Thinking of getting a pet - recommendations?

[Bananas85]

Hi everyone, I have an 8 year old boy who is wonderful but he's been asking for a pet for quite a long time. I do feel a bit sorry for him as he's an only child, his cousins all live hours away and he's quite shy so doesn't have a big group of friends so part of me thinks a dog could be a perfect companion but I understand our lifestyle would need to change so its a big consideration.
Another option could be a cat as my son and I love them but my DH is not a fan and doesn't like them using litter trays inside (but also doesn't want an outdoor cat 🙄).
Does anyone have recommendations of breeds of cats or dogs or other pets that could work for a family of 3 (DH works from home full time so that part would be ok).

If you’re not going with dog or cat how about a rat? They’re amazing little creatures and enjoy human interaction and are also intelligent enough to train. You’d need more than one though.

What I can say is - do not get a Guinea Pig or a Rabbit.
When looked after correctly they are not entry level easy pets for children. They aren’t necessarily good at being handled, they can have complicated health issues, cost a lot in veterinary care (because again, if you’re doing it properly, they require Exotic specialists). I’ve been a rescuer fosterer for years and have had about 19 combined in total. I do not recommend them for children. Just saying that because someone will inevitably suggest them.

Dogs are a huge tie, so think about what that would mean for the future.
Cats are very much easier, and I believe that if you live somewhere where it is safe to let them out they should definitely NOT be indoor cats.
Gerbils are fun and can be looked after by your child himself. They don't take up a huge amount of space and if you go on holiday you can take the cage to someone rather than expecting someone to come to the gerbil.
Guinea pigs are very noisy and need a run, as do rabbits.
Rats are meant to be good company - and intelligent. I believe they can be a bit smelly though.
Hamsters are much the same as gerbils in the way of care I think....

@MandyMotherOfBrian Thats so funny as I had rats when I was a child and I absolutely loved them. My favourite was called Bitsy and she used to travel around in my pocket or on my shoulder haha. I agree on rabbits and guinea pigs - I also think they're quite boring as they don't always like interacting with people. I think in my mind I'd like a dog or cat, its just thinking of the practicalities.

Would a lidded litter tray or putting the litter tray inside a piece of furniture help your DH feel better? Something like this?

amzn.eu/d/02J20eqn

A dog is a huge commitment in time, energy & expense than most other small pets so unless you are all fully on board please don’t get a dog. I say this is someone who got a dog for the first time three years ago who is absolutely adored, but my goodness we really didn’t appreciate the sacrifices needed and we have the time, energy and money needed!

Cat. He’ll come around.

If you can afford a good Catio a cat can be indoor/outdoor and have their litter tray outside. Checking the tray and clearing it plus feeding the cat and playing with it would be good responsibilities for your son. If started young, cats of the right breed can be active playmates. Our four-year-old Burmese still plays Fetch the Mouse for hours with me.

Although cats will become family pets your son would learn they usually show more affection for the person who feeds and plays with them, and sits still enough for them to sleep on! I usually suggest people get two cats for company but if your son will invest the time a single cat would be OK.

He's a bit young at 8 to insist he takes 'his' dog for walks on his own in the rain....

Dogs are not practical.

There’s a post in Doghouse at the moment who is contemplating using ‘calming tablets’ (sedatives) on her 6 month old puppy because it can’t cope with being left alone (not that she should have left it alone for as long as she did but that is literally an entirely separate thread).

You’re looking at months, if not years, with certain breeds of you not being able to leave it alone for more than 30ish minutes at a time. If that.

Then there’s breed considerations - mongrel, designer doodle (a huge risk in terms of supporting animal abuse) or pedigree? Size. Characteristics. Life span. Behavioural challenges some breeds are prone to. Making sure it’s the right breeder for you that you use. Making sure you don’t support an animal abuser or puppy farmer. The cost (my youngest is a year and costs about £400 a month). The issues with other dog walkers.

A dog is a toddler all its life until it’s old, and then you have (essentially) a frail pensioner who is totally reliant on you.

If you’re willing to go through all that, and potentially have a dog that isn’t even interested in your child…great. But don’t get a dog thinking it’ll be the child’s best friend - I know lots that aren’t. And I spend far too much time helping re-home dogs that have bitten children your son’s age because the child pushed the dog too far and didn’t understand boundaries.

