On this page we're going to give a brief background on each of the pets we're covering! It is my hope that this information helps with making taking care of each type a bit easier!
Dogs can be boisterous and require a lot of care. They have all sorts of different temperments, think of them like really muscular toddlers. Most dogs require at least two walks a day, much more if you are potty training a puppy. Dogs also should be fed at least twice a day, three times for puppies. I personally discourage free-feeding (leaving food out all day) for dogs as this has the tendency to lead to weight gain. You'll also want to provide plenty of sturdy, stimulating toys for them. This discourages destructive behaviors. Make sure you keep up with training for a well-behaved dog!
Cats are like clumsy ninjas. They are less care intensive than dogs are. That is not to say that they need none at all, believe me when a cat wants something they will let you know! A cat does not need to be walked, but you will need to clean their litter box. This should be done two to three times a week, with a full litter change done monthly. Cats should also be fed twice daily, moniter this closely as cats have a higher tendancy to gain weight This can lead to health problems such as, urine crystalization and diabetes among other issues. Toys are also necessary, or you can just get them a nice box! Cats are calm lords of the house and don't require much training!
This type of pet is tricky. Small animals are often marketed as beginner choices by retail pet stores. They are anything but easy. Rabbits and Hamsters require quite a bit of space for their cages. For Hammies it's around 640 sq in of floor space and rabbits need to be placed in a kennel for around the space of a labrador. If you place them in a kennel they do need at least fourhours of roaming time. Handling of either must be done carefully as small animals are incredibly fragile.
Fish care is by far the most challenging of the pets I am outlining here. You must first make sure that the tank you have is suitable for the types of fish and number of fish you wish to raise. On top of that you must maintain a steady water balance, making sure no ph levels or other chemicals are ever too high or low. You must also maintain a steady water temperature and ensure that the water in the tank never goes stagnant. It is incredibly easy to accidentally kill off your fish colony, so make sure you do additional research. I will be linking below a few additional resources on fish care. If you wish to know more about tank set up, please see the page on animal equipment!