Perfect Pet?

a fish. Honestly, you can't ever be sure what animal is or isn't going to bite - be it a dog, cat, guinea pig, mouse. Dogs tend to be overwhelming for children because they are busy, fast, and loud. Cats scratch when they play, rabbits will DESTROY your house (trust me on this one, I've owned several rabbits), and small rodents tend to be scared of little hands reaching into their home and will bite to protect themselves. If you REALLY want a pet for yourself, I mean your daughter (haha), get a rat. They are very social, surprizingly clean, and vet bills should be virtually nonexistent. But you have to be sure to handle it everyday to keep it socialized, two are actually better than one, so that if you are lax on your time with it it will still have a friend and not get lonely.

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African frogs!! They are little aquatic frogs.

http://www.wildcreations.com/index.php?page=shop.product_...

After a great experience from my friend, I ordered it for my niece and they are so great! So incredibly easy to care for, and you hardly ever have to clean the little tank. On top of that it's incredibly easy to clean!! We have had such luck with the frogs, we are ordering one for my son for his second birthday! I really highly recommend this company. The frogs are still alive a year later, and my niece couldn't be happier! They are just so darn easy/

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Pet rock?
It depends upon the child. We have had cats, dogs, and fish--love them all.

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Just wanted to tell you that when i read your headline, I was going to tell you that you should get a Boston Terrier! They are the best!

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They aren't always cheap and there IS always the Potential to bite, but why not a dog? If you are willing to do some training (you, hubby and your daughter that is... not just the pup...) you could introduce a puppy to your family that could be your daughter's best friend until high school!

I would NOT recommend a small dog though. Of course, you know your daughter's temperament best...would she be kind and loving to a dog? Has she ever been around friendly well trained dogs? How did she behave?

Our son was almost 6 and our daughter was almost 3, when we brought our German Shepherd into the family. She was 10 weeks old. She just turned 7, and is part of our family. Our kids ADORE her. They hug her goodnight and tell her they love her. It is so sweet to hear my almost 13 yr old SON say that when he is (what HE thinks) out of earshot. lol

And she loves them as well.

To properly care for a dog, you must be willing to take on veterinary bills, though. They need routine medical exams just like kiddos, to keep them healthy. And they need work to keep them exercised properly and well adjusted. If you are able and willing.... dogs are WONDERFUL pets. And having grown up with them myself...they are the BEST listeners in the world. They do not judge. Just love unconditionally. :)

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My 4 1/2 year old son loves our 6 year old mini-schnauzer. Ellie is 11 lbs and does not shed which is perfect as Cameron has allergies. Ellie girl is extremely loyal and very protective of Cam. He enjoys being able to hold her leash while on walks and one of his chores is to feed Ellie daily.

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Fish are awesome!!!!!

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This may be a little out there, and i dont know what your zoning laws are, but my kids fave pets are chickens.
2 of them or more can live in a chicken tractor which you move around your garden so they can eat grubs and poop fertilizer, they like to be petted, dont bite, are pretty, incredibly cheap to keep. Of course the added bonus of fresh eggs, and the delight of collecting them.
My chickens are the easiest pets i ever had

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Well I am sure you heard this already a fish is the only thing other then sea monkeys or a hermit crab or some thing she can really only look at and not touch . I personaly found getting a guinea pig for my two when they were 4 and 21/2 was the best thing for them . It never bite them and it is bigger then a hampster and you can play with them . You need to get them when they are young so they get use to handling . Then we moved on to a kitten . Know we have two cats .

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We have a guinea pig and it is the best pet! They are big enough that young kids csn hold them and play with it and yet they won't scamper away never to be seen again into your house like a small hamster would. They love to be fed treats and can be litter box trained or at the very least trained to "tell" you when it needs a break to go potty. They can also be trained to not nip. I would suggest getting one that is a baby so it can grow up being handled and get used to the kids. We have one we got when it was 7 weeks old and I have a daycare and he is great with the kids. Oh and for a cage I use a big plastic bin like you get a Target we just don't put the lid on it of course. It is easy to move around and he doesn't kick his bedding all over the floor. The best bedding is to go to the kitty litter section and get "yesterdays news" it is made of recycled newspaper and we only need to clean the cage out every 2-3 weeks.

