Top 5 Tips For First Time Pet Parents

Congratulations! 

Welcome to the world of pet parenthood. If this is your first time to become a parent of a new puppy, kitten, or whatever pet you felt like adopting, then you certainly would need a few tips and tricks to help you raise your furry baby. 

From slowly introducing your paw pal to the world to time-saving hacks such as using a pet food delivery service, read on and find out how you can enjoy more fun time with your fuzzy little pet.

Home Sweet Home 

Bringing home a new pet will certainly require changes in your home life. Whether you are living alone or share your place with family or friends, there will be adjustments that need to be made. 

Having a pet comes with a lot of benefits. Not only does it bring you great pleasure, but it can also help you address feelings of loneliness, fight off depression and anxiety, and increase your chances for socialization. In addition, pets can also help you become more fit and healthy. Walking your dog, chasing your cat around, or hanging out with other pet parents increase your opportunities for physical activity. 

Much like becoming a parent to a human child, being a pet parent comes with great responsibility. You are, after all, taking care of another living being. As such, you need to ensure that you raise your pet the right way so you can spend more enjoyable moments together. 

At the same time, being responsible for raising a pet is crucial for your fur baby’s health and well-being. You have to make sure that you provide it with a clean home, a balanced diet, opportunities for exercise, and lots of love and care. If in case you need to be away, you also have to make sure to leave it with a reputable pet boarding or pet sitting service (like Kip) who can provide the peace of mind that you are going to want.. All in all, you have to ensure that it has the best possible environment for it to grow happy and healthy. 

To guide you towards your pet parenthood journey, here are some suggestions that first-time pet parents should keep in mind:

1. Pet-Proof Your Place 

Before you bring home your new family member, you must see to it that you have pet-proofed your place. 

Aside from preparing an area where your pet should stay, especially during the toilet training period, you should also make sure that you ready your home for a possibly rambunctious dog or a curious cat. 

Invest in crates, gates, or pens to keep your pet from loitering into areas that you do not want them to go in to. Make sure that you also secure fragile items like lamps, vases, or other objects that might fall or break in case your energetic pet runs around. Put away stