Types of Pets

Pets make great companions. The key to successful pet ownership is to find the type(s) of pets that are right for you. There are many different types of pets. Whether you like dogs, cats, birds, fish, etc. you should choose a pet based on what sort of animal suits your personality and works best with your lifestyle needs.


Some types of pets are better suited to people living in small apartments while other types of pets do best on very large properties where they have lots of room to exercise. It is also important to realize that not all types of pets may be right for you.

Dogs

Dogs are one of the most popular types of pets. Dogs are loyal companions. They listen, are trainable and have a lot of personality. Most dogs enjoy exercise and will help you to exercise too since you will need to walk them regularly. If you don't know a lot about dogs, you should do some research before buying one. There are always plenty of great dogs waiting to be adopted.

Cats

Cats are also popular types of pets and are mainly appealing because they don't require a lot of maintenance. Most cats are very independent and prefer to be on their own most of the time. For some, cats are ideal pets because they don't need to be walked and they're easy to take care of.

Fish

Fish are quiet and serene pets. Although fish seem like very low maintenance pets, you should keep in mind that some fish do require a bit of work. It can be a challenge to maintain ideal conditions inside the tank and keep it clean. You'll need to buy special filters and chemicals to maintain the correct water parameters, like pH, in your tank and to get enough oxygen into the water.

Birds

Birds make good companions and are fun to watch. Each bird has his own personality, but there are similarities in temperament and general behavior within species. You should decide what aspect of having a bird is most important to you. For example, canaries and finches are known for their song, color and activity but a parakeet or cockatiel may be best if you want a companion bird.

Pet

A pet is an animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a household animal, as opposed to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful characteristics, for their attractive appearance, or for their song. Pets also generally seem to provide their owners with non-trivial health benefits; keeping pets has been shown to help relieve stress to those who like having animals around. There is now a medically-approved class of "therapy animals," mostly dogs, who are brought to visit confined humans. Walking a dog can provide both the owner and the dog with exercise, fresh air, and social interaction.

Pet popularity
Around 63 percent of all U.S. households (71.1 million) are pet owners, and more than half of these households have more than one animal. The two most popular pets in most Western countries have been cats and dogs. In the United States, a 2007-2008 survey shows that dog-owning households outnumber those owning cats, but that the number of pet cats is higher than dogs.Combined reptiles are the next popular followed by birds followed by horses.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet#Terminology