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I guess I am the only dog advocate!
Dogs are awesome for kids. At 5, I'm sure she has a lot of energy, so getting a dog or puppy isn't too bad She can help walk and feed it in the morning. She will probably love to help with that responsibility. Golden retrievers are amazing, labs, poodles... Look into it =)

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If I could clone my dog I would send him to you. He was abused as a puppy (he is a rescue dog)and is really skittish, so he spends almost all day hidden in a closet. We make him come out to potty and take walks. He is great with my daughter and she LOVES him. Part of the reason why she loves him is she doesn't see him a lot. He sheds, put if you brush him it only last a couple weeks. He's got to be the easiest dog I have ever had, but he makes me a little sad. You might try a fish, she can watch him swim and feed him. You can let her help clean the tank when it is necessary.

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Doesn't bite? Heck our guinea pig and hamsters bit us as kids....our dogs chewed everything up in sight when they were puppies....Maybe a kitten or fish. My kitties NEVER bit me! Of course we had them declawed and they were inside cats so they didn't claw either. I personally think 5 is a bit young for a pet -- I have an almost 4 year old, a 2.5 year old and a baby due in May. Hubby wants a pet (DOG) and I am making him hold off for another 4 years! We as parents will end up doing all the work and with the kiddos, a full time job, etc, I already have enough work :P

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If you opt for fish, consider getting freshwater tropicals over goldfish. you can get a number of mild mannered "community" fish species at a cost of 3 for $5 or so. You can get a 10 gallon tank starter set for about $30 (including filter, media, and solutions). the freshwater tropicals are believe it or not heartier. Also, they are easier to care for as, unlike goldfish they aren't veritable p00p machines.

We had fish long before we had baby. Our little one quite enjoys them. Mom tells me she couldn't do a tank for us when we were little, but she'd often take us to the local pet shop to look at the fish and help us decompress after the playground.

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My youngest three have hamsters (they are 4, 6 & 7). I know you said you don't want them because it might nip but of our hamsters, and we've had them several months, there have only been two instances of biting. We have two hams. The first ham got a major owie (we kept the two together in their cage too long so they were getting territorial and fighting) so I got to nurse her for a month or so with antibiotics and cleaning the wound. She bit me ONCE and I think it was because of the pain. Other than that she just barked at me or ground her teeth. She's the gentlest little thing and we often hold her and play with her. The second ham just recently bit my oldest daughter but I do believe it was D's fault because she startled poor Zoli as well as woke her up in the early afternoon (that really stresses them out) so she's learned to treat the hams properly.

As to dropping them, none of my children are allowed to get one out of their cage (I do that) and then they sit either on the floor or the couch to gently hold them while I'm right there with them to make sure no accidents happen. So none of ours have ever been dropped.

They're really inexpensive to care for, especially since you don't even have to buy those cages at the pet stores. I know they're super cute, but they're also super expensive and often too small. Both of my hams live in large, clear shallow bins with lids (I do believe they're 106 qrt bins). We drilled air holes in the sides near the top and in the lid. They have plenty of room for their wheel, food dish, potty area, water bottle and their little house plus still room to burrow around in.

Since you're wondering if it would be too much for her (whatever you get) my kids are completely in charge of taking care of their hams. It's up to them to make sure they get fresh food every day, clean water every day, dry food pellets ever couple of days, the potty area cleaned every day and the cage cleaned ever few weeks. I do monitor that it gets done but they do it on their own or the pets would go to a new home. They also take care of our three cats; fresh food and water every day as well as the box scooped out every morning. My oldest son (9) has a guinea pig that he absolutely loves. You could try one of those too if you're wanting something small but not so small as liable to squish easily.

