What Breed Of Your Chosen Pet Is Right for You?

O kay so you’ve done your research, you’re prepared and you know what type of pet you want but what breed do you want? Have you even given it any thought? Are you aware of the care levels required for different breeds or are you just picking them based on how cute they are?

  Well that’s okay if you’re not….because I’m going to explain things a little better for you in this blog. The first thing to understand fully is that no matter what small pet you select as being right for you….they all come in different breeds (which means different sizes, colours, care needs etc). They may also need different sized housing: for example- a giant Flemish rabbit will need considerably more room than a Netherland dwarf rabbit. So when you are considering what breed to get my best advice is always and remains DO YOUR RESEARCH! Make sure you know what is involved; will you realistically have the time each day to groom them? Will you realistically have the time they will need to live happy long life’s or have you already got your hands full and are just wanting guinea pigs or rabbits to keep the kids happy?

Often the happiness and welfare of small pets tends to fall short in this situation- firstly as I’ve stated in previous articles, most small pets actually don’t make good pets for kids and need considerable understanding and knowledge. Therefore if you are getting a small pet because your kids have begged you for one then remember that the likelihood is the bulk of responsibility will still fall on your shoulders. An example of this is a client I had who admitted to me that they had got their pet guinea pigs purely because the kids thought they were cute, not fully understanding how much grooming and trimming would be involved (since they were long haired guinea pigs) and that they struggle with work and family to find the time to deal with this (the kids are too young to do this). So once again I say, do your research. If your kids point out a breed that requires extra care and you don’t think you can give it, then please explain to them that they will need to pick another, don’t get the animals and then end up having to give them up as this is very irresponsible pet ownership and unfair on the animals in question.

         If you are getting your pet from a rescue then they should help you with finding a suitable breed and explaining their needs etc without pressurizing you into making on the spot decisions.

“There just so cute!” I think this statement is one of the biggest problems when it comes to pet owners being poorly matched to their selected small pet breed. It doesn’t matter where you are getting your pet from- a rescue, a breeder or an individual- how cute they are will always come first to most folk when selecting a pet. This is understandable after all if we look at the human psychology behind it, we are attracted to other species that have certain features such as large eyes, big noses and round faces. Whereas small creatures such as spiders and snakes with small thin eyes tend to set off our natural instinct for danger and distrust. Research has even shown that this nurturing instinct could even be driving our wider perception of cuteness –that we typically feel affection for animals with juvenile features. Dogs, for instance, have been bred to have similar features to babies, with big eyes, bulging craniums and recessed chins. They are also soft to touch. The same can be said for rabbits and pigs that are very fluffy or long haired. This tends to mean that without much thought, we will seek out the cutest pet on offer and select them. The problem is that some of the cutest breeds tend to also need considerably more hands on care compared to others. So it’s no wonder that small pets are taken home before the owner even fully understands the work involved. The best way to deal with this is to take a breath, say to yourself, they are very cute but what breed are they? Look it up and research first before deciding, don’t make any rushed decisions. Remember it’s far more responsible to say no then and there rather than taking them and then changing your mind.

Okay so let’s take a little look at rabbits first and then guinea pigs- if you want a full list of bunny breeds then Google is your best friend. Common pet rabbit breeds include: lion heads, dwarf Netherlands, Rex, lop, Dutch rabbit, angora, silver fox and many many more……

Lionheads, lops and dwarf rabbits are the most popular breeds of rabbits, however it is very common to also get mixed breeds. It’s important to remember that no matter what breed of rabbit you get- they will all need a standard level of care which fulfils their need for the correct diet, a good spacious environment, health care, enrichment and companionship. However it’s important to know your breed! For example- I adore full maned lion head rabbits, they are my absolute favourite, full off character and very robust but I know that lion heads are also extremely fluffy and therefore need a considerable amount of grooming and personal care. They also need more help in the summer when it’s very hot for them and all that extra floof can put them at higher risk of getting gut blockages from excess fur being ingested. I know this from years and years of keeping and working with rabbits but new owners may not so I can’t stress enough how important it is to seek reliable professional advise first on bunny breeds so that you know what is expected of you. Dwarf bunnies have become one of the most popular breeds to keep as pets as they are slightly easier to maintain and tend to be short haired. However it’s key to remember that a lot of bunny breeds have been breed a certain way to look cute and make humans go awwwwww. This means that every single breed will always have some kind of problem, dwarfs for example because of their miniature bodies and tiny heads are far more prone to respiratory infections and dental issues. Lop bunnies are also extremely popular with their distinct floppy ears and round head, however while they train well and make lovely pets, a lot of bunny owners aren’t aware that lops have one of the highest rates of dental complications, over growing teeth and also gut issues (a result of over breeding sadly) but because they are just so cute folk still get them. So regardless of being prone to ear infections, blocked tear ducts, teeth problems etc they remain one of the most popular bunny breeds.

Certain breeds like silver foxes, lion heads and angora’s have beautiful silky soft coats and thick fluffy fur but this means that you need to keep on top of that grooming as a few days ungroomed can lead to knotted matts and sore spots that start to develop as well as a range of skin issues as a result of poor keeping. They also don’t do well in certain temperatures and some breeds like angoras

really shouldn’t get wet at all so your housing for them needs to be tip top or inside.

So you see, knowing your breed is really important as it doesn’t just boil down to how cute they are but also the health implications of that breed. Some are prone to illness more than others but as always this statement needs to be taken with a pinch of salt because it’s also down to the quality of care given to them by you and keeping on top of their health needs.

The advice above of course also stands for guinea pigs but let’s take a quick look at piggy breeds: common guinea pig breeds that you’ll come across for pets include: Abyssinian, Peruvian, Skinny pig, Rex, Satin, Cornonet, Sheltie and many more……

Abyssinian, Crested and Peruvian tend to be among the most popular breeds of guinea pig. The biggest difference in guinea pig breeds that is important to take note off is their fur. Some breeds are short haired and therefore much easier to keep clean and groom. However some are long haired and require a lot of grooming as well as trimming (especially around the bum area to avoid wet soiled fur creating sores) long haired pigs such as Peruvians, Silkies and lunkarya’s require a lot of personal grooming and trimming so only consider getting one of these breeds if you know you have the time to give to them otherwise opt for a short haired breed. Also as with rabbits, different guinea pig breeds will require slightly different temperatures, some do not do well outside at all and others are more hardy and can cope with cooler temperatures, while the very fury breeds can over heat easily in the summer and develop heat stroke so close monitoring is always required.

RESEARCH, REASEARCH, RESEARCH and you’ll be just fine and much better equipped to make the correct decisions on what breeds are right for you and your family.

Nibbles & Custard Pet Services holds copy right over all blogs and articles on this page. If you see this article on any other pet care page or anything similar please inform us as we take plagiarism and individuals masquerading as false experts without appropriate training and experience even more seriously.