Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pets

Join our community on the Pet forum to discuss anything related to pets.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Help - what pet should I get?

46 replies

whatironing · 04/03/2008 11:24

Hi, any thoughts gratefully received....

Now I am at home most of the time I am desperate for a pet. We always had loads of animals when I was growing up so I know all about the work involved etc (getting up at 5am to milk goats before school will stay with me forever).

I have a 16 month old DS, the pet isn't for him as he is too young but I'd like something he'd enjoy and he can start to learn things from.

I really want a dog but think that it would probably be best to wait until DS and any other sibling have started school so I have the time to spend with a pup.

So I'm thinking something in the style of a guinea pig... or a tortoise...? Oh I don't know, anyone have any ideas?

OP posts:

avenanap · 04/03/2008 12:14

self sufficeiency here you come! Little kids think snails are great. Then you can eat them!

So, rabbit, rat, hampster, gerbil, guniea pig, wormery, ant farm, dog, goat, chickens, cats, reltiles, stick insects, birds and a giraffe. Your own zoo! Can charge £5 for admission, can get government funding.

I'd get chickens if my neighbours consented, a rabbit if they didn't.

OrmIrian · 04/03/2008 12:16

Can I just suggest that if you are going to get anything that needs to be in a cage, that you get 2 of them. For company. And both of the same sex - unless you want to go into animal breeding of course.

wannaBe · 04/03/2008 12:19

what about a cockatiel. once tame they're lovely. somewhere in between a budgie and a parrot .

redadmiral · 04/03/2008 12:19

We've got two Tonkinese cats - fantastic fun and very like dogs in personality. Very good with children. Bit nickable and stupid though, so depends where you live.

Original poster

whatironing · 04/03/2008 12:21

Think I will go to the local shelter at the weekend and see.

mmmn neighbours, must remember to secure the garden!

Those big snails are great pets for kids I think, not yet though. Plenty of time for that later (when we have the council funded mini zoo!)

OP posts:

avenanap · 04/03/2008 12:24

Original poster

whatironing · 04/03/2008 12:29

I have never heard of a Tonkinese cat - will google them now.

Cats are very popular round us (meaning any small animal accomadation will need to be very very secure!) I've always been more of a dog person myself.

I take the point about caged animals and pairs....

WannaBe - I used to have a cockatoo (rescued), she was a fantastic pet but very very high maintenance, I rehomed her when I went to university. Cockatiels would be easier I guess but would make me think about cockatoos (which really would be a bad idea with DS)

OP posts:

redadmiral · 04/03/2008 12:45

Tonkinese are half burmese, half siamese. Bit like dogs and a bit like monkeys in the amount of trouble they can cause. Good side is that they are endlessely tolerant - the children put them in doll's pram under the covers and push them around. They sleep with the children like teddys. Bad side is they are a bit high maintenance - they really need human company, so we couldn't go away for a week and leave food for the neighbour to give them, for example. One of ours chews cables to, which is a PITA, but they are very loved.

lucyellensmum · 04/03/2008 13:17

get a dog, you wont look back

But if you want a small pet, get a rat, they are intelligent and friendly and easy to look after.

CountryGirl2007 · 04/03/2008 13:24

A dog is the best pet really as they don't mind being fussed over and can be played with whereas a small pet could easily be hurt by rough patting and most cats are quite independent. I had a guinea pig myself and he was an adorable little thing but got quite nervous when picked up even though he had no reason to be.

There's no reason to be nervous of a rescue dog, people seem to think rescue dogs come with all sorts of ''issues'' but in reality the majority of them, unless they have been rescued from a situation where they have been abused or neglected, are just normal dog's who used to be family pets and just got dumped because the owner became pregnant or got new carpets or wants to go on holiday etc etc! one could write a book listing the ridiculous excuses people make up for abandoning there dogs.

Any good dog rescue will assess their dogs before re-homing them and try and match a family with a dog and vice versa.

You could always offer to a foster a dog first and if you don't get on with it you can choose to foster another one instead and you can decide to adopt it if you like.

Breeds that are very gentle and affectionate are greyhounds, lurchers, staffies and most collies are very sweet dogs too, think Lassie! lol. I actually grew up with a doberman and my cousin grew up with 2 dobermans, my other cousin grew up with GSD's and all of them were absolute angels contrary to popular belief! There are lots of dobies looking for homes as well and they really are very gentle affectionate dog's, most people that have them reckon they never really grow up, they are eternal puppies.

