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Pets and Your Life. Choosing the right pet

Pets are a part of many people’s lives. If you don’t have a pet, you might want to consider getting some type of pet. A pet can add joy to your life, and a pet can prevent the feelings of loneliness. 

If you have been feeling alone, depressed or if you just want to add a little joy to your life, there are many types of pets that you can choose from. Some pets require constant attention while others do not. In this article, I am going to tell you more about how pets can help you in so many different ways!

What type of pets can you consider if you are the person who is always on the go?

Fish, mice, birds, lizards, iguanas, hamsters, ferrets, ant farms, worm farms, snakes and similar types of small animals are pets that you can feed and leave. These are the types of pets that require little attention daily. While there are things you may have to do all day, you can feed and water your animals in the morning and then take extra care of them in the evening. 

Cats and dogs are another type of pet that requires a little more attention.

First let’s talk about the cat a little bit. Your cat needs water and food daily, their litter changed as needed and a little loving every day. The cat requires less attention than a dog would because a cat does not need to run and get out as much as a dog would. Cats are content to prowl the house while you are gone, going to the bathroom in the litter box and rarely even needing to get out of the house. 

A dog does not use the litter, unless you have been able to train your dog to do so. If you have a housedog, you need to let the dog out several times a day. A dog needs to be taken for walks, let run in the yard and to get out of the house to get their energy out. Dogs can stay in pens while you are gone during the day but more than six or eight hours at a time –every day is a little boring for the dog. 

So, depending on how busy your life is, you can take your choice of pets. The more you run all day long you might not want to get a high maintenance pet. If you want company that you are going to be home for every night to take care of a cat would be great because you can physically hold and pet the cat. In many ways, you could do the same with a snake, ferret, or even a bird. 

If you are always on the go, the dog is a little more difficult to take care of. If you are not home for ten to twelve hours at a time and the dog is in a kennel, the dog can be rambunctious and be bad, but more to get your attention than anything else.

The person who works part time or that has the time to get home at lunch to let the dog out is a good candidate for a dog. Some pet owners have dog runs so the dog and come in and out of the house all day without having to worry if you are home all day so they can get out and stretch their legs and go to the bathroom as often as needed. 

What can a pet really do for you?

For the family, taking care of a pet is something that you all do together. Pets can bring families together as a common bond. Small children can play with the pet, feed the pet and learn about responsibility taking care of a pet. 

If you are just married, many new couples will get a pet that needs taken care of to learn more about the feeling of taking care of another life. Having a baby can be a big decision and often a pet can help two people learn to work together. Learning about responsibility brings two people together and closer as they share the work involved in raising a pet. 

Many people, of all ages, who have been through a difficult loss or break up learn to love again by accepting a pet into their lives. Losing a loved one can be devastating and heart breaking, often a pet is going to bring out the feelings that a person is having so that they can allow others into their lives as well. 

If you are shy, a pet can help you feel more confident. Did you ever notice that pets never complain or talk back to you? You can be at your best or at your worst and your pet is going to love you no matter what. Feeling loved is the first step in feeling confident about yourself, and a pet, of any type, can help you accomplish this. 

For the shy or those who have problems communicating with others, a pet can be a great topic of conversation and a great way to meet other people with similar interests. For example, taking your pet to the vet, you meet up with other pet owners. Taking your dog or cat on a walk you meet others who are walking their pet. Training your pet or showing off your pet in the park helps you learn to strike up conversations with others easier. 

When you are feeling a little down, talk with your pet, hold your pet and realize that someone does love you – your pet!

Visitors comments

pets and depression Comments By: Anon. on 2004-08-24 If you are suffering from depression, apathy, lack of interest in life, get treatment, but also get a pet! Pets encourage positive thinking. People with pets recover faster and have fewer relapses. Just having a pet in the room, be it a fish, ferret, cat, dog, or any other critter, changes your autonomic responses for the better. Get a pet! You won't regret it. Â