My family celebrated a birthday last week. We cut a cake, blew out candles, and took a few pictures. We sang happy birthday.

The birthday boy? Our beagle. Or as my husband and I often refer to him -- our first child. My 5-year-old son has always proudly talked about his “brother.” It usually takes teachers a while to figure out his brother has spots, fur and four legs.

Some of my first memories as a child involve pets. (Rabbits, ducks, chickens, dogs) And I always knew I wanted my children to grow up respecting and appreciating animals. For parents, it’s often one of those key decisions: How? When? What?

Here are a few things to consider:

New baby: If you already have a pet (such as a dog), be sure to take steps even before the baby is born to introduce the change to the animal. My dog was three years old when my son was born. We knew there would be an adjustment period for a dog that had had our undivided attention for three years. So we took it slowly and used the nine months of my pregnancy to get our dog used to changes in his routine and surroundings. (Lots of areas in the house became off limits.) When the baby was born, my husband brought home a baby blanket from the hospital to allow our dog to sniff it.

Age-appropriate pets: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (ASPCA) to Animals recommends small pets, such as guinea pigs, for preschoolers (3-5 years old.). They like to be held, seldom bite and will whistle when excited or happy. Who wouldn’t like that? I guess this is why they tend to be common classroom pets too. Avoid reptiles, though, since kids this age are more susceptible to contracting salmonella because of poor hand-washing habits. Also if you do decide to get a dog after your children are born, be sure to pick a breed that has a reputation of being good around children. And it’s not about size. Chihuahuas, for example, can be very temperamental. Ditto for Lhasa Apsos. (I have a scar on my face to prove it.)

Pets as teachers: Pets can help teach children responsibility. Let your child learn to feed, bathe or care for the pet by cleaning out its cage or taking it for a walk. Having a pet like a dog or cat can also help your children learn to build trusting relationships and develop compassion and empathy.