Find Your Perfect Dog!

Dogs are known as “Man’s Best Friend” for a good reason! They make wonderful companions and many are thought of as family members. If you are considering adding a new furry family member to your household, you will want to choose a breed that will be the most suitable for your environment and family situation.

Some things to consider are:

The size of the dog, as this informs the size of the habitat required
How much attention the dog needs and how long/how often it will be left alone
The amount of equipment required, e.g., dog bed, toys, leash, food/water bowls
The cost to purchase the dog and required licenses
Care and feeding requirements — veterinary fees, grooming/bathing schedule
Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities
Training – whether at home or professionally
Lifespan – some breeds tend to live longer than others

All About Cats!

Thousands of years ago, cats domesticated themselves, rather than humans putting them in cages. They originally began to live next to, rather than with, humans in a mutually beneficial role.

Today, there are many breeds of cat that would be suitable for household pets. If you are considering owning a cat to complement your domestic situation, you will want to study the various breeds to find the most suitable house-mate. Some things to consider are:

The size of the breed, as this informs the amount of space required
How much attention the cat needs and how long/how often it will be left alone
The amount of equipment required, e.g., beds, toys, food/water bowls
The cost to purchase the cat and required licenses
Care and feeding requirements — veterinary fees, grooming/bathing schedule
Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities
Training – if desired, whether at home or professionally
Lifespan – some breeds tend to live longer than others

Fresh Water Fish

Goldfish are a common example of freshwater fish. They are the most popular species and can be found the most often in North American homes. In fact, they are just one of hundreds of different types of freshwater fish in the world. Many species are suitable to be kept as pets in fish bowls and aquariums at home or at work.

Freshwater fish make great pets and are suitable for first-time owners and experienced hobbyists alike. Note that care must be taken to ensure that all of the residents of your fishbowl or aquarium get along together. As with any pet, freshwater fish require a time and energy commitment to attend to their care. Some types of freshwater fish will be appropriate for beginners and others are better suited to pet owners with more experience. If you are considering keeping freshwater fish as pets, it is important to understand their relative costs and care requirements.

Some things to consider are:

The size and number of fish, as this informs the size and of the fishbowl or aquarium required
How much attention is required to attend to the particular needs of the chosen varieties
The amount of equipment required, e.g., aquarium/fishbowl, optional water pumps/aerators, decorations, places to hide, and fish food
The cost to purchase the fish and required supplies
Care and feeding requirements — feeding and cleaning schedule
Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities
Lifespan – some types of fish live longer than others

Saltwater Fish!

Is there anyone who has never relaxed in front of an aquarium full of saltwater fish? Aquariums have adorned medical waiting rooms for as long as we can remember. Science has shown that watching the fish and listening to the sounds of the water is a great stress reducer. Many people like to experience this same ambiance at home and have adopted saltwater fish for their own enjoyment.

Saltwater fish make great pets and keeping them is considered to be a wonderful hobby. Of course, care must be taken to ensure that all of the residents of your new aquarium will get along together. As far as their care requirements goes, saltwater fish do require a time and energy commitment. Note that some types of saltwater fish are more appropriate for beginners than others. To find out what you should consider before purchasing an aquarium full of equipment and fish for your home, it is important to understand the relative costs and care requirements.

Some things to consider are:

The size and number of fish, as this informs the size and of the aquarium required
How much attention is required to attend to the particular needs of the species
The amount of equipment required, e.g., aquarium, water pumps and filters, plants and gravel, places to hide, and fish food
The cost to purchase the fish and required equipment
Care and feeding requirements — feeding and cleaning schedule
Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities
Lifespan – some types of fish live longer than others

Rodents & Small Mammals

“Eek, a mouse!” shrieked the cartoon character in fear. Many people are afraid of rodents. Many others are fascinated by them and want to have them be a part of their lives; so much so, that they keep rodents as pets. Are you considering adding rodents as pets for your family?

Some things to consider are:

The size and number of rodents, as this informs the size of the habitat required
How much attention they need
The amount of equipment required, e.g., habitats, exercise equipment, toys, food/water containers
The cost to purchase
Care and feeding requirements — veterinary fees (in some cases), grooming/care schedule
Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities
Training – likely done at home by the owner and their family members
Lifespan – some rodents tend to live longer than others

Snakes

While not the cuddly type, snakes can make great pets, even for first-timers. They are generally tame and can tolerate regular handing. As far as their care requirements, snakes do demand a commitment of time and energy.

