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Mom2one · 08-30-2007

What animals have you found to be good pets to have around young children? I had a cat when my daughter was born but he kept pouncing on her, and scratched her more often than I could accept so we rehoused him. But she loves animals and is older now-what would have less of a risk?

luigi-di-violini · 11-24-2007

It's hard to generalize with one species, because it really depends on the personality and temperament of the individual animal. As kids my sister and I had cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, fish, birds, mice, turtles (even a crayfish and snails for a while).

If you are concerned about scratching and injury, I would suggest a guinea pig. They are small, furry, cute and fairly low maintenance.

Mice are fun too. They can be very friendly and tame. Male mice can be smelly though, so you would want to make sure you got a female. And make sure the pet store is sure (if you're getting more than one) that they are both/all females. About 7 years ago, my sister and went to the pet shop and got what we were told were 2 female mice. A few days after they came home, we discovered that Mary Louise was more aptly named Christopher Leopold. We ended up with 2 litters of mice babies (about a total of 24) but having had lots of experience raising animals (we once had 30 rabbits), we were able to separate them all and had a big happy mouse family for about 3 years until they all died of old age. (They all had names too and we could tell them apart.

)

Anyways, rabbits are larger and cuddlier pets, but can scratch if they are not tame; so you want to make sure you get them young. Cleaning up after rabbits isn't too bad - they're waste isn't too smelly.

The best pet though, in my opinion is a dog, as dogs are more interactive and can be great companions. Look for a medium sized breed known for good temperaments. I suggest a Cocker Spaniel as they tend to be mellow.

Not all cats scratch either. The one you had probably just didn't have the temperament for being around children. Many cats (especially females and neutered males) can be very mellow. My sister and I used to dress up our cats in dolls clothes and play with them in all sorts of ways and they put up with us like saints.

So it all really depends on the individual animal. I suggest visiting a local shelter and spending some time with a few of the animals you are interested in (shelters can have all sorts, not just dogs and cats). Many shelters and humane societies will let you spend individual time with an animal before adopting it. You interact with/hold the animal first to make sure it is mellow enough before letting your daughter have a turn.

If you are going to get a dog, don't get one from a pet shop - pet shop puppies often come with many problems (including coming from puppy mills and health issues).

Pets are wonderful companions for children. They enrich their lives in many ways, teach responsibility and the value of life.

08-30-2007	#1 (permalink)
Mom2one Consumer Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 99	Kids and Pets What animals have you found to be good pets to have around young children? I had a cat when my daughter was born but he kept pouncing on her, and scratched her more often than I could accept so we rehoused him. But she loves animals and is older now-what would have less of a risk?

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11-24-2007	#2 (permalink)
luigi-di-violini Consumer Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: California Age: 30 Posts: 28	It's hard to generalize with one species, because it really depends on the personality and temperament of the individual animal. As kids my sister and I had cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, fish, birds, mice, turtles (even a crayfish and snails for a while). If you are concerned about scratching and injury, I would suggest a guinea pig. They are small, furry, cute and fairly low maintenance. Mice are fun too. They can be very friendly and tame. Male mice can be smelly though, so you would want to make sure you got a female. And make sure the pet store is sure (if you're getting more than one) that they are both/all females. About 7 years ago, my sister and went to the pet shop and got what we were told were 2 female mice. A few days after they came home, we discovered that Mary Louise was more aptly named Christopher Leopold. We ended up with 2 litters of mice babies (about a total of 24) but having had lots of experience raising animals (we once had 30 rabbits), we were able to separate them all and had a big happy mouse family for about 3 years until they all died of old age. (They all had names too and we could tell them apart. ) Anyways, rabbits are larger and cuddlier pets, but can scratch if they are not tame; so you want to make sure you get them young. Cleaning up after rabbits isn't too bad - they're waste isn't too smelly. The best pet though, in my opinion is a dog, as dogs are more interactive and can be great companions. Look for a medium sized breed known for good temperaments. I suggest a Cocker Spaniel as they tend to be mellow. Not all cats scratch either. The one you had probably just didn't have the temperament for being around children. Many cats (especially females and neutered males) can be very mellow. My sister and I used to dress up our cats in dolls clothes and play with them in all sorts of ways and they put up with us like saints. So it all really depends on the individual animal. I suggest visiting a local shelter and spending some time with a few of the animals you are interested in (shelters can have all sorts, not just dogs and cats). Many shelters and humane societies will let you spend individual time with an animal before adopting it. You interact with/hold the animal first to make sure it is mellow enough before letting your daughter have a turn. If you are going to get a dog, don't get one from a pet shop - pet shop puppies often come with many problems (including coming from puppy mills and health issues). Pets are wonderful companions for children. They enrich their lives in many ways, teach responsibility and the value of life.