Cats have been known to help with loneliness, anxiety, depression, and more, just like dogs. If you're looking for a pet that requires a little less attention, a cat might be your best bet. They still make for great companions, but they're also okay with being alone for a while.
Studies show that dogs reduce stress, anxiety and depression; ease loneliness; encourage exercise and improve your overall health. For example, people with dogs tend to have lower blood pressure and are less likely to develop heart disease.
Guinea Pigs. These fun little furballs are perfect for kids since they are playful but rarely get aggressive. ...
Hamsters. A classic first pet for many kids, this little furry rodent is ideal if you want to give your kids most of the responsibility of caring for a pet. ...
Pet dogs don't beat out cats, fish, or birds in sheer numbers, but more households have at least one dog in them than any other pet, making dogs the most popular pet in the world. Recent surveys show cats are a close second, followed by fish (12%), birds (6%), and other pet types (6%).
The capybara, considered the friendliest wild animal, has a calm and compassionate nature, even adopting stray and runt animals, and even providing transportation on its back for birds and monkeys. Considered worldwide as the best pets, canines were one of the first species domesticated by homo sapiens.
Chinchillas come from the Andes Mountains in South America. They have the densest fur of any animal aside from the sea otter. Considered the softest animal in the world, chinchillas have 80-100 hairs per hair follicle (hole that hair grows out of), where humans only have 1-2.
When you're thinking about a first pet, it's often good to start small. Small pets such as guinea pigs, hamsters and gerbils make good companions because they are easy to handle, easy to keep track of, and non-threatening to a child.
Rabbits, guinea pigs, fish, horses, and even crickets have something powerful in common. All have been shown to help people reduce their anxiety and stress. Along with traditional pets such as dogs and cats, science has now shown that having a family pet can reduce anxiety symptoms.
Dogs are good for children with ADHD and autism as sometimes it's just their presence that's needed to make everything okay. Children with autism, ADHD, or ADD can find socialising difficult, especially if they already feel isolated by their condition.
Chihuahua. The Napoleons of the dog world, Chihuahuas are the little dog with a big attitude and an even bigger heart. They can be fierce little warriors if they think the situation requires, but really they just want to snuggle with their chosen person for the rest of time.