Fish are great too! My oldest boy received his first tank when he was 5, on his birthday. It was freshwater stuff, including an aquatic frog. He took care of everything, except cleaning the cage, on his own. He no longer has one only because some stole his set up on our last move. :( My 6 yo daughter also has a large fish bowl with some little gold fish she enjoys. She saved up to buy all of it herself so she takes really good care of them and appreciates them more. As a side note, all of my kids are expected to help feed their pets. A certain percentage of their allowances is set aside each month to help buy bedding and food. They're not expected to pay for vet visits but when our hamsters decided to start duking it out, they were responsible for buying the new cage & equipment needed. They used their Christmas money. It really does make them appreciate their pets more and if they have to keep paying me for their upkeep, they understand much better just how much work it really is but they're still willing to do so which is just absolutely wonderful, especially for children their age.

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Fish.

Or perhaps a guinea pig. If they are hand-raised and handled a lot from day 1, they can be very tame and easy to handle. That's not to say one would never nip but the more they are handled and used to people, the better they are. And they are not nocturnal, so generally they won't be up all night with their activity. They are not expensive, are generally easy to keep, and if taken care of properly can live up to 5 or 6 years.

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I second the aquarium idea. I had fish from about second grade, and I loved watching them, feeding them, and doing occasional tasks like cleaning the tank. You can't "pet" them or "train" them, but they make few demands and no noise.

I'd still have an aquarium today if I had a place to put it in my tiny house.

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No, even if you get a fish, she is too young to take care of cleaning the bowl and feeding it properly.

Wait until she is about 7 or 8 and old enough to take part in every aspect of having a pet. I prefer dogs, but a kitten might be the best to start.

Blessings...

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Ask yourself, what pet do you want? What amount of work are you willing to undertake? Because in reality, while your child may help, you are going to be doing the work (if the pet has an accident, or needs it's cage cleaned, you or your DH will be doing that work; if the animal needs to go to the vet for whatever reason, it's your money & time, not the child's).

That being said, we had two large (65# & 75#) dogs, ages 7 and 8 when we had our son. They have been great with our son. But a lot of that is a) their personalities [aka, forgiving & laid back], b) they are well trained [sit, down, stay, bed], and c) we do not allow the dogs to be alone with our son. They dogs, and it's not fair to them or the child to leave them unsupervised with a child, even a well behaved child. When we got them, we put them both in obedience class, at a cost of $75 per dog. We've had routine vet care for them except for 2 minor issues years ago, at a cost of about $400 (includes vaccinations, flea stuff to keep fleas away & heart worm prevention, total for both dogs). However, our older dog just had to have a cancerous tumor removed, at a cost of $600. We also worked with them a lot, when we first got them, to train them (a lot was 10-15 min per day, and then repetition of the commands throughout the day.) Other equipment (crate for when we're away or at night, $100 + $100 for miscellaneous other stuff like pet beds, leashes, collars, ID tags). Also, we have a fenced yard, which has been a total lifesaver (not as healthy for me, because I don't take them for walks much any more, but so easy in terms of taking care of them). We did hire a professional pooper-scooper service while I was pregnant & the baby was an infant, and that cost $500/year. But I do that work now (again); it would be my least favorite aspect of pet ownership.

There is no way I'd get a puppy at this stage--it would be too much work and stress on me (I'm the "primary caregiver" for the pets, lol). If I were in your shoes and I wanted to get a dog (I personally think dogs are great, better than cats, for little kids), I would suggest going to a humane society or other rescue and look into adopting an adult dog (age 3 or older). Ask them if their dogs are temperament tested (so that they can tell you if the dog is skittish or not, rambunctious or not, food motivated, etc.). Also get a book from the library on dog breeds, so you can see the various attributes (for example, Golden Retrievers are wonderful family dogs, but have long hair, which can be a pain).

Or, consider adopting an adult cat (rather than a kitten), one that has been temperament tested. Cats are much less forgiving of human's mistakes, imo (I love cats, mind you and had one till he passed at age 19). But some cats are great family pets.

For me, personally, if we're going to have a pet, I want a pet that I can interact & bond with, if I'm going to be doing the work of caregiving for it. Which is why we don't have fish, turtles, etc. I'm not saying that I couldn't bond with them, but it's easier for me to bond w/ dogs or cats then fish or reptiles. Down the road, when my son is older (maybe 9 or 10), we'll consider another pet of his choice, maybe, depending on how responsible he's proven to be with his stuff and with the family pets.