The only dog I wouldn't really recommend would be a terrier unless it was a particularly laid back one, which if you wanted a terrier I'm sure a rescue could find you a nice child-friendly non-snappy one.

Hope I helped, good luck with the pet search!

VintageGardenia · 04/03/2008 14:54

Just to add a last tuppenceworth, I waited until my DS was 7 to get a dog and my reasoning was:

He will remember the puppyhood of the dog
He was of an age to take responsibility for the dog in terms of feeding, watering, clipping on lead, grooming, etc - just small things.
He is going to be grown up by the time the dog dies - barring accidents!

He is awash with love for this little dog, who's a long haired Dachshund and LOVELY, and now we have a loony, sweet chocolate Labrador too.

You sound fairly copped on about animals so I'm sure you'll make a good decision.

VintageGardenia · 04/03/2008 14:55

In retrospect DS would have been dog ready at 5 or 6.

ahundredtimes · 04/03/2008 15:01

Hmm, I agree with VG and did the same. Mine are 10,8,6 and we have just got a puppy.

Lots of breeders I spoke to won't even sell a dog into a home with children under 6 - they say you can't teach a child how to be with dog before that. Though I suppose lots do, and make it work.

Though it will be intensive with a puppy won't it. I don't think I could have done it.

How about erm, a, erm, kitten?

LittleB · 04/03/2008 16:57

I got a puppy when dd was 23mths, my puppy is now 1 and they are brilliant together. I've had rescue dogs in the past but I wouldn't get one with a young child, I don't believe it is possible to fully assess a rescue dog as you still won't know what it will be like in a home environment, and in my experience rescue dogs can be as much work as a puppy anyway.
It is hard work at times, but they are so good together. My dog comes to work with me 3 days a week and I've taken him to training classes so i spend some time alone with him to concentrate on training. And he also loves to retrieve so when the weather isn't so good we can just take him to the park and me & dd play fetch or football with him. I got a crate for him which made house training much easier and dd knows when he's in his crate she leaves him alone. Would also recommend getting one in Spring/early summer so you can be out in the garden alot which makes house training easier and more fun for everyone. DD and him are growing up together and its lovely to see, she adores him and he is great with her. We had the odd one of dds toys chewed and there are some toys she can no longer get out unless I shut him away but she gains so much from playing with him I think its worth it.

CountryGirl2007 · 04/03/2008 23:55

[quote]I got a puppy when dd was 23mths, my puppy is now 1 and they are brilliant together. I've had rescue dogs in the past but I wouldn't get one with a young child, I don't believe it is possible to fully assess a rescue dog as you still won't know what it will be like in a home environment, and in my experience rescue dogs can be as much work as a puppy anyway.[/quote]

Quite a lot of rescue dogs are being fostered in normal households and not kennels to assess them even further in a normal home environment.

CodofCodHall · 08/03/2008 13:05

I'd really recommend one of these.

northernrefugee39 · 08/03/2008 13:15

Like WiiMii

Guineapigs guineapigs guineapigs....

Not rabbits.
Guineas are easier, they don't scatch and scrabble and put up with being brushed and cuddled.

None of ours have ever bitten
And they're really cute.

We have
Dog
11 guineapigs (big walk in run, lots of ugly rescued ones....)
2 hamsters
2 cornsnakes
three giant African snails
three stick insects
2 baby giant millipedes

Have had rats- great but smell and need stimulation as very intelligent.
Gerbils, nippy and desperate to get back to the desert plains.

Guineapigs, rats, gerbils, rabbits etc have to be more than one, even if the pet shop doesn't say, because they live in groups and it's very cruel to detine them to solitary confinement..

northernrefugee39 · 08/03/2008 13:18

Our dog is a rescue, she has been absolutely brilliant with the children, youngest was 2 when we got her.

northernrefugee39 · 08/03/2008 13:25

www.genpets.com/features.php

Disenchanted · 08/03/2008 13:28

If you are near manchester I have 2 baby bunnies here, double hutch & all equiptment?

purpleduck · 08/03/2008 13:43

we got our doggers when dd was 2 - both from rescue centres, but they were born at the dogs trust. I am glad we did it that way.

I am absolultely livid that someone can say that stick insects are interesting for 5 minutes. Really! We have 10, and they are very entertaining. There's Bruno, who obviously rules the place, the Green Groover who's got all the mooooves, and..um....a bunch of other immobile interesting ones.

ROFL at "can of worms"

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread