Considering to get one for my 5 Year-Old boy.
What do you think, Ozbargainers?
Tell your reason(s) and please don't say both.
Pet for 5 Year-Old Kid - Cat or Dog?
LMAKAMAKA on 31/10/2017 - 17:25
Comments
Sure thing. Animals are like member of a family.
Just LIKE a car is LIKE a family member.
Yeah sure, just like a cat/dog is afforded rights and opportunities like other members of the family, legally recognised as a citizen, going to school and university, getting a TFN.
Of all the ways you could have interpreted 'LIKE a family member' within the context of discussion, you decide to interpret it in the most retarded way possible. The most obvious would be that OP sees it as a part of their family, an animal (not human) that's to be cared and looked after, and treated with respect. If they aren't "like" a family member, then what? They're another human in the family? On a scale of treating a pet like garbage and treating them like family, you've gone on the far end and insinuated they're like literal humans.
Then you come claiming they don't get it. The fact that OP even made that comparison in the first place demonstrates to me that they know getting a pet isn't ANYTHING like getting a plastic toy for their kid. There are owners out there who don't see their pets anything near 'like' a family member, but instead just a living thing that just exists.
But nope, according to you OP doesn't get it and is absolutely wrong in understanding what getting a pet means.
You completely killed the spirit of SmithinOz. I believe they were trying to say you should treat your pets like they have feelings. Far too many people NEVER take their dogs out for a walk. The only thing they do is place some food and maybe say hello. That life is hardly different from what happens in human prison.
Ditto. Please only get a pet if you yourself are committed to having one.
this forum are a lot more nicer than others, I've asked this question in the past and been attacked. I have a 5 year old brother, I had a dog when I was 12 until she passed away and was just wondering which animal/breed would be better around a smaller child as I wouldnt have a clue.
I'd be looking into fishes or something easy to maintain if you don't want him traumatized when the animal dies. You can't kill goldfish unless you try to.
Excuse my lack of understanding, but wouldn't it be better to rescue an animal from a "kill" shelter instead of a "no-kill" if you really had to choose?
Yep, a rescued pet never forgets….
a rescued pet never forgets
The rescued pet has no idea what happened.
Spot on.
At the end of the day for every domesticate that is "adopted" there will be many more left behind. If the metric is individual lives spared then there are arguments either way. However there are other considerations.
No-kills are usually run by people dedicated to more than simply providing a shelter: education, campaigns (social, political, etc.) against breeding, etc. They will usually scrutinise prospective adopters according to what they believe are the animal's best interests even if it means denying the adopters. Other shelters can essentially be like revolving "used animal lots."
No-kills are most often part of the movement to end breeding altogether, many others are just a part of the status quo. Hundreds of thousands of "pets" are killed in Australia every year - it's better to support those who are actively opposing breeding, and have vision for the lifetime welfare of already extant nonhuman beings.
Also get the "ugliest" or otherwise least desirable ones too - they are less likely to be chosen by others but make no lesser companions.
least desirable
Yes, get the least desirable animal, that makes sense. It'll be better because you didn't really want it apparently.
Same with life partners.
The ugly ones have the best personalities and put out the most.Most important thing is you do like the animal, ugly or not. Adopting one you don't like and later abandon it is worse.
Typically personalities have developed and the rescue homes know how to match the pet with the correct owner.
Between my family and friends we have all had very positive experiences with rescue pets.
I have had 1 or 2 almost pee when you grab a broom or newspaper suddenly. Then come back happy, makes you sad thinking about how they must have been treated previously.
Ehh no kill shelters often leave animals in pain forever, don't treat them properly because they know they wont recover, etc.
Source: I know many animal volunteers, many of which wont go near them because of what they've seen in no kill shelters.
I'm a dog person, but cats are "generally" easier and cheaper.
could start with a pet rock and work your way up. gold fish after that.
Fish are more work than cats. Unless you are happy for the fish to sit in a green water glass container, and the green is not referring to the glass but to the water.
I would prefer doing the work over paying for vet and insurance.
username checks out.
I find our fish tank a lot less work than our cat! It's a slightly bigger (60L) tank and is pretty easy to keep clean compared to the little tanks we've had.
100% agree with rock as a pet - very low maintenance and no expensive vet bills - just glue two eyes and your done!
