There are many benefits of pets. Do you and your family have a pet? Have you or your family shown interest in having a pet addition to your family?
Not everyone wants to have a pet but there are a lot of people/families out there that do.
My family personally has a dog and cat. We love having these fur babies as part of our family. They bring us so much fun and so much family bonding time with them.
I will list the many benefits of pets and things to think about before adding a pet to your family.
9 Remarkable benefits of pets
- Pets bring out a gentle side in most everyone. They can really help a person show emotion externally to another living being. You can be less vulnerable with lowering or removing your walls to a pet and showing love. With a pet you aren’t worrying if they will show it back as like pressure with a human.
- Pets help you learn how to love and what love is. Pets love unconditionally and witnessing that and understanding that can help you learn to show others love.
- Pets are wonderful companions. Pets can be a best friend to you and especially to a child. When a child is growing up they need friends and a pet can be a great one. As a kid goes to school and tries to make friends it’s good for them to know they have a forever friend at home. If your child is an only child this pet can be someone to play with at home. Your child can read to them, talk to them, and confide in them as they won’t judge.
- Pets can help you relieve stress/anxiety. Pets are such sweet creatures that want love and gives love freely. When you or a family member is stressed out or needs to calm down a pet can help you. I love sitting and petting my cat each night. Just petting her smooth soft hair is calming.
- Pets can be entertaining. As a family we have a great time playing with our dog and cat. When our kids became teenagers they of course didn’t want to hang out with us as much but our pets would bring us together. We would play kinda a fun game of hide and seek with our dog. Our kids would hide and we would have him “use his nose” to sniff them out and find them. Our dog and cat are generally entertaining and fun to play with and that was a way of interacting with our kids too.
- Pets – especially dogs can help with exercise. When having a dog they need to get exercise. Taking them on walks or runs are great for them but also for you and your family. Exercise with your dog can be fun and maybe not seem like work/exercise. They definitely can help motivate you as they may always want to go on walks.
- Pets help with responsibility. Having a pet is a big responsibility and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Children can learn what responsibility means. They can have a big part in taking care of a pet. Feeding a pet, taking them on walks (if a dog), cleaning up their poop, cleaning out their cage (if a bird or hamster or other), cleaning out a litter box (if a cat) and giving attention/love.
- Pets help with empathy. Empathy is most definitely important for everyone to have. A pet is great to learn that or teach that to kids. If they pull a pets tail you can tell your kid “ouch that hurts them” and show them how to say sorry to the pet. Teach them how their pet can feel if they aren’t nice to them. How they wouldn’t like it if their pet hurt them or was mean to them.
- Pets can help with death. Meaning this in two ways. If someone in your life dies a pet will be there to give you love and comfort. But unfortunately death can be of a pet. This hard time can teach your kids how loosing someone they love/care about is hard. At a time like this your child will be devastated and upset and you will be there to help them through their grief. You can help them see how life still goes on and in time they will feel a little better. Help them make a scrapbook of pictures so they can look at it anytime they want. It would be great for them to have to look back on and remember the great memories of their pet.
As I listed the above 9 benefits of pets I’m sure there are more. You and your family might come up with some other great benefits that are unique to your family.
There are however some big questions and pros and cons you need to think about before adding a pet to the family.
What are the pros and cons of getting a pet? Well the pros/benefits of pets are definitely listed above so I’ll list some cons or just things to think about before you bring a pet into the family.
- A pet should be a lifelong part of the family. It’s hard to get a pet and then decide your family can’t handle it or decide you just don’t want one. So think hard before bringing a pet into the family. Make sure that each person in the family is on board and wants a pet. Returning a pet can be hard on the pet as well for your family.
- The cost of a pet can be expensive especially if your pet gets sick. Make sure that you are prepared for the added expense. Even just buying food, taking your pet to get haircuts or baths and vet yearly appointments and vaccines can add up. If your family can’t afford it then wait till a better time when you can.
- The normal care of an animal is important and done daily. Feeding an animal on a routine and making sure they are groomed and well taken care of. Cleaning up poop and or cleaning out a cage or litter box isn’t fun but has to be done on a regular basis. Also exercise by walking your dog or having an area for your animal to get out their energy. You also need to think about the time it takes on letting your dog in and out to potty and how accessible that is.
If your family wants a pet but financially can’t afford to take on one then either go very small like a tiny glass fish tank and 1 fish. Or buy your child/children stuffed pets. No not actual real stuffed pets but a stuffed animal they could treat like a real pet.
How to figure out what pet would be great for your family?
- Do your research with your family. Talk about what kind of a pet you want. Ask questions on why they want a pet so it can prepare you on what kind of a pet to get.
- Look up different animals and then break it down to the animal you all agree on. Do some big research in the different breeds of dogs/cats etc… It’s important to understand that certain breeds might not be the best for your family and find one that would work well for you.
- You definitely want to choose a pet that you know you have the house, space or yard for.
- Make sure that your family members don’t have allergies to animals and if they do which ones they have a problem with.
- Talk with someone that fosters animals and see if they could let you and your family make a visit. Go to nearby shelters and places with animals to get a closer look and see your kids reactions to them.
- Your family could pet sit for a friend or family member. This is a great way to see how your kids interacts with the pet. Also a good way for you as a family to realize how much work it can be.
If you are wanting a pet for your family maybe start with a stuffed animal and demonstrate to them how to take care of a pet. How to love on it, pet it, brush it, walk it, and feed it. Those are lessons you can teach your kid so they can be a little prepared with a real pet.
When you have small children make sure that you don’t leave them alone with a pet. Very small children don’t realize or understand that pulling the tail or being ruff with it may hurt it. And you don’t want your pet to react to your child in a bad way.
My daughter grew up with the love of animals early on and she especially loved cats. When we got her a cat she made this wonderful bond with it. This cat of hers would go running to her anytime she cried and would be there to comfort her. We noticed right away the benefits of pets just watching her with her cat. Kids and families can create wonderful bonds with pets that are precious.
So take your time on this big decision and do your research on what would be the best pet for your family.
If it needs to be a stuffed animal pet then that still will give your child some benefits of a pet. Definitely not the same but they can still cuddle, love on, brush, pretend feed, talk to, and walk their pet.
Let your child choose their own stuffed animal pet. Help them find a brush and any other accessories needed to take care of their stuffed pet.
So whatever the pet your family decides on you and your family can create great memories and share in that bonding process.
The benefits of pets is priceless.
So go hug your fur baby if you already have one.
Congratulations to those that are getting a new pet addition.