How do you know what pet is for you?

kjmtidea

Strange question I know! I absolutely love animals and luckily so does my other half. We discussed getting a dog for years when we moved but when the time came we decided that our lifestyle was not really suitable. We have 4 children so do a lot of days out etc in the holidays and we can't leave a dog at home all day.

We got 2 cats instead who are now 10 months old and the love of our life :rotfl:. We did recently rehome 2 more cats but one of them became so withdrawn not eating, drinking etc that the lady wanted to take them both back .

Ideally I would love a dog, a couple more cats, some chickens and ducks. If only.
So how did you choose your pets? Is it just a bit of what you fancy with a bit of whats suitable?!

catflea

On a basic level, Yes

Claire_Bear

I've always wanted either a cat or a dog since I was a kid but was never allowed either. Gradually I've grown to be more of a cat person so when I was in a position where I was able to get a bigger pet I decided to get a cat, I've always wanted an older rescue kitty so that's how Pepsi came to live here I think with a dog we don't have enough space or time so even if that's what we'd decided on it wouldn't have been suitable for our current situation. I'd love a pair of rats as well but OH is allergic I think it's safe to say though at some point I've wanted pretty much every animal as a pet... snakes, tarantulas, fishies, hamster (which I had), stick insects... :rotfl: You have to restrain yourself otherwise I'd be living in a menagerie by now!

Rummer

Guinea pigs are fabulous for all the family! We have had every type of small furry as well as cats and they shine through (don't tell my cats and the rabbit though!)

bulchy

Well we have a menagerie here. When the kids were young we had a german shepherd who died of old age, then we inherited mils cat when she died, this cat didnt like dogs so we went for 7 years with out a dog :eek: when she died of old age, I vowed that the 2 kittens we got to replace her would be dog friendly, so we rescued our weimaraner straight away, he was the love of my life, sadly we only had 4 wonderful years with him but I will never forget him, he was the most special dog anyone could meet. We now have:- 2 dogs, 2 cats, 5 snakes, 2 bearded dragons and coldwater fish. I have 2 dogs as I absolutely love walking them, unfortunately the oldest (4 year old american cocker who acts like an old lady :rotfl:) isnt too keen on walks, good job I've got my Dexter, hes a weimeraner pup and loves walkies, so thats me happy As for all the reptiles, well the oh and kids bought most of them, I do most of the looking after of them, but I love them all, they cost me a fortune but my pets are my hobby.
Sue

babyshoes

In our case, my OH really wanted a ferret. I had never really met one, and heard rumours that they stink and bite, so I really wasn't keen at first, and wanted a cat... Then she took me to meet some at a ferret rescue, and I fell in love. They are the perfect pets for us, as we both work and live in a 1 bed flat. They live quite happily in a big cage in the lounge, and they sleep for most of the day, then go hyper (like kittens on red bull) for a while when I take them out to play in the morning and evening.

The smell is fairly distinctive, but if you keep the litterbox clean they don't smell any worse than any other animal, especially once they are neutered (entire males DO stink...). As for biting, it is true they CAN bite, as can a cat or dog. If they are properly socialised, they won't bite unless stressed or threatened - just like a cat or dog! They are surprisingly inteligent for a small animal, can be taught tricks, get bored with the same toys after a while, use the litterbox accurately (most of the time) and definitely know the word 'NO'! They all have different personalities and enjoy different things, which is part of what makes them so lovable! I have 4, and they are all very different.

If you have a busy lifestyle but can commit to a couple of hours each day to let them have a supervised play time, they are wonderful, friendly and lovable pets. Best to get them from a rescue though, as they youngsters do need a lot of time and patient handling to socialise them. They never really grow up anyway, just get a *little* less hyper as they get older. I wouldn't recommend them for very young children though, as they are so excitable, and get underfoot easily and quickly.

DKLS

For me its matching my lifestyle with a pet, I would love to have a dog again, but we both work fulltime, and travel a lot hence it simply wouldn't be practical or fair to have a dog, hence we have 2 cats and a tank full of fish.

foreign_correspondent

Consider the lifespan of the pet and it's needs first - and whether you can commit to meeting it's needs on a daily basis for the entirity of its lifespan - a mouse, for example, just needs food, water and cleaning out, and only for about a year.

A dog needs food, water, exercise, walks, mental stimulation and company - and, depending on breed, maybe for the next fifteen - twenty years... a cat is more independent, and does not require daily walks, but generally lives slightly longer... think about what your lifestyle is now, and what it may be over the entire lifespan of a pet.

There are also variations between breeds... a moggy may be far more self reliant, healthier and lower maintainance than some extremely exaggerated breeds of cat. A greyhound may manage on half an hour daily walks, whereas a husky may destroy your house unless it gets seven or eight miles a day.

Disaster tends to strike when people obtain a pet that is entirely unsuitable for them and their lifestyle - someone who works long hours and hates walking taking on a collie or husky, for example, or even a lively terrier, is a recipe for problems and misery for both dog and owner.

monkeys_bunny

we have a 19month old Greyhound & a cross, little black god only knows what terrier, lad type 5 year old.

they are my kids and i love them as such, of course i do know that they are dogs.

anyway, little Defa needs far more exercise than Alfie the Greyhound. But cos Alfie is a puppy and basically a git he has chewed most of the house when he was younger. because of Alfie's breed he does steal everything that he sees on worktops, in cupboards, sheds etc

you are best to read up on a particular breed that you fancy first.

both ours are rescue dogs, we have had them since puppies and we arranged their grandma to look after them while we were at work, hols etc before we got them.

as long as your organised and sort out 'sitters' etc , read up on the particular breed. thats all you can do, every dog is different you may get a loveable Akita or a horrid Lab' all you can do is research and hope

I love my kids and wouldn’t change them for the world but they are hard work