A Pet for Your Child: Why it is Needed and How to Choose the Right One

Many parents face a situation when a child wants to get a pet so much that they are talking about it all day long. However, sometimes adults aren’t ready for a new family member. Nonetheless, psychologists note that communication with animals is beneficial for children and helps develop soft skills. Thus, they start taking care of another living creature, find a common language, and understand their needs. Unlike many parents, a pet will not turn a blind eye to a kid’s behavior. And a kid immediately gets a response to their actions. For example, if a kid pulls a cat’s tail, the pet will show that it doesn’t like that. So, it seems not a bad idea to get a furry friend for your child. But first, you should explain to the kid what kind of responsibility they will face. Many children don’t realize the scope of work connected with a new family member.

Main advantages of getting a pet

A pet is not just an animal that will run around the house, play, and entertain its owners. It can become your kid’s best friend and mentor that will teach them discipline, self-organization, and responsibility. The child begins to understand that the pet requires care, understanding, and love, unlike toys.

Well, of course, sometimes children come up with non-existent advantages of having a furry friend and treat it as a toy. When reality turns out to be different, the kid gets disappointed and refuses to take care of the pet. Thus, parents should explain to their kids that a pet is a living being with its character, desires, and feelings.

Anyway, animals help children with social adaptation and can serve even as psychotherapists for timid and shy owners. They are always ready to listen and sympathize. Besides, everybody knows that it is easier to make friends with other children when you have pets. 

What pet to take based on the kid’s age?

It is pointless to get a four-legged friend for a two-year-old kid because the latter will not effectively communicate with a pet. However, if your child is about four or more, it is worth thinking about getting a new family member, but you should be ready to take care of it. You can take fish, a parrot, a rabbit or a cat. Firstly, you should show the animal to your kid and talk about its character, habits, and possible behavior. Bear in mind that children can take the fish out of the aquarium or pull the cat’s tail strongly. So, you should watch your kid and explain everything in time to avoid such situations. Over time, the baby will develop a sense of responsibility.

A seven-year-old child can take care of the animal, so you can expand the range of their responsibilities. For example, they can feed, change the water, and comb out their pet. However, if you have a dog, it is not worth allowing the kid to walk it alone, even if you have the best rope dog leashes. Except for a dog, you can get fish, a bird, a hamster, or a cat.

A ten-year-old kid has a developed level of responsibility and understands that a pet requires care and attention, so you can get any pet they want.  

What pet to take based on the kid’s temper?

When choosing a new four-legged friend for your kid, it is worth considering their temper because the option that will be great for a calm kid can be a failure for an active one.

• Choleric person. Hyperactive kids will love the dog. Ideally, you should take a small breed puppy so that the child can walk it themselves. It can be a spaniel, lapdog, or pug. The ideal option would be dogs that can watch children, for example, a Labrador or a collie.
• Phlegmatic person. Calm and quiet children can do well with a small rodent, canary, or parrot. Dogs and cats can also be a great option for a little phlegmatic person. If you want to shake the child, it is worth getting a pug or spaniel. These dogs are playful and require attention.
• Melancholic person. Children of such temperament get along well with fish and cats. It is believed that these pets have a calming effect and normalize the nervous system.
• Sanguine person. Cheerful, active children will be glad to have any animal. Parrots, rats, dogs, hamsters, and cats are suitable for them.

Take it seriously

You should not buy a pet in a hurry. Spend enough time choosing an animal, study information about pets for children from various sources, consult with your pediatrician so that you do not have to give the animal back or face unexpected troubles.

You can get a furry friend either in a pet store or a specialized shelter. Tell your child that it is crucial to take care of animals because they cannot protect themselves, so helping them is a kind and responsible thing. And before getting a pet for your child, you should consider the following things.

• Allergy. This disease is common today, so be sure to check all family members for its presence or absence.
• The size of your accommodation. If you have a one-room apartment, there will be no space for large animals, so pay attention to small pets.
• Financial expenses. In addition to animal purchase, you will have to provide it with food, toys, care items, and veterinary services.