What Kind Of Pet Should You Get For Your Child?

If you have kids, you should seriously consider getting them pets. That being said, which ones should you choose?

So you've finally broken down and decided to get your kids a pet! Before you welcome Rover or Spot into your house, you need to decide what pet is best for your children. Not all pets are created equal and in fact, many animals which are commonly bought for children do not make good pets at all. Here is a look at some of the better pets for kids.

Dogs can be playful and affectionate. They come in all sizes so you should be able to find one that fits your space limitations. Dogs can be quite different in temperament and you need to research the different breeds before selecting your pet. Labrador Retrievers are the most popular dog in America. They are great with children and are easily trained. Golden Retrievers are very devoted dogs. They are good for people of all ages and are great if your family likes to hunt. German Shepherds are wonderful family dogs. They adore children and love to be active. Beagles are smart and gentle dogs. You will need to give them a lot of exercise though. Any of these dogs make a great choice for kids. Cats are also a good choice, although you will want to spend a little time with the cat to see how it reacts to children.

Want something smaller? Forget about the hamster or gerbil. A rat makes a much better pet because they love to be held. If rats are not your thing, try a guinea pig. They are one of the top pets for kids. They are easy to take care of and they love to be picked up. They will let your children hold them and they even purr! You will rarely have problems with them scratching or biting.

You will often see iguanas or turtles in pet stores and often someone will try to convince you that they make good pets for kids. The reality is that they are not good pets for kids at all. Iguanas can grow quite large and become aggressive as they get older. Turtles are hard to take care of and they are pretty boring for kids. The better choice is a leopard gecko. They like to be held and they are not hard to look after.

There are many other pets that are good for children as well. The thing to keep in mind is that you want to find the pet that fits your particular children. You will want to consider their personalities and what they hope to gain from pet ownership. Some kids will be happy just looking at a goldfish while others want a pony. You will just have to figure out what works for your family.

Hal Storm is with www.petstoreyeti.com - your free resource for local pet stores, services and pet information.