We all know that having a pet involves many responsibilities but to what extent do we know what they are and take them into account when choosing it. Having an animal in our care is not silly because, from the moment you adopt it, its life depends on you.
Just as all animals do not need the same care, not all people have the same lifestyle and meet the necessary conditions to know which pet to choose, so if you are thinking of adopting one and you do not know which is the most indicated for you or the one that best suits your needs, don’t miss this article full of tips for choosing a pet.
Why do you want to have a pet?
The first of the tips for choosing a pet is to think about why you really want to have a pet. If the answer is because it is fashionable, because it is what everyone does or because your child does not stop asking you every day, the best thing is not to rush and listen to him.
Remember that a pet is not a toy and your child may get tired of taking care of it in a short time. Some animals, like cats or dogs, can live with you for 10-20 years, so you can’t take it as temporary. Ideally, you should think about why you really want to have a pet by your side and think about the one that best suits your lifestyle.
Have enough time
Another tip for choosing a pet is to be aware of the time you have to dedicate and the hours that its care implies. You do not need the same time to take care of a dog as a cat for example, because the first will need you to dedicate many more hours of your time to feed it, be around it, walk it and have enough daily physical activity according to its needs. In contrast, cats are much more independent and, in addition to not needing you to walk them on the street, they can also spend the day alone at home without problems while you go to work.
For this reason, it is important to accurately measure the time available to choose a pet. Because you think that even if you come home tired and don’t feel like anything, there is a living being that depends on you and you won’t be able to ignore your responsibilities if you have to take care of it. So if you are not spending as much time at home as you would like or are simply not willing to spend a lot of time with your pet, it is better that you choose one that does not involve much care like hamsters, turtles or birds.
Be aware of the space and who you live with
Not all pets need the same space to live, so before choosing a companion animal, make sure that the place where you live is suitable for keeping it. If you live in a small apartment and you want to have an exotic animal or a rodent such as guinea pigs, rabbits, or chinchillas, it is important that you have a space to put their cages, as well as if you want to have some type of bird as a pet. But if on the contrary you prefer a dog or a cat, you should think about its size and its physical needs, because if you have a large dog for example, you will need to live in a large space and with a garden if possible, or be willing to go out to play and take a walk outdoors much longer than a smaller dog.
Not only do you have to think about what you want, but also take into account the opinion of other colleagues, whether they are humans or animals, with whom you share your home. So before bringing a new pet at home, make sure everyone is happy with its arrival and is suitable for getting along with others.
Choose according to your personality and lifestyle
If you are not very responsible, forgetful or simply lazy, it is better that you do not adopt any pet that needs a lot of care such as birds or rodents. On the other hand, if you want to protect your house from intruders or have a faithful and dedicated life partner, the ideal is that you adopt a dog as a pet because it will provide you with security and a lot of love. For those who are more independent but still like to have a pet, the best choice will be to have a cat as a pet.
How you see it, it all depends on the needs you want to cover, the personality you have and the lifestyle that best suits you because, like not all human beings are the same, animals are not the same, and each one of them, will be especially suitable for each one of us.