Plus, she jumped through a million hoops to get the airline to accept him in the first place. Travel with a ferret is traumatizing for us and the ferret. I have no idea if a ferret would even be allowed to travel internationaly. It is true that many states deem ferret possesion illegal. Ignorance on the part of the lawmakers, but what else is new? Ferrets are deemed to be wild animals but in truth, the domesticated ferrets are about the only ones left. There are efforts underway to restore the black footed ferret to its original territory but I don’t know how those efforts are progressing. But, once you get past a few difficulties, ferrets as pets are very rewarding.
I wanted to say that there are many ferret clubs, owners associations, etc. I seem to have lost my links to them (new computer) but they are easy enough to locate. Hunt up a local club and get their opinions on vets. Ferrets are considered to be an “exotic” pet and many vets just aren’t familiar with them. I wasn’t either until I met Marcie and Ferry The Ferret. I soon fell in love with both.
When I was around five, I got a guinea pig. It was the best pet I ever had. Guinea pigs are very playful, very easy-going, and very easy to clean up after. You can feed them pellets and the odd vegetable (mine was a lettuce fiend). Plus, since they’re bigger than mice or rats, you can play with them ‘loose’ without worrying about them vanishing into tight spaces.
They can also be quite long-lived. I had mine for eight years, and it was an adult when I got it. I say, guinea pig all the way.
I, too, think a dog is a good idea in this situation, especially as the parents are realistic about who is really going to be the ones primarily responsible for the pet’s welfare.
Respectfully, I would point out that, while Golden Retriever’s are wonderful, friendly family dogs, they usually have a very high energy level for the first few years and may not be the best choice for an apartment setting.
I agree with and emphasize the need to find a good breeder if looking for a puppy. Pet stores often use puppy mills as sources for their puppies meaning you not only have a poorly-bred and, possibly sickly, animal, but you are helping support the puppy mills, too if you buy from them. Most good breeders will be on call to you for the life of the dog you buy from them.
A Corgi is a good small dog for children. Corgis love children, generally, and are very tough and loving. Firmness is necessary in their early training, though, because they are often very strong-minded.
Check all over the internet. All dog breeds are represented in web pages, the AKC has a page with links to every bit of information you could want.
Another thought is a partly or fully grown dog from the pound. Don’t be misled by the idea that there are only hopeless rejects there. There are many wonderful dogs to be found at shelters. They are there for a large variety of reasons - most often due to owners who should never have had a dog in the first place.
I’m Marcie using the Crystalguy’s computer. A comment about taking the ferret on an airplane - If the airline does not let you take the ferret onboard in the cabin with you don’t take it. (And find out for sure before checking in at the airport. Get a definite answer and get the ticket beforehand with the pet included as a carry-on so you don’t have a problem at the last minute.)
If you put it in the cargo area, he/she is very likely to be very very tramautized. The ferret first will have all the air sucked out of his lungs and then depending if you are flying at night or day and what part of the country and at what altitude, etc. Variations in temperature maybe to great for the ferret to endure, he/she could easily die. If he/she does handle the temp. it is still very possible to have a major bodily function just simply to stop working properly. Once a major system is effected the ferret can be in a crisis fast and once in a crisis the ferret will deteriorate rapidly. Also on the airplane, hot or cold temp’s can put the ferret in a crisis. Hot temps or overheating could kill the ferret. You should not tranquilize the ferret either as they are so small that a tranq can also be dangerous (their hearts can just stop beating). If no one is around that knows what to do to get the ferret out of medical crisis he/she is history.
Take your ferret to a kennel or have a pet sitter come to your house and take care of your ferret when you are away - you will be doing your ferret a great favor. Even though you may miss him/her or the ferret may experience feeling lonely it is much more humane - it is much better for the ferret to stay at home then experience any of the above I have described. I know ferrets and I have been thru several medical crisis with mine so I know what I’m talking about when I say their systems are fragile.
Marcie