Of course, some types of snakes are more appropriate than others for beginners. To find out what you should consider before welcoming your snake to your home, take a look at their relative cost and care requirements:

Some things to consider are:

The size of the snake, as this informs the size and type of the habitat required
How much attention is required to attend to the particular needs of the species
The amount of equipment required, e.g., cage or aquarium, substrate for the floor, sticks for climbing, places to hide
The cost to purchase the snake and required supplies
Care and feeding requirements — veterinary fees, cleaning schedule
Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities
Lifespan – some varieties live longer than others

Birds

Birds certainly are magical creatures! It’s no wonder that bird lovers all over the world enjoy keeping birds as pets. Feathery friends provide us with hours of entertainment. They are easy to care for and in most cases, to train. The opportunity to interact with pet birds is truly special and for many, such interaction—or simply watching the birds as they go about their daily activities—may serve to reduce blood pressure as well as raising the spirits.

Many varieties of birds are suitable as pets. If you are considering adding a feathered friend or two to your menagerie, you will want to pay careful attention to their relative costs and care requirements.

Some things to consider are:

The size and number of birds, as this informs the size of the cage or enclosure required
How much attention is required to attend to the particular needs of the chosen varieties
The amount of equipment required, e.g., cage, enclosure, water/food containers, decorations and toys, and bird food
The cost to purchase the birds and required supplies
Care and feeding requirements — feeding and cleaning schedule
Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities
Lifespan – some birds live longer than others

Some things to consider are:

The size of the dog, as this informs the size of the habitat required

How much attention the dog needs and how long/how often it will be left alone

The amount of equipment required, e.g., dog bed, toys, leash, food/water bowls

The cost to purchase the dog and required licenses

Care and feeding requirements — veterinary fees, grooming/bathing schedule

Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities

Training – whether at home or professionally

Lifespan – some breeds tend to live longer than others

Thousands of years ago, cats domesticated themselves, rather than humans putting them in cages. They originally began to live next to, rather than with, humans in a mutually beneficial role.

Today, there are many breeds of cat that would be suitable for household pets. If you are considering owning a cat to complement your domestic situation, you will want to study the various breeds to find the most suitable house-mate. Some things to consider are:

The size of the breed, as this informs the amount of space required

How much attention the cat needs and how long/how often it will be left alone

The amount of equipment required, e.g., beds, toys, food/water bowls

The cost to purchase the cat and required licenses

Care and feeding requirements — veterinary fees, grooming/bathing schedule

Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities

Training – if desired, whether at home or professionally

Lifespan – some breeds tend to live longer than others

“Eek, a mouse!” shrieked the cartoon character in fear. Many people are afraid of rodents. Many others are fascinated by them and want to have them be a part of their lives; so much so, that they keep rodents as pets. Are you considering adding rodents as pets for your family?

Some things to consider are:

The size and number of rodents, as this informs the size of the habitat required

How much attention they need

The amount of equipment required, e.g., habitats, exercise equipment, toys, food/water containers

The cost to purchase

Care and feeding requirements — veterinary fees (in some cases), grooming/care schedule

Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities

Training – likely done at home by the owner and their family members

Lifespan – some rodents tend to live longer than others

While not the cuddly type, snakes can make great pets, even for first-timers. They are generally tame and can tolerate regular handing. As far as their care requirements, snakes do demand a commitment of time and energy.

Of course, some types of snakes are more appropriate than others for beginners. To find out what you should consider before welcoming your snake to your home, take a look at their relative cost and care requirements:

Some things to consider are:

The size of the snake, as this informs the size and type of the habitat required

How much attention is required to attend to the particular needs of the species

The amount of equipment required, e.g., cage or aquarium, substrate for the floor, sticks for climbing, places to hide

The cost to purchase the snake and required supplies

Care and feeding requirements — veterinary fees, cleaning schedule

Activity level and compatibility with the owner’s/family’s activities

Lifespan – some varieties live longer than others