Can you marry a pet rock? Looking for equal rights for me and my partner. Any advice would be appreciated thank you.
I'm a cat person, but dogs are "generally" a PIA.
Disclaimer: currently the owner of a stupid cocker spaniel
Have yet to meet a Spaniel that wasn't a bit nuts.
Cockers are known for their gentle temperament.
Probably a better word to use than nuts would be energetic.
They are lovely but get very distressed when home alone; gentle but needy.
currently the owner of a stupid cocker spaniel
When you take the dog for a walk does anyone ever say You Have a Nice Cocker?
We have a working cocker who is immense. Intelligent and athletic but extremely needy for human companionship 24/7. She was a rescue though.
Also have 2 cats.
AS others say, the parent has to commit, not the child.
Our dog is out at least twice per day, and one of those is a 30 minute game of ball in the bay.
The cats can exercise as they choose, but please train them to come in for food and to be locked in from dusk till dawn.We have a working cocker
I have a working cocker as well.
But is it immense?
My cocker jumps up and down too
Just out of curiosity what does he/she work as?
Can I borrow your spaniel to use as a VPN please?
Disclaimer: currently the owner of a stupid cocker spaniel
Ha! You should see what your dog says about YOU behind your back!
I'd be going for a dog.
Cats are aloof, couldn't care less who their owner is, and the cats I've owned have been nasty, vicious little buggers. As the saying goes, cats have staff, dogs have owners.
A dog (obviously a good breed with kids - do your homework) will be loving, and become a real part of the family.a real part of the family.
Most dog owners I see are hopeless at owning dogs.
They fail to understand that they own a pack animal so they allow the animals to demonstrate dominant behavior such as jumping on them or licking them. Since the owner is not the dominant pack member the animal no longer does what the owner wishes.
Sounds like you want slaves rather than companions. Maybe buy a robot instead.
Dogs are at their happiest when they know their place and a given consistency in their boundaries. A tonne of trouble comes from allowing a dog to think they have a superior role to their human pack.
@snuke: hasn't this domination theory been debunked as broscience?
http://www.ava.com.au/public/about-pets/polite-pets-month/re…allowing a dog to think they have a superior role to their human pack
This is nothing more than owners' imagination with zero scientific ground backing it. People adopt pets expecting they will do as they like but dont know to make it happen.
Child, dog, cat, mole rat, cucumber, Phil blowing over 0.05, Weinstein, it’s all the same. You don’t give firm boundaries and allow anyone/thing to think it’s ok to do as they like, have dominance, power over you, and they will run amok. Give an inch and a mile will be taken. Set firm ground rules, with consequences for actions beyond that, and you a happier and safer environment for all.
I am happy for that to fall under bro science, or practical life experience with 12 dogs, umpteen cats, and horses, siblings, kids, employees and a partridge in a pear tree.
As a dog person who is constantly around other dog owners, you're correct unfortunately.
Most have no clue on what is really best in owning their dogs and have done little if anything to learn. When I give some basic info on their own dogs actions they seem to think I'm some genius instead of just a responsibile owner.dominant behavior such as jumping on them or licking them
Jumping on people is not dominant behaviour, and nor is licking them.
Dogs jump because they want to reach the person's head, dogs show affection by licking each other, usually around the face.
And the "dominant pack" bit was debunked a long time ago, it was started by some scientists many years ago who studied unrelated wolves locked up in a zoo, where they would fight each other.
Wolves in the wild live in a family group.
EDIT: Not sure if I replied to the right person, I was posting to Diji's comments.
You’re correct in that licking is not dominant behaviour, quite the opposite, it’s a submissive move, unless you’re a wolf in which case it’s more complicated than either.
Jumping can be dominant behaviour, but more so it shows lack of control of your animal, it can be dangerous for all envolved.@snuke: The idea that dogs know their status (superiour or otherwise) in the pack is a myth. Everything else you've said is right.
You have me stumped again. I can't see a comment about pack lead either.
What are you reading that I'm not?Do you know your place in your home and work, social circle etc. I bet you do, I know mine, the rest of the animal kingdom is no different.
