what kind of pet for my son?

Question

my son is three he wants a pet....i want a puppy...what breeds are good? also what other types of pets are good for such a young child? he wants a cat....do you think thats a bad idea?

Answer 1

Well, you could go with a puppy. I wouldn't go with an older dog tho as they are too set in their ways and might not be used to little kids. Labradors are the most popular breed and are very good around children. I would say get a puppy tho. You could train the pup and show your son how to handle it the right way with out hurting it. You could also get your son involved with the care of the pup too. Let him do things like give the pup it's food or a little water in it's bowl. You could even take the pup and your son for walks. Or play in the yard with the pup and your son too.

If you decide to go with a cat, again, I would recommend a kitten. The same thing goes with an older cat as does with an older dog. You might not want to consider tho a Siamese or a similar breed as they can be very tempermental some times. An ordinary short hair kitten would be fine. Cats are much less work than dogs are. They are very indepenant creatures and can basicly take care of them selves better than a dog can. The don't require the attention that a dog does.

I wouldn't go with rodents like rabbits, gerbils etc. Too much work keeping their cages clean. Your son wouldn't be able to play with any thing like that either. Fish, turtles any thing like that isn't all that great of an idea. It gets kind of boring for such a little guy to just to watch some thing swim around all day long.

Just a little some thing to think about before you make your decision. Taking care of any animal is a lot of work, time and effort especially kittens or puppies. Be prepared to have a lot of patients, time and energy to not only take care of the pet you choose. But also to show your son the do's and don'ts of raising a pet.

It would be so nice to see your son and his pet grow up together. Since my sons were little, we always had cats in our house. They are both in their 20's now and just love cats and dogs too. I hope this advice helps and I wish you much luck on deciding what kind of pet to get your little boy.

Answer 2

First of all, I would not get a cat for a 3 year old. I made that mistake years ago. We had a family cat - not a child's cat. However, children play rough with cats and cats claw. My daughter was scratched badly by our family cat. It was not the cat's fault - just its nature. In addition, the litter box must be put in a location that is not accessible to the 3 year old. I became concerned with the changing of the litterbox as well. It can be dangerous when pregnant if you are of child bearing age.

OK. Now for the issue of a puppy. A small puppy such as a toy dog can easily be harmed by a three year old with the best intentioned parent who supervises a child reasonably well. A large breed puppy will quickly get big enough to unintentionally knock down a toddler - just because the puppy will love the child.

If you want a family pet - not a pet for a 3 year old - but rather a pet that your three year old can interact with - I would suggest a puppy that will be in the 10 to 15 pound range. A miniature schnauzer, a boston terrier, a larger Pomeranian, a sheltie, a beagle - all are dogs that will be big enough to take care of themselves (with good supervision) and not be big enough to unintentionally harm your three year old.

You must ask yourself, is this a passing whim? Do you plan on having more children in the near future? Do YOU want a puppy and all of the responsibility that goes along with it? If you are really wanting a puppy or a pet, I think you will get years of pleasure from a dog in this small/medium weight range. I truly would pass on the cat.

Answer 3

A pet for a 3 year old child is not a pet for him, but a 10 to 20 year responsibility for YOU! Do you have the time to devote to another living being? Do you have the space, room, monitary ability and knowledge to give an animal?

A puppy is cute for about 24 hours, then reality sets in and the cuteness doesn't cover the chewing, peeing, pooping, whining, scratching, licking, smelling, barking and destruction that is inevitable. Does your child leave his toys lying around? How do you and he feel about chewed up toys? Chewed and ripped clothing? Nibbled hands, toes, ears and noses? How about those muddy paw prints, wet dog smells? Oh yeah, the vet bills, the food costs and does your homeowners insurance allow the breed you choose?

Well, if you can HONESTLY understand and answer all these questions and still want to take on a pup, then you still have a lot of research to do.

I've trained dogs for over 25 years and have worked for animal rescue for the last 5 years, I own 10 dogs of my own at this time and even I ask myself if I should have a pet!!

They are not cute, fuzzy and obedient naturally, they need training, constant overseeing, exercise, and love. A dog is DOG, not a toy or a human. They do NOT understand how to behave the way we want them to unless you train them to do so.
They need to live INSIDE your home, not to live outside only to be near a human when fed, a ball thrown for them now and then and a pat on the head when going out to feed them or clean up their poop.

Sounding like fun yet? LOL!!

How about getting a pet that YOU can take care of easily and he can enjoy from a distance? Fish? A hermit crab?

A cat might be a good bet over all. Just find a safe place to keep the litter box so your child doesn't get into it. And please, if you choose a cat... do NOT declaw it!!! It is inhumane and NOT a simple procedure in any way. It is like taking you fingernail off and then cutting your finger off down to the first knuckle. Not a pretty thought, eh?!

If you STILL think you want a pet, then go for it my online friend, just be sure you know what you are signing on for and then read up on the animal, train it properly and train your child to treat it with respect and gentleness, it will come back 10 fold!

Jackie in Riverside, CA

Answer 4

If he wants a cat get him a cat if you get him and it is supposed to be his a pet that he doesn't want he probably won't take any interest in it, besides for a three year old a puppy is too much responsibility a cat or a kitten is more independent and doesn't need as much care like house breaking, leash training, and obedience training. I have always had a cat in my life since my mom got one when I was a year old and I couldn't live with out a furry feline around. Pets also teach little ones valuable lessons about responsibility.

Answer 5

At the age of 3 a cat is not the best pet to go, wether it's a kitten, adolescent or an adult. Toddlers have a tendacy tobe rough with animals, even if it's not intentional. Maybe a puppy would be the best thing for him. That way they can learn together and play with one another. Cats have a tendacy to be prissy and a little rough. You have to remember that they have claws and they will use them. I am not really sure what kind of dog to get him though. You will want something that is not going to be more hyper than your own child, but not so laid back that the child does not want to play with him.

Answer 6

well, first of all, don't get a puppy. Get a more mature dog that won't be so roudy and will be more obedient. Cats are good. Just make sure you aren't hasty about it. Be sure to look at your options. And although breeds have their general overall qualities, every individual dog or cat has their own personality. I personally like boxers. They are fantastic dogs and generally gentle with children, but are very playful at the same time.

Answer 7

i think a cat is a bad idea for him. they are scared easily and will scratch him if he pests them. i think a dog would be a good choice but he may not be ready for even that yet. i would suggest buying a guinea pig or something small. they might smell but he can play with them while you clean out the cage. he will find it fun to have something so small to pick up and cuddle. also it wont make messes in the house and he can leave it in peace once you put him back in his cage.

Answer 8

my experience, breeds don't matter neither does species. What determines type of pet is how much time parents are willing to put into teaching son how to raise pet properly.

Answer 9

a pug is good, they are extremely friendly to children and animals. They are smart, energetic, and funny. If you want to get a cat, you should declaw the cat before having it to have any contact with your pug because pug eyes are very sensitive and could damage easily.

Answer 10

Sometimes cat's get jealous of babies, and try to smother them in there sleep.You should get your son a puppy, I would get a German Shepherd because, they are very protective.