Which Kind of Pet is Best for you?

Thinking about getting a pet? There are tons of things that one needs to consider before committing to adopting a pet.

One of the most important aspects of adopting a pet is identifying how you’re going to mesh with the animal. If your lifestyle keeps you away from home for the majority of the day, then that’s a limiting factor with regard to what kind of pet you should get. If you get a dog, that dog will need to be let outside about midway through the day, fed morning and night, and maybe a half mile walk in the afternoon. This would be around the minimum for maintenance with regard to a dog. They also have needs with regard to general attention, play, and socialization. All of these take significant amounts of time. If you don’t have the time, or can’t give up the time, then a dog is not right for you.

If you decide to explore other lower maintenance pet options, there are many to choose from. Some of these might be an exotic pet, or a more common pet, like a house cat.

The key is to acknowledge that by adopting a pet, you’re taking on another life, and that life is your responsibility. you’re in control of where they go, what they do, what the eat, when they eat, etc. By this, you’re also in control of their quality of life. If you believe you’re unable to give another being a good quality of life, then you should not be taking on that responsibility. Too many pets are bought and given to people who were unprepared for the responsibility of ownership. Be a loving, caring owner, and get a pet when you’re ready for it.

That being said, if you do think your’e ready to handle the responsibility of owning a pet, you’re going to want to prepare your home to intake that pet. This involves things like identifying any low hanging plants that could be eaten, or removing cords from open areas, cordoning off these areas, or purchasing a cage or kennel for the incoming animal to live in.