Everyone has a dream pet they’d love to have when they grow up. It’s usually something a little wild, like a tiger or a hippopotamus, though there are some kids who grow up wanting nothing more than a sweet Golden Retriever.
Everyone has to start somewhere! Your starter pet is often what sticks with you for the rest of your life and can sometimes literally inspire entire career paths. On September 14th, the San Francisco 49ers took to TikTok to tell us all about their very first pets, and it’s just precious:
@49ersFirst best friend 🥹 #49ers #nfl #puppies
Watching this, I find myself hoping that the 49ers have just started a new trend. I need to know every football teams’ first pets. It’s one of my favorite ice breakers!
Related: College Football Commentator’s Golden Retriever Is Full of Joy Warming Up Before Big Game
The San Francisco 49ers are usually busy playing football, but they do occasionally play with puppies, too! Last year, before the NFC championship game, they were treated to some time with a couple of therapy pups. This time is even better: in partnership with the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, the 49ers got to play with some animals in need of forever homes. In addition, the team sponsored the shelter for $49 off every adoption fee, a promotion held earlier this week. We don’t know if they took any home themselves, but it was sweet regardless!
The players themselves seem to be dog people, for the most part. They’ve had several breeds between them, including Pomeranians, Labrador Retrievers, and German Shepherds. Most of them still have dogs to this day! The only exception was Kyle Jusczyk, whose first pet was a shorthaired Persian cat!
What is a good starter pet?
Raising kids with pets has been proven to make them better people, not to mention that it can help with issues like developing allergies. However, pets are a huge responsibility, and the decision of what pet to raise alongside your kids is just as important as the decision to do it.
My first family pet was a cat, but when I was 16, I got my first solo pet: a bearded dragon I named Tyrion after the Game of Thrones character. If you’re thinking about getting a pet “for” your child, remember that you’re still technically responsible for that pet. If the child doesn’t care for it properly, you have to step up. That being said, there are some popular choices for “starter pets” that can help get your child interested in animal care and responsibility:
- Dogs, which they can be responsible for maintaining by refilling their water bowl, playing, etc.,.
- Cats, who will teach them a lot of lessons in boundaries and patience.
- When they’re a little older, bearded dragons are an excellent choice for those “dinosaur” lovers, as they’re really cool and sweet when properly socialized.
- Fish are a good pet for any age since they’re fun to watch, but they’re especially good for kids who want to learn more about marine life!
Whatever pet you want to get your family should be one that you’re also interested in, because you’ll need to do a lot of research and be prepared to step in just in case your child loses interest in their responsibilities. Don’t worry, there really is something for everybody!
