Our Pets

Over the years we have had more pets than I can remember. Fish, frogs, lizards, hamsters, rabbits, dogs and a cat to name a few. Adding the right pet to your household can be a very rewarding addition to your family. I think that there are three good reasons to have a family pet.

1. Companionship

Our dog Missy and our Kitty Precious are the best of companions. They both greet me at the front door everyday when I come home from work. Missy follows us around and is very affectionate. Precious likes to lay in your lap at night and pure away! When my nephews come over, Missy plays with them in the backyard and they have a blast together. Our children have always had a special bond with our animals and I think having pets has been a very positive experience.

2. Responsibility

Having the children help out with feeding and taking care of the animals is a very good experience for them. It teaches responsibility. Our dogs have always let us know when they are hungry. They will nudge you and let you know it’s time. The kids learn that the animals are dependant on them for food, water and exercise, etc. It also re-enforces doing things on a schedule, which is a valuable life lesson.

3. They’re Fun!

How else can I say it, they are loads of fun! Each animal is an individual with it’s own personality. And they are just plain fun to be around!

Family Pet Summary

Listed below I have given a summary of each of the pets that we have had over the years. I’ve tried to give you some things to think about if you are contemplating getting your family a pet.

Dogs

The first pet our family had was our dog Sandy. He was the sweetest dog in the world, except maybe for our current puppy Missy! Sandy was a constant companion. He went everywhere with us. Camping, hiking and even to the grocery store! We had to put him down in 2003 at age 14 due to multiple medical problems. The kids were devastated as were my wife and I. We decided to take a break from pets after Sandy’s passing. Then in 2006, we decided to adopt a cute little 3 month old puppy named Missy. She is a bundle of joy.

Dogs require a fairly substantial amount of care. You need to feed, water and if they are a house dog, let them outside regularly. Also, dogs require plenty of exercise. It is recommended that you walk a dog at least twice a day. If you want a less stressful time, I highly recommend dog training. At least to master the basics, sit, stay, heal and such.

Cats

Along with Missy, we decided she would need a friend and we adopted a kitten named Precious. We think precious has an identity crisis, as she acts much like a dog. We call her “Attack Kitty” because she runs for the front door anytime someone enters.

Cats are very independent when they want to be. Of course you have to change the litter pan frequently and always make sure they have fresh water. Our kitty does not seem to care for very young children. I think they are too touchy feely for the cats taste.

Hamsters

The first animals our children called their own were hamsters. I guess it’s a matter of personal opinion, but these were my least favorite of our pets. For starters these little critters are not very sociable. They tend to get loose and you have to chase them down and return them to their cage. Their cages tend to become quite smelly and need to be changed out frequently. And they have a relatively short live span. I will never forget when my son’s first hamster died we had a mock funeral and buried it in the woods behind our house. It was very sad. But it was my son’s first experience with death and I think it helped him become familiar with the life cycle.

Rabbits

We had the most adorable, cute, cuddly white rabbits with pink eyes. Our original idea with these critters was to get the kids involved with taking care of them. Teaching some responsibility. We made it part of their chores to feed, water and clean the cage. Boy-O-Boy we didn’t know what we were in for. Rabbits make a mess! And the reproduce….like rabbits!!! And it seemed like they were going to live f-o-r-e-v-e-r! After the first litter, we had the male neutered.

Fish

Over the years we had dozens and dozens of fish in multiple tanks ranging from 20 to 55 gallons. We really enjoyed the fish. I used to like to come home and watch them swim around and listen to the water flowing through the filter system. Very soothing! However, this serenity comes with a price. Fish tanks are high maintenance. Once established, it is less work, but there is still plenty of cleaning, water changes and ph adjustments. This is a fairly big time commitment.

Conclusion

These were the main pets we had over the years. All require fairly substantial time commitments and some serious thought and family discussion should take place before committing to pet ownership. But if your family is willing to make the commitment pets can be a very rewarding addition to your household.

And one last thing, if you do decide to adopt a dog, cat or rabbit, be responsible pet owners and make sure you spay or neuter your new friend.

ASPCA - For more information on pet adoption

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