My dogs and cats know their status amongst themselves and in respect to us. Among the cats it's a constant change over the years, but you'd be blind or foolish to say it doesn't exist.@snuke: Okay so you are talking about pack mentality. It's a myth. Why get defensive when people point it out? You're just imposing the very human desire to be superiour, which incidentally you're putting on display right now, on to your animals which are just responding to behavioural training. You're stumped trying to find who brought up 'pack roles', well it's in your post that we're responding to. (profanity) hilarious.
Licking is not a sign of dominance… Let alone the whole dominant pack member stuff has been disproven a long time ago.
Ha… wrong answer dogs are not pack animals do your research before posting outdated ideas here. Just one link here https://positively.com/dog-training/myths-truths/pack-theory…
I work with dogs every day as a trainer in both shelters and with private clients we see this all the time Cesar Milan has a lot to answer for if that is where you are getting your info from. Even the guy who did the original study Dr David Mech that said dogs are pack animals has even gone on record saying that he was wrong.
Sorry suck on that…Here we go again, with people thinking inferior and commenting that everyone is trying in some way to dominate them.
Most dog owners I see are hopeless at owning dogs.
You need to change your social circle.
For cats you have to earn their love, and they can be as loving or more than a dog. A dog will love anything so its love is rather worthless. A dog's love is like a participation ribbon, means squat. A cat's love is like a trophy. Personally anyone who hasn't been able to win a cat's affection I just assume to be a rotten person, cats judge character very accurately.
I agree that cats need be no less "loving" than dogs. My current cats took years to come around (rescues from a violent situation) but now can't get enough of their human companions.
But at the end of the day all cats and dogs are, like us, individuals. There will be happies and grumpies, socialites and loners, and some relationships will just find it hard to move past initial antipathy.
Not all rescues are able to come around, but those unable to come around general don't get to the point of being rehomed. It's got nothing to do with them being "born that way", and really sad that some cats get neglected/abused to the point of no return.
A dog's love is like a participation ribbon, means squat.
BS. Dogs will love you unconditionally. Cats only love because they want something.
I have two dogs and a cat at home and I think I know a fair bit about both cats and dogs in general.
Cats love you if they have a long memory of you treating them well. Once you drop them on purpose and laugh, or kick them, or anything else nasty they won’t trust you anymore. Whereas dogs will just love you if you exist. Doesn’t matter that it’s you, could be any human. If someone doesn’t like cats (and had one from a kitten or young cat) and managed to have a cat that doesn't trust them enough to be held and be affectionate, that means they were mean to the cat. So that's why I don't think much of any such people. You can be as horrible as you like to a dog and it will still want to be your friend. So being friends with a dog means absolutely nothing about your character. Maybe you are wonderful, or maybe you kick it every night, no way to tell.
Baloney. Any dog owner who's been out of town while someone else looked after them well will tell you how NUTS the dog goes when they've seen you after an absence. There's more than one Youtube video of a dog fainting when it's owner comes back from a year or two overseas.
@syousef: maybe, but if you took any random human and had them look after the dog since it was a puppy, instead of you, would it behave the exact same way? Yes. The other human might abuse it, might never walk it, starve it, kick it. The dog will love that human the same. Not so with a cat. Replace yourself as a cat owner with someone, say, who pushes the cat off chairs or drops it from heights or ignores it when it wants to be patted. The cat will not love that human. If you treat a cat with respect and love for all its life then it will be affectionate and loving. If you don't, it won't. Therefore, being loved by a cat is a sign of good character (treating living beings with respect) and being loved by a dog isn't a sign either way of anything to do with a person's character (all it says is you exist).
Have you ever actually owned a dog? Dogs that are kicked, abused and starved end up aggressive or fearful to the point that they cower and pee at the sight of you. Go to a dog shelter some time and you'll see what I mean.
https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/20…
https://www.petful.com/behaviors/emotional-abuse-in-dogs/@syousef: you're right, I was exaggerating. Replace that part of my comment with, say someone who just walks it a few times a week and has it live outside all day every day compared to someone who has it sleep on their bed and walks it twice a day and loves it a lot (baby talk, giving it loads of attention, etc). The dog would love either treatment equally.