The only pet that won't bite is one that doesn't have teeth. You could get fish.

A Fish :-) LOL start simple!

I agree that unless YOU want a pet, I'd stick with a goldfish!

We've had fish, hermit crabs, several cats, and a German Shepherd. I love them all, but they are all work. Fish are easiest, hermit crabs need a terrarium with the right conditions and frequent cleanings, cats (my favorite - so I think they are easy), and dogs are the most work and need the most attention.

We got a kitten for my daughter when she was 5 (her birthday gift) and shes been the best cat! We had cats when I was a child, but I was never responsible for them, so I was really clueless. The biggest issue we had with our cat was those sharp claws clibling the window treatments until she was old enough to get her fixed and declawed (front feet). Shes an INSIDE only cat and occasionally has gotten out making for a few scary hours at the worst for us. She is 11 now. We could always leave her for a weekend alone if needed (if we went to the in laws cabin maybe?), etc...be gone all day to friends or a festival and not ahve to worry.

Occasional kitty barfing happens too. We did introduce a rescue cat almost a year ago and had major pee pee issues, but alot of that was our own ignorance on multiple cat boxes, etc. Its all good now (and new flooring later). But the orig cat was easy peasy.

But any cat or dog CAN bite or dig or claw? Consider your family, space, schedule...etc...

Good luck!

A cat!
Not to discriminate, but I've always had more luck with boy cats - they seem to be more lazy and cuddly and laid back - hmmmmm, just like the human variety!

Fish

All animals, have the potential to bite.
Even the tamest.
If irked, an animal has the potential to bite or nip or fight back.

Guinea pigs are recommended for your daughter's age group. Regular cage cleaning can be demanding though. We are dog people too, but my boys always wanted another pet. We experimented by borrowing a rabbit from a friend who raises them and that did not go well. We will NOT be getting a rabbit. We had Beta fish too and the boys kind of lost interest in them and guess who ended up cleaning the bowls? They get kind of smelly. So right now we have one 8-month old puppy and everybody is happy. Anyhow, while looking into other pets I learned from the local humane society that guinea pigs are recommended for younger children. Good luck!

Bringing another pet into the house may be a challenge for your Boston Terrier than your 5-year-old. Think seriously about your dog's temperament and take it from there.

Dogs can be territorial, especially if they've been the "baby" all of these years. With the exception of a tank of fish, Venus Fly Trap (plant) or an invisible dog, even something as small as a hamster or guinea pig can bring out jealousy in a dog. Been there and it wasn't pretty!

If you think your dog will adjust well, and the whole purpose of getting your daughter a second pet is to teach her responsibility, I'd pick something low maintenance at first, see how she does, and then look at a pet that requires more care and time.

Pet fish are a good start and depending on what you get can be low maintenance and fairly affordable. She can keep it in her room, and there is little reason for her to really have to "handle" them...so no fears of them escaping into the house, or getting chased down or eaten by the Boston Terrier (a bit extreme I know, but that is what happend to us when I referenced "been there" and it was ugly)

If she was looking for cuddly, a cat might be nice. With ALOT of preparation and strategy, cats and dogs can co-exist nicely. But like I said, it can take some time! The nice thing about cats is they are pretty independent, so with the exception of feedings and the litter box, they can be a nice pet for a young child.

a fish? :o) she might over feed it though, get a beta

yay to the Boston, we have one. I came across some leapord geckos when a family needed to rehome them. The female is very sweet fairly docile. Five might still be a bit young. Care is pretty simple and in expenive once you get a tank set up.

I would say either a fish or adopt an adult persian cat. When you adopt an adult, you already know their personality and you are doing a nice thing. Persians are so friendly and cuddly. The have to be brushed regularly but your daughter would probably like that. Cleaning a littter box is easy as is clipping their nails as long as they are used to it in their previous home. We adopted a persian about 6 years ago and she is wonderful. Our 3 year old son loves her so much.