What are good pets for a yound child?

[hawksong]

Hi, I'm trying to shop for a pet for my five year old son. He had had a golden hamster, which recently died- of old age- but the hamster was not a very good pet for him. We have tried fish, which was a disaster. Any suggestions for a good, sturdy pet?

[macassie]

Sturdy? Is he too rough with the animals? If so, maybe you need to wait a bit longer before getting a pet for him?

[Jenny]

Does your son actually want a pet? If he does, he should be the one doing the research (with help from his parents of course) on the type of animal he'd like and on its care. Five years old is pretty young I'd say, and I think it'd be better if you got some sort of family pet and just let him help take care of it. What is your reason for getting him a pet?

[guineagirl]

If you are looking for a larger pet a dog would work well. One breed that loves children is a Golden Retriever. There are about ten of them in my neiborhood and they are all friendly. It is important when you chose your pet you look at how they act, if you find a dog that is very jumpy and likes to bite things, then that would not work. It all depends on what you want in your pet.

[Love Bird B]

Hi! Do you have a shelter/rescue center near you? I'd take your son to check out the animals that need homes and talk to the people that work there. Good luck and I hope you find that special pet!