I have owned a dog, I had a black Briard from the age of about 10 and a second fawn Briard from the age of about 12 and they died a few years after I moved out of home. I loved them a lot but they loved everybody even though I was the only one who ever took them for walks or brushed them or washed them or trained them (though I did these things cause they were fun not because I expected any sort of reward). The cat, on the other hand, (who is still alive today) was a very nervous creature (with three kids/teenagers what do you expect) but never struggled when I held her (I always put her down as soon as I sensed her getting annoyed) and always slept on my bed. The other two chased her to pat her when she didn't want it, and held onto her when she didn't want to be held, pushed her off tables, etc.Thinking back, I did have a LOT of fun with my dogs, exploring the nearby mountain, going for swims in the dam, showing off the tricks I taught them, etc. For the OP, it would be better to wait until the kid is like 10 and can take the dog for walks on their own, and can take initiative in looking after it rather than have to be told to feed it etc. That won't happen with a 5 year old
Yes, a dog that you show affection and love to will remember it, even if you don't spend all the time or effort you should with it. But again you are wrong. As with all relationships that aren't one sided the more you put in, the more you get out. The fact that most dogs will give that back is a good thing in my opinion. There's a good chance your dog knew that you gave it more affection and attention and did feel more affection for you, but they can't always show it when they are being friendly to everyone. That friendliness is WHY I prefer dogs.
I disagree about waiting until the kid is 10. If you do that he'll be a teenager chasing girls and trying to leave home while the dog still has good years left. If you assume 8-14 years lifespan, your 5 year old will be between 13 and 19 when the dog passes. That's just about ideal for both the kid and the dog.
@syousef: true but if the parent is doing all the caring, that might become the norm and the kid won't take over once they're ready. If the dog is gotten when they're ready then the kid doing the majority of the caring has a better chance of being the norm. Of course I have no idea I'm only speculating
I'm slowly getting my kids into caring for the dog. They came with me to the vet and helped out the other week. (Heartworm shot). They take turns feeding. When they hit highschool they can have more formal pet chores and learn a bit of responsibility.
tamagotchi
Should definitely get a tamagotchi first as a trial. Much better to have a dead / failed $5 digital baby than a cat / dog. Teaches your kid routine and discipline.
cat. because dogs crap all over the lawn. cats bury it.
Bullshit. Cats visit neighbours and crap anywhere they roam, that's why you don't see your cat's crap.
I got two cats, they have a cat run that netted off on the side of the house. They have their own grass patch and sand pit in there, they bury their shit and there is little to no work for me.
Cats are easy and can be contained in your own property. I don't like that people let their cats run off personally as well.
It all depends on circumstances: a cat kept inside happily uses a litter box.
My present cat does not even know how to go outside, it is so much an "inside" cat.
Use a cat enclosure to give a safe outside experience.
An inside cat also does not kill fauna and lives a longer life and avoids meeting snakes.
An additional animal may be necessary if the animal becomes lonely.+1. currently dealing with an a$$hole of a neighbour about the same issue. Her cat keeps climbing on the fence and jump off one roof to another waking every other neighbours at night while the a$$hole owner sleeps perfectly fine in her home. She keeps denying that her cat can't do that, she's too young to climb the roof, had to stay up late one night, waited for the urine n poop packin kitten to arrive and video recorded all her moves. He even crapped on my synthetic grass and left a big mess. Showed it to the neighbour and she still goes, that doesn't look like my cat! Are you frigin kidding me! In my opinion, it's the cat owners who are the real a$$holes, they should keep their cats indoor if they want them. a$$holes.
HORSE!
Ok then I can sell my car then drive my pet to work ;)
Ride.
Elephant!
Dog - loyal, greets you when you get home, makes you exercise by needing to take it for walks, will be your best friend. Cats are great too though
Our cats run up the driveway to greet us :)
I had a cat that used to.. used to… (USED TO) run up to me as I drove to the house.. God bless her.. poor thing.
ours does this too…… comes up and plants himself right in front of the car…. while it's on etc…… and won't move until someone gets out of the car and starts walking towards the house. Maybe it's a bit of a power trip for him lol
Cats are plotting to kill you.
A baby brother or sister. More expensive but they last longer.
You're rihgt but it's too more expensive.
dog - unless you prefer the taste of cat
Make a pond in backyard. Get good eating fish, then after a while eat and replace with same type of fish so ypur child never knows. Could also do same thing with a white rabbit.
Animals shouldn't be playthings. If you are committed to looking after them then be responsible and ensure you get a rescue, preferably from a no-kill shelter.