A pet is an animal kept for companionship and pleasure. When we say ‘ pet, ’ we ’ re quick to think about it in terms of dogs and cats. This is not surprising, as most of the pets in the world are dogs or cats – in the United States, 45% of the pets are dogs, while cats constitute about 30% of the total pet population.

However, there are other excellent choices for pets that deliver almost as much satisfaction as dogs and cats. Before considering the choice of pet, certain criteria will help you decide. Some include:

● Budget: Pets require a financial commitment. They will need food, specific accessories, and medications. Whichever pet you choose to get, you must cater to its needs .

● Activities: Your activity level will influence your choice of pet as it will determine how much time you can spare for the pet ’ s care.

● Physical condition: The more exotic the animal, the more demanding its care. Be s ure to understand how much you need to care for the pet before buying one.

● Environment: The amount of space available in your house affects the kind of pet you will get. It ’ s not advisable to subject the pet to stress due to undue enclosure.

Dogs

Dogs w ere the first animals to be domesticated by humans. Humans used them initially for hunting and guarding . However, over the ages, the relationships between humans and dogs have deepened. This is due to the loyalty dogs have for their owners, primarily when they have been appropriately handled. Depending on how well they have bonded, the dog could give its life to save the owner. Dogs are intelligent and very in tune with smells and sounds. These attributes make them invaluable as companion animals.

There are many breeds of dogs. Any of them is suitable for companionship. However, some of them are more suited to it than others depending on the number of people in the home. They include:

● American Eskimos

● Pomeranians

● Lhasa Apsos

● Bichon Frise

● Dachshunds

Other breeds with relatively good temperaments include:

● Golden retrievers

● Labrador retrievers

● German Shepherd dogs

Cats

Like dogs, cats are another intelligent species that can make a great pet. They are more clever than dogs, and while they are not as clingy, they can be just as loyal as dogs. Cats are more recently domesticated than dogs – they were only tamed in the 16 th century BCE – so it ’ s normal when they tend to refrain from contact at times. They, like dogs, can be left within the house to roam around. They are also relatively well accepted on apartments that lease small animals only.

Rabbits

Rabbits are a good choi ce for apartment pets. They are pretty intelligent and amusing to live with. Rabbits tend to shed fur and litter around the house, but they can be litter box trained. Keeping the rabbit in a room without rugs or carpets will make the fur easy to clean up. This will also discourage the rabbit from digging. Some breeds of rabbits that you can get for pets include:

● California Reds

● New Zealand Whites

● Harlequins

● Chinchillas

Guinea pigs

Guinea pigs are very small, cute animals that make the perfect p ets for kids. They are amusing to watch and very friendly. They make shrill ‘ wheek ’ sounds, but even that doesn ’ t cause any disturbance for the neighborhood. They don ’ t need much space to be kept in – as long as the enclosure is not made of wood. Guinea pigs can also be left to roam the apartment if there are no wires and wooden surfaces they can access.

This is a short compilation of criteria for choosing the ideal pet and information on some of the most popular pets in the world.