The Pet Patrol

When it comes to your children and pets, they want as many as they can get away with having. It is up to you as the parent to put control over how many you will allow in the house, otherwise you will be overrun with animals.

My son is happy with his dog, he has come to the realization that cleaning up after a pet is not his favorite thing to do. He likes to play with him, take him outside, feed and groom him, but when it comes to the clean up, he would prefer not to do it. So he is happy with one dog.

My daughter on the other hand would love to have as many pets as possible. She would like birds, cats, dogs, fish, hamsters, and anything that isn't a reptile. She doesn't think about the clean up until she is told to do it. She just loves animals. If it wasn't for some animals dieing she would become a vet, but she has a hard time with the thought of putting an animal to sleep. Instead she is thinking about becoming a horse breeder, because she is the only person I know who has liked horses since she was 2 years old and she is now 13.

So if you decide to get your children pets, make sure they are suitable for your home. If you live in an apartment it probably isn't feasible to own a large dog. If you are allergic to cats, it isn't a good idea to own one, this is why we don't own any cats, my husband is allergic. You also need to determine how much time you have to spend with an animal, if you work long hours and aren't home a lot it probably isn't a good idea to own a dog because they require time. They have a hard time when they are left alone for long periods of time. It is always important to look into animals and what there characteristics are like before you decide to buy one, because once you do, then they are your responsibility until they die. Remember fish have short life spans and don't require a lot of attention.

Once again this is the ramblings of a parent of teenagers trying to find wisdom, one article at a time.
Patti