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When
is the Right Time to Get a Pet?
When is
the right time for a pet to join your
family? That all depends on what kind of pet
you plan to get. Caring for a solitary
goldfish doesn't take much time. But dogs
are a different matter. They are social
creatures. You need to walk dogs and spend
time with them. Be realistic. How much time
will you be able to give your pet? Is your
family on the go-go-go from morning to
dinner? Is your day mostly occupied with
working outside the home, then picking up
the kids from school and taking them to
activities, then cooking dinner? Are your
kids so busy they wouldn't have much time to
throw a ball to Fido? These are thing you
need to think about. For any animal you
would consider as a pet check out books on
the care and maintenance of them. After
you've read the books write the pros and
cons of having the pet on a piece of paper.
Sample pros and cons:
Hamster:
Pros- Lives in a cage.
So don't need to be home to walk it or take
it out to go to the bathroom. It's small and
doesn't take up much space. Condo rules
allow hamsters.
Cons- Hamsters can be
stinky if the cage isn't cleaned. They can
bite.
Puppy:
Pros- Kids really want
one. Can be watch dog one day.
Cons- We live in a
condo so we might not be able to have one in
the complex. Also, if the puppy habitually
barks it could upset the neighbors. We don't
have a backyard. Puppies are a handful. I'm
out of the house eight hours a day so I
don't have much time to be with the puppy.
Puppies need to
be potty trained and many chew for the first
year. They need to be supervised. If you
don't have the time to be with a puppy to
properly train him would you be a good
owner? Would the puppy be unhappy? If he
would be, consider the hamster. If not,
think about getting a guinea pig or a cat.
Guinea pigs and cats are less dependent on
their owners for socialization. However, if
you have an indoor cat they tend to claw
furniture so you'll need to get a scratching
post. Also, who will clean out the litter
box? And does anyone in your family have
dander allergies? You might need to consider
a hypoallergenic cat.
What if
you're a stay-at-home mom with the space for
a dog, but you're still unsure if a dog is
right for you? Don't feel bad. A dog is a
big commitment for many years. Maybe right
now in your life you are busy with a baby.
Perhaps you're worried about the dog
slobbering on the baby and the furniture.
And leaving its dog hairs everywhere in the
house. Or maybe you're worried about vet
bills. Or where the dog will go when you go
back East for four weeks in the summer.
There's nothing wrong about thinking about
these things. You're being responsible and
thinking ahead. Having a pet is not all
sunshine and roses. You shouldn't just adopt
a dog on an impulsive whim. If you're on the
fence about getting a dog consider fostering
one to see what it's like. Find a breed that
will fit your household. Labradors and
Golden Retrievers are great family pets but
they are energetic. They need room and
WALKS. If your family doesn't live an active
lifestyle, foster another breed of dog. I
seriously suggest you get a book on
different dog breeds and read about the care
and maintenance of any ones you would
consider. The great thing about fostering a
dog is, if it doesn't work out, you're not
stuck with finding a new home for "Blackie"
or having to send him to an animal shelter
where he could be put down.
Before you get
a dog, or foster one, have a family meeting
where you discuss the ground rules for
"Blackie." Divvy up the chores. Who will
walk him? Who will feed and bathe him? Where
will he sleep? Will he be an indoor or
outdoor dog or mainly an outdoor one with
kitchen privileges? If he sheds and your
son/daughter doesn't sweep up his hairs in
the afternoon what is the consequence for
this? There is a lot to be taken into
account before bringing a dog home to live
with your family.
In the end you might decide a guinea pig is
the way to go for the time being. After a
few months when you feel your children are
doing a proper job of cleaning its cage,
feeding it and all around caring for "Herby"
then you can consider a dog in a year or
two. If you have the time and patience.
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