Choosing the Right Pet For Your Family

Choosing a family pet should involve all members of the family. If there cannot be some kind of agreement reached, perhaps the pet idea should be put off until there is one. Pets that are well loved and well cared for will become another member of the family, but if one member of the family is not on board, there will be tension, disagreements and eventually, a battle of the wills. And, if there is any chance that someone is truly afraid or potentially allergic, that particular choice should not even be considered.

The adults should be in total agreement about the pet idea, and what kind of pet they are willing to consider, before the children even find out. Nothing is worse than squaring off against your own partner as you battle on one side or the other in the never-ending dog versus cat war. Make your opinions known to your loved one, and then present your united front to the children. Do not just announce that you will be getting "a pet" and then ask the kids what they want- you will likely hear all sorts of insane ideas, depending on their ages. Make sure that you have narrowed the choices down based on living space, time and dedication available and budget considerations. Give your child the shortened list and allow them some say in the final selections.

Once the family unit has come up with a general idea of what they would like to have as the family pet, everyone should go and start looking for likely candidates. Just as you would not bring a stranger in as a babysitter, do not just bring a pet in and expect everyone to bond with him immediately. Let the kids have at least some say in the process and they will be more likely to actually take part in the care of it.

After choosing the family pet, make sure that everyone knows what is expected in the care process, and what is expected of the pet itself. Make sure that every ones on board with the training needs of your new addition so that there is no confusion. Consistency is very important for a new pet, so if one member is allowing one behavior, and others do not, he may become confused. A care chart may keep the duties straight for the kids, and will also allow everyone to keep track of the pets routine throughout the day. Give kids duties based on their age and ability, and then make sure that they understand how important it is that they help care for their new best friend.

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