Choosing the Right Pet
Sometimes it can be hard to know what type of pet to get for you and your household. Perhaps you want a cat because they are independent and require little care or maybe you want a dog because you desire a walking companion. There is an endless variety of pets that you can purchase or adopt, and it is important to keep in mind that all will most likely require an adjustment to your budget. Most households have a cat or a dog, eh hem, or several of each in my case. The type of pet you choose boils down to how much time you should spend with them in training and relationship. I will lay out what it looks like to own a dog, cat or even a fish!
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association approximately 38 % of households own a dog and roughly 25% own a cat1. That is over 48 million people who own dogs and over 31 million who own cats2.
It is not surprising you want to join in on these enlightening statistics. Having a pet improves your mood and makes life more fun! Let’s look at some pets and what they require regarding lifestyle, time, training, food, and budget. Let’s start with the most popular: the dog. Dogs and puppies are no doubt fun and entertaining, but they can require a lot of work. Dogs and puppies require training, time spent in engagement with their family, good quality food (keep in mind, the larger the dog the more they eat!), and your budget will most likely require an adjustment.
Let’s expound a little more on each of these points starting with puppies. Like a new dog, puppies will require a lifestyle where someone can be home daily to walk, feed and spend time with them in training and attention. If you have a busy lifestyle and are gone for extended periods of time (i.e., going to work early, coming home late, and going to bed with no time for fido) perhaps a dog is not for you. Do not get me wrong, busy families can do well with dogs and puppies, just keep in mind that they will require attention, love, exercise (depending on the breed, keep an eye out for future articles), and care like another member of the family. Dogs often require training and if you are not skilled or educated in this you will need to seek out help for you and your dog, especially if you are experiencing behavioral issues. Dogs also require food (in case you didn’t know this fact) and what you put in is what you get out. If you put good in, you get good out so keep that in mind when purchasing food. If you want your dog to live a long and healthy life it is important to feed them good food and always leave out fresh, clean water. Lastly, your budget will likely need adjusting when you bring a dog into your life. There will be costs in addition to what I already mentioned such as inoculations, emergency vet care, wellbeing vet care, boarding your dog, purchasing a quality food, and not to mention all the paraphernalia that comes with having a dog! You will probably need a crate, toys of course and dishes. As mentioned before, dogs, and particularly puppies, require exercise. This can be done using play time outside as exercise, running them in a safe, fenced area or using mental stimulation to wear out your pooch. If you do not have a safe, fenced area for your dog please consider that before getting your new pet. You will want a place to let your dog out for potty that is safe and secure, especially at night. Please do your research before bringing any breed of dog into your home. All dogs are not the same!
Let’s move on to another popular American house pet: the cat. Cats can make great companions and family pets especially if you live in an environment that is not large and if you have a busy lifestyle. Using the same list we used for the dog, let’s look at having a cat. Cats require little to no training, are great for busy lifestyles, and are generally satisfied with short bursts of attention. Having said all of that, they still require a change in budget and good quality food for a long, healthy life. It is good to keep in mind that there are also vet expenses just like owning a dog.
However, if you have nice furniture perhaps you should consider the next pet in our list.
Lastly, the easiest pet on the planet: the fish. Fish are great first-time pets to teach responsibility with children or to have something pretty to look at in your home. Fish are easy to care for and will require little to no vet care. Yes, people take their fish to the vet! There will be first time expenses such as the aquarium, gravel, and the variety of cute fish furniture. Fish food tends to be low cost and you can purchase long term slow feeders for when you go out of town.
Whatever pet you decide to bring into your home will require thought and prayer. Speak to a veterinarian or the person with the pet and find out if the pet is right for your lifestyle. Please always remember that any pet you get will require a lifetime commitment. You can never go wrong by being patient, learning and praying about this decision.
Footnotes
1. U.S. pet Ownership statistics. American Veterinary Medical Association. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/us-pet-ownership-statistics.
2. U.S. pet Ownership statistics. American Veterinary Medical Association. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/us-pet-ownership-statistics.
