I am looking to figure out which to get for my girls. I love dogs and cats. My husband loves fishes and birds. Now we have arguement about what pet the kids wants. He plays with there head to pick his pets. I told him not to do that. 
What is the age of your children? I wouldn't recommend fish or birds as a pet until your kids are at least preteenish age. Young children tend to get bored quickly with fish, since you can't "play" with them. Birds require high maintenance, and can easily suffer illnesses caused by being stressed. Small birds like finches and canaries are like fish; they aren't meant to be messed with. Finches also have the additional problem that you shouldn't have just 1 finch. They can (and often will) die of loneliness. For finches you need at least 2, and if you want more in your cage they much be added in pairs. Do not keep 4 finches in the same cage either. 4 finches means there are 2 rival pairs; they will fight and often injure each other. At 6, they become a flock (there are too many birds for one particular bird or pair to be targeted for aggression. Larger birds (parakeets and up) can require huge amounts of time and attention, the same as having another child. In fact, the larger the bird, generally the more "social time" they require from their humans. You must enrich your larger birds lives, or they will become bored and start pulling out their own feathers.
If you're children are very young, a dog is best. The best breed depends on your circumstances (yard space/energy level/grooming tolerance/children age/personal preferences). Smaller breeds are more prone to aggression. Dogs with longer coats generally require more time spent grooming them (and many short hair dogs shed heavily all year long). Allergies would also affect the breed type. Many terriers, poodles and poodle mixes, and a few other breeds are hypoallergenic. Here is a good link to check out:
http://www.justdogbreeds.com/dog-breeds.htmlA cat is good if your children are gentle and obedient (or not small children). Most cats don't like to be picked up and carted around; a cat will scratch and bite when it gets annoyed. And don't get a cat and declaw it; it's cruel. Cats make good pets otherwise: they are generally cleaner than dogs, require much less attention, and can be endlessly amusing. (On a personal note, if you want a calm, quiet cat,
DO NOT pick the one kitten hanging upside-down in his cage, while his brothers and sisters are sleeping below him. It doesn't matter if your sister tells you "He's perfect!". He is not perfect. He will be a mischievous little monster.
)
And who will be taking care of the pet? That person has more say than anyone else in the house.
I guess a summary is good; I do tend to type too much.
Kids Age:
less than 6-7 years old: dog
6-7+ kids: dogs or cats
10-11+ kids: dogs or cats or fish (and maybe birds if your kids are mature)
12-13+ kids: any
Community Forum
Topic: What is the right pet? (Read 4076 times)