Getting a pet for the first or hundredth time is always a new and unique experience. Every animal is different, and they often have their own personalities and temperaments, so each time you get a pet, you must prepare accordingly.
That said, the first thing on your list should be to research a dog vet near you, provided you’re getting a puppy, for instance. A vet checkup is of the utmost importance to ensure your pet is healthy and ready for a new forever home. In most cases, pets are much like kids, except for the fact that they can’t speak. Therefore, they can’t tell you if something bothers them.
A new environment for a pet can be pretty stressful, so you have to help them adjust and adapt to their new home. Easier said than done, for sure, as some animals are much more challenging to work with than others.
Still, with patience and the proper training, every pet can overcome a stressful adaptation period and quickly become your best and most loyal of friends. So, without any further ado, let’s explore a few ways to prepare to welcome a new pet into your home.
The vet checkup
As mentioned before, taking your pet friend to the vet is crucial. Also, it’s very stressful for the pet, so you might want to scratch that off the list as soon as possible and get it over with as quickly as possible. A vet checkup includes a general inspection of the pet’s overall health, vaccinations, and, of course, getting some helpful advice from the vegetarian regarding how to keep, feed, train, and entertain your new friend.
By providing don’t hesitate to ask about anything you’re not sure you to about. After all, your local vet is there to help you out, not just by treating your pet when it’s ill but also by providing guidance and information to help you raise your new pet. Even though your pet will never get used to vet clinics and vets in general, you’d want to have a veterinarian on speed dial just in case.
Home adjustments
Yes, a new pet in your home can be pretty chaotic if you don’t make some necessary modifications to your home, beforehand. No worries, this doesn’t mean you will have to renovate or anything like that. However, some adjustments are essential depending on what kind of a pet you’ll bring. So, for example, if you’re planning on getting a puppy, you might want to get chew toys so your shoes don’t become a victim of circumstances.
Also, any electrical cords should be hidden or tucked away so the puppy doesn’t find them interesting enough to chew on. Puppy teeth itch when they grow, so they’re like babies. The only difference is that instead of crying, a puppy, chews on anything to scratch the itchy teeth, not to mention the fact that puppies are mobile and can go anywhere to find something to chew on. The same goes for other animals. Cats, for example, need scratching posts so your furniture doesn’t meet its untimely demise.
A catio and plenty of toys are also necessary for your cat to enjoy, solitude and pray on things other than your feet. Lizards and snakes, on the other hand, are a bit more demanding. They require specific air humidity and temperature to thrive, so you must ensure they have what they need if you want to keep them as pets.
How to train your dragon or pet
Pets, especially younglings, are very energetic and possibly have attention disorders. They want to explore, run around, and do crazy things. While that is unbearably cute, as a pet owner, you must know when to let things slide and when to be firm as a pet owner. Training a pet is, therefore, a demanding process for the most part.
Potty training, socializing, learning commands, and so on require patience, effort, and dedication. Of course, that all depends on the type of pet you have. Dogs, for instance, are straightforward, to train to deepen on their age and breed, while cats can learn a lot of stuff, but I’ll choose to ignore you most of the time. Still, with the right strategy, you can eventually help your pet adjust to your way of life and routine. You just have to be determined and consistent with training.
So, for example, even though cats are nocturnal animals and they hunt at night, you can teach them to sleep through the night and avoid waking you up at 3 am in the morning if you drain them of their energy during the day. Just be patient and don’t succumb to the curtness overload. There will be time for that later when your pet is properly trained.
Providing entertainment for your pet
All pets need love, affection, and entertainment. You must dedicate some of your time to providing them with such. Of course, you won’t have the energy or be in the mood for it all the time, but your pet won’t be able to understand that.
So when you do have the time, play with your pet as much as possible. But when you’re not in the mood, make things easier for yourself and get some toys your pet can play with independently.
Those puzzle toys with treats inside or similar things that can occupy your pet while you get some much-needed rest will do just fine. Other than that, love your pet. You might not need to hear this but still, love it and care for it as much as it’s physically possible.
Your pet is your best friend, and they will show you affection more than you can do the same to them. Sometimes that can be annoying but make no mistake, you are your pet’s entire world, and they depend on you more than you might realize. That includes cats, even though not a single cat would ever admit that if they could talk.
