When we moved house last year, we told the children that we would eventually get a pet. Growing up I had a variety of pets - dogs, cats, hamsters, budgies. I used to love cuddling them, walking them (we had a cat who enjoyed walking to the shops) and playing hide and seek. Again our rather mischevious black cat would hide in the coal so we could only see her eyes peering through the darkness and when given the chance would run and get stuck behind the furniture. The only part about having a pet that I really didn't like was cleaning up, this job was my dad's!
There is so much to consider when trying to chose a pet: Where will it live? How much does it cost to buy? What food does it eat? Is it expensive? How much time do you need to commit to looking after it? Can you leave it alone during the day?
Initially we discussed getting a dog. We live near lots of parks, dogs are great companions, the children seemed keen and there are dog exercise and training classes nearby. However, a few months ago my four year old got knocked over by two huge dogs and one of them licked the baby in the face. So for a while the girls were scared of dogs and having one as a pet was completely out of the question.
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| Cute: How could you resist those gorgeous puppy dog eyes?! |
Then we met Ben, a gorgeous and gentle dog who had just been bought by my friend Maria. I had invited Maria to stay with us but was rather unsure about having a dog in the house. After some consideration I thought it would help the girls get over their fear and of course, I didn't leave either of them alone with Ben. Abi, who had just turned one, took to Ben almost immediately. Eventually she was dangling her food from the high chair (apparently I did this too, at a similar age), and trying to encourage him to play with her by rolling a ball or toy to him. Since then she has been really confident around dogs, even ones bigger than herself. However, Sophie remains rather cautious around dogs. So we thought it was best to postpone our decision about getting a dog.
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| Walkies: Maria, Abi and Ben at the park |
Even though I love walking and running and we have so many parks nearby, I'm not sure I have enough time to dedicate looking after a dog. I don't think it's really fair to leave a dog alone for a few hours during the day and as I will soon be working again (only part-time, fortunately), this is a major consideration. Holidays also would be an issue. I remember my parents putting one of our dogs in kennels, he seemed to enjoy it but I think it can be rather costly.
As a family we have discussed what other pets we like. Being a typical girl, Sophie wants a horse. Barbie has one, so why can't she?! Since moving house, my love of cats has dwindled. They can be such pests, always running through my garden and leaving little surprises in the flower beds. Apparently if we got a cat, other cats would not invade its territory, which would be useful. But my husband doesn't like cats, I think he views them as a pet for an old lady. It's definitely not a very manly pet, not like a dog.
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| Who's the Boss? Ben takes the driving seat! |
So which pet should we get? Personally, I find hamsters and gerbils too small. Also I don't really want a pet that has to live inside. I can cope with the smell and the mess outside but not in the house! Budgies are beautiful and very funny when they start talking to themselves. But they aren't cuddly or as cute as many other pets.
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| Curious: Abi is fascinated by the speedy gerbils |
Yesterday, the children got the opportunity to stroke and cuddle a few pets, a hen, rabbit and guinea pig. The hen was surprisingly soft but definitely not an option as a pet! The rabbit was really cute and fluffy. Although when I was younger, I remember being very keen to have a rabbit. But after the initial enthusiasm wore off, I lost interest. Apparently rabbits can be a bit tempermental and prone to nip. Therefore not a good idea for anyone with young children, especially toddlers who like to prod and poke!
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| Fluffy: are rabbits as cute as they look? |
Finally, the children got to cuddle a guinea pig. As her older sister held the guinea pig, Abi rushed over and immediately poked it, narrowly missing an eye. But the guinea pig didn't jump, squeal, retaliate ... anything! Indeed, it appears that we have found the perfect pet for us. It's cute, cuddly, good natured, fantastic with children and is not too expensive. It won't get too lonely if we're out for a while and is a lot easier to look after than a dog. Perhaps one of this best things about this decision, is that we all agree!
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| The perfect pet: cute, cuddly and friendly |
