A Small Guide for First-Time Pet Owners During the Great Pandemic

In Emotional Support Animal by Emotional Pet Support TeamLeave a Comment


    
 Most likely we all remember the moment when, as a child, if we didn’t have a pet, we wanted one and if we had one we wanted more.

Well, in these pandemic times, a soul that is close to you almost every day seems like a good idea.  Whether it’s man’s best friend, a cat, a bird, a reptile, or even something more unusual like a dwarf pig, we all need to feel affection and pay attention to someone other than ourselves.

As I read a custom article from an assignment writing service at Dissertation Today, the feeling of empathy and coexistence with another being reduces your feeling of fear of the unknown and helps you overcome moments of mental blockage much easier than if you were alone. No matter how small or big that something is we, as social beings, must establish a social connection with the creatures around us, offer affection, and nourish it as one of our own.
In these times not experienced by humans throughout history, it is beneficial for the social aspect of our lives to have a pet to spend time with.

Even if the list of benefits is a long one, having a pet brings many responsibilities and sometimes some limitations that you may not consider in the beginning. Adding all these elements to the fact that we are currently in the middle of one of the greatest crises in the history of mankind, you will probably feel an even greater challenge. Take a look at the following tips, they may help to manage various scenarios. 

1) Hygiene

As this need is an obvious one for ourselves, as well as for our beloved pets. Being much more exposed to the outside environment, they must be washed on their paws, snout, and belly after each walk.  Although they are much more resistant to diversified pathogens, we along with our children are much more threatened by various diseases that some microorganisms can cause.


It is well known that sanitation products must be specially designed for your pet and we must ensure that they are antibacterial for increased protection. I usually do this after each walk and it’s enough to enjoy one more bath during the week.

2) Time together

Standing together most of the day we tend to get used to it, we forget that for our pets we are their only friends and they need us at every moment. Because we cannot devote the whole day to them alone, in the moments when we walk them, feed them or just cuddle them, we should do it unconditionally and be 100% there for them.

Also, to avoid repeating things endlessly, we can find new toys or new and exciting activities for them.
Mark from assignment help service at Write My Essay, the owner of a Husky said that his dog plays with each new toy for half a day and then gets bored of it. So he realized that it was not the number of toys he was buying for his buddy, but the enthusiasm he had when a toy he hadn’t played with, appeared again. He also said that he likes sticks made of old, rolled towels that they play fetch with.

So, it doesn’t always matter how many toys you buy for your pet, but the way you are choosing to use them. You can build your own toys, just trust your imagination and force of creation!

3) Visit the clinic

There are many responsibilities when it comes to your pet and one of them is a regular doctor visit, at least every 6 months (depending on their age). Because it cannot speak, you always have to make sure that your furry friend is in the best shape possible.

Ask a veterinarian about annual vaccines, stimulants, and sterilization. Another advice would be to take a test for the substances it is allergic to. This way you will know what you need to avoid in order to protect from them.

Locate the nearest emergency veterinary clinic in case your pet becomes ill and needs to be seen by a veterinarian. Due to the new regulations, some clinics may ask you to wait outside to avoid contact between people, and usually, a medical representative will take your pet inside. Buy a good leash for your dog and a carrying case for your cat, you will use them more than once.

4) Nail care and grooming 

It has been a while since we had the time and the money to spend some time at a beauty clinic and this may be the case also for your pet.  You can schedule an appointment at care services or you can do it all by yourself. It depends on which pet we are talking about, make sure that your pet gets the proper care.

If you bath your dogs at home, start trying to brush their fur before the bath, to avoid tangling and breaking, especially for those with longer or thicker hair.

According to The New York Times, depending on the size of the dog, the recommendation of the specialists would be to be washed outside, in the yard with warm water and low pressure. It is better if you can mix the bath with playing, in this way a non-water-friendly pet can forget about their fear and even enjoy the bath!

I usually dry my dog’s fur with a small towel but you can also use a hairdryer. It depends on what you think that your dog fits best. One small tip, make sure that the fur is very well rinsed and well dried, otherwise, you risk getting dermatitis which eventually causes skin infections. These are difficult to handle and, unfortunately, the treatments are expensive and can last for quite a long time.

If you do not have experience in cutting your pet’s nails, it would be better not to do it. If you cut too much from the nail, the bleeding will start and you will go to the hospital for a minor thing.

At the same time, when the pet sees the blood pouring, the first instinct is to lick the wound, which will lead to further infections.

So, make sure that you are well informed before you act on your pet’s appearance. In case you have second thoughts, ask a specialized person for advice.

Although I gave you some advice on how you can take care of your pet, I haven’t spoken about how a pet takes care of you. This pandemic has brought a lot of pressure on ourselves and a pet has the power to equilibrate and calm us. A ten minutes cuddle with my best friend, my dog, makes me forget about all the uncertainty in my life and teaches me to be patient with myself.  

If you are having a bad day or you just feel the need to pause everything for some seconds, walk your dog. I assure you that a small walk and the bond that you have with your pet is the key when you just need a break from work, your responsibilities, or life itself.

All in all, even if you are a first-time owner of a pet, try to have fun during the time you spent with your pet. Make sure you take good care of them because animals feel the love, affection, and care that you are offering them and they give you back just the same. Keep in mind that this pandemic may have brought a lot of negative aspects but you gained a friend for life, your pet.

About the author: Tiffany Harper is an experienced freelance writer and editor, sometimes she works as the subject matter expert with the assignment writing services Australia at EssayWritingLand. Now she helps as a thesis writing service consultant to some assignment services. Tiffany adopted several dogs and cats with challenging personalities. Please contact her on twitter.

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