The bond that you share with your pet is priceless! These animals give love and affection and demand the same in return. Ask any pet owner, and they will tell you that their animals have taught them to show emotions in a non-verbal way.
Pets indeed can teach you a lot and bring a sense of paw-sitivity in your life. However, owning pets isn’t as simple as you may think. There is a certain degree of responsibility that comes along with owning a pet. If someone told you that they didn’t have to tweak their lifestyle just a little bit after getting a pet, they’re lying.
For first-time pet owners, you may face a fair share of trials when dealing with your little cuddly-wuddly buddies. Taking care of these animals isn’t easy, but it does become more manageable as time progresses. With that said, here are five tips to consider if you’ve just gotten a pet.
Watch the temperature
Cat owners usually don’t have any particular problems in the winter. The little felines typically find a nice warm place to cuddle up and make themselves comfortable. However, the same is not valid for dogs; they’re bigger and clumsier. Dogs can’t snuggle in small and tight places unless they’re small themselves. Therefore, they are more likely to feel cold during the winter.
Also, since dogs are prone to arthritis, it would be good to get them a few cushions and create a designated sleeping area. Throw in a personalised dog blanket with their name on it, and you have everything you need to keep your doggo warm in the cold.
Creating a warm sleeping environment helps them sleepy comfortably and prevents their joints from bruising. If they were sleeping on the hard cold floor, their ankles and elbows are known to bruise and develop something similar to calluses.
Keep a food budget
You might not realize it at first, but pet food can burn a hole in your pocket. Not only is the food reasonably expensive, but domestic animals can eat more than you might imagine. It would be a good idea to put a generous monthly budget aside for pet food. Whether it’s food for your cat, dog, ferret, or pet iguana, it would be wise to budget accordingly and not compromise on their nutrition. Alternatively, you can do your research and give them regular food as well.
Get pets that you can manage
If you are at work most of the time, avoid getting a high-maintenance pet like a dog. Dogs need a considerable amount of time and attention; you need to walk them AT LEAST once a day to ensure they develop strong legs and don’t poop all over the house. It can be somewhat of a stressful task after you have spent the whole day at work. If you don’t think you can handle a dog with your schedule, consider going for a low-maintenance pet like a cat or parrot. Or a goldfish – yes, fish are easy to keep.
Though they appreciate time and attention, cats, birds, and fish won’t need as much of it as dogs do. Moreover, if you know anything about cats, they will make it very clear that they don’t want you around anymore once they are “done” with you!
There will be fur E V E R Y W H E R E
Especially with cats! You need to be were ready to spend minutes – possibly hours –cleaning up fur from your furniture, upholstery, and clothes. During summers, both cats and dogs are known to shed a good amount of hair. If you’re not up for this hairy situation, you might want to reconsider your pet choices.
One of the best things you can do to get rid of the fur is to buy a lint roller. The sticky surface picks up the fine hair and sticks them to the paper wrapped around the roller.
The fur all over the place can take most new pet owners by surprise. You should keep this in mind if you have a particular pet allergy. Unfortunately, many people have to let go of their pets because of their fur allergies. Therefore, we advise that you keep this in mind beforehand so that the pet doesn’t have to deal with changing owners. Pets are emotional creatures; they can have abandonment issues too.
Keep a vets number in your emergency contacts
Like humans, pets can also fall sick very fast. Since they’re out rolling in the dirt and at greater risk, the situation can go from bad to worse before you know it. The longer you wait, the worse it can get. Even if you think it’s something mundane, take your pet to a vet for a check-up and ensure they’re safe and healthy. You do the same for your kids, wouldn’t you?
It would be a good idea to find a vet nearby. However, since that isn’t always possible, see a vet that might be willing to talk to you over the phone. Once they have established whether there is cause for concern or not, you can drive over to the vet or choose to handle the situation yourself.