None of that is said to put you off, but for you to be realistic. I love my dogs. I wouldn’t be without them. But they’re not easy and dogs aren’t a decision made just because your child is lonely and wants a friend.

If you do decide on a cat, find a local rescue where they’re fostered in people’s homes. They’ll be able to recommend a cat who’s likely to get on with kids.

We have a local cat rescue centre near us which always have kittens and young cats available so may be worth a discussion with them. Although if we were going down the route of a cat I have always been partial to Ragdolls, Main Coons and Burmese :)

Just get a moggy. There are so many in rescues that need a loving home.

Most cat rescues are absolutely packed right now because of all the halfwits who can’t be bothered to get their cats neutered & then don’t take responsibility for the results. Plus a rescue would have a better chance of matching a cat to your family than if you ordered a kitten from a breeder.

A car can be a fabulous first pet but I’d get a rescue where its personality is known. We’ve always had cats and 2 years ago got a dog. The amount of time and work they need is way more than a cat and they’re much more of a tie. While working from home means you’re not leaving them alone they do need attention while you/DH is there which can be hard while you’re working.

My DC are teenagers now and able to help with walking and dog care, I wouldn’t have had a dog when they were younger as if have ended up caring for both the kids and the dog.

And if you got a older cat (a 1-4 year old), rather than a kitten, apart from knowing the cats personality, you'd have less household kitten related destruction, it would have already been neutered (hopefully by the rescue if not the previous owner), any health/behaviour issues would known

We've bred Burmese and Tonkinese in the past but have no experience of Coons or Ragdolls. We've also had some lovely rescues so not precious about pure breeds.
Burmese and Tonkinese are very playful and if they have plenty to do don't tend to be destructive. As I said up thread if you can have a catio that would help with the litter tray issue and would enable them to be kept out of the house at times but not free roaming.
I would also recommend a climbing tree for interest and entertainment (Amazon have some good ones by a company called Feandrea)
Many years ago our local Cats Protection lady said she reckoned if you checked black cats for slim bodies and pointed faces they probably had Siamese or Burmese ancestry 🤣🐈‍⬛
Good luck with deciding on a good friend for your son.

One of the best type of pets I ever had were hissing cockroaches. They're not like the roaches you're thinking of. They're large, quite slow, don't mind being handled, don't sting, fly or bite and live on fruit and veg with the odd bit of chicken or fish. They're very inexpensive to keep - need a plastic tank and small heatmat on half the tank. They don't live for long enough to get bored with them and they'll breed if you raise the temperature in the tank.

You can order them online, along with the equipment. They don't smell either.

Getting a pet of any sort is a huge commitment and involves a change in lifestyle but cats are not so restrictive as dogs. Adopt don’t shop is the way to go. A moggy from a rescue make wonderful pets. There are plenty waiting for a loving home. Whatever you chose and I’m sure you’re already aware, be prepared that children can get bored once the novelty of having a pet wears off. Having said that pets are great for teaching responsibility etc.
Good luck in your search.

If you decide on a dog, I recommend a miniature poodle. They are fantastic family dogs, intelligent, easy to train, non shedding. Do stay away from poodle crosses.

Whatever you chose and I’m sure you’re already aware, be prepared that children can get bored once the novelty of having a pet wears off.

Yes - if the OP gets a pet it has to be because she wants one & she’s ready to care for it for the next however many years!

Cat - though I let mine out. If you keep
it inside can you have a catio? I guess you could put a litter tray in that. But an indoor cat also needs more playtime. I’d recommend a male Maine Coon which are quite dog like.

Why dont you foster a dog first to see how it goes ratger than jumping in feet first.

I’ve got a robot litter tray for our cat and it’s a game changer.Our model starts a cleaning cycle five minutes after the cat uses it so that it’s always spotless and odourless. The used litter is sifted ( numerous times) and deposited into a drum that I line with carrier bags. I probably empty it a couple of times a week and I top up with clean litter when I notice it’s getting low. It is linked to our WiFi so it’s sends notifications ( not sure why!) I use clumping litter.

Rats are definitely a good choice, they are trainable & are like small puppies. You need 3 or 4 though & the cage is quite big & can be a bit smelly!

New fear unlocked 😨😱🫣😬😁🤣