The most common pets are dogs and cats. Puppies and kittens are simply irresistible. However, puppies and kittens turn into dogs and cats and require a lot of care. Listed below are things to take into consideration prior to bringing home a pet.
Your Lifestyle
You and your spouse work full-time, have younger children and a home to maintain. This may leave little room for adding a pet to the mix, especially if there’s no one at home during the day. Additionally, if you live in an apartment versus a home with a backyard, and you decide on a puppy, you will have to transport the pet through the building and possibly downstairs for bathroom runs. You’ll also have to shop for food and supplies, which means another errand to run. However, you can purchase most of these items online. Depending on the company and the amount you spend, the cat food and cat litter delivery are free.
Care/Training
Pets are similar to having children. They require time for nurturing and training. While cats are much easier versus dogs, you still have to train them to use a cat box and a scratching post to prevent damage to your home. Whilst cats require less exercise than dogs, they still require attention or they might develop cat separation anxiety the same as any animal dependent on you would. If your cat does develop anxiety, you will need to look at ways to help keep them calm, or it will get worse to the point that they may develop depression in a similar way to humans. Puppies will need to crate train initially and then once house-trained, you can reserve the cage for limited use.
Maintaining a Routine
In order to train a puppy, you’ll need to establish a daily routine. You wake up and take them out and then every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day. You’ll also need to schedule feeding times in the morning, mid-day and evening and work in healthy snacks in between.
Deciding on a Breed
If anyone in your family has allergies, acquiring a pet with long hair or one that sheds heavily may not be in your best interest. When it comes to bringing home a dog, pay attention to the breed. There are certain types of dogs that are prone to serious health issues such as German Shepherds and French Bulldogs. Other breeds may not have a good temperament and as such become intolerant of children. This includes breeds like the Chihuahua, known to be nervous, and the Rottweiler, massive in size. However, you can learn more about breeds that are smaller and have very gentle temperament, such as Cavalier Spaniels or Labradors.
The Expense
If you’re already living on a tight budget, bringing in a pet will not be good for the animal’s health. Just like humans, they have needs. They require food, toys, and other supplies, shots, and regular checkups. They will have urgent needs that can happen, such as an ear infection or an injury sustained. Additionally, as your pet grows older, the needs will become ongoing and they may need to take medications and even have surgery. Though there are CBD products created by private label dog treat manufacturers which can be used to alleviate symptoms of aging and help prevent issues later in life such as joint issues. In your daily life, you take vacations. For some vacations, you may bring your dog along, while on others you may want to leave them behind. The latter will require either a house sitter or boarding. Unfortunately, while your intentions for pet care are good, you are not likely to put their needs ahead of yours or a child’s.
Where to Buy a Pet
Not all places that sell pets treat them with love and affection. For instance, puppy mills don’t have a very good reputation, whereas private breeders for the most part do. It’s important that you research the facility prior to even viewing a pet.
The Pet Age
You may want a puppy as young as possible to mold them into a good dog. Or, you may want an older dog that’s a year or two old to avoid the house training. While there are many unwanted pets in shelters, you don’t know where they lived before and what type of environment they were previously exposed to.
In addition to the above pointers, you can read magazines that provide information on pet health and behaviour. Similarly, books usually render insights and serve as educational resources to guide you through the process. Furthermore, you can land on clever rabbits trivia or other websites that often offer quizzes to test your knowledge of animal understanding.
Pets can provide unlimited and unconditional love. Most are great with children and can help you teach your kids at a young age how to care for a pet and be responsible. Just make sure before bringing a pet into your home that it’s a good fit for you and your family. And, if you decide to go forward, you prepare your home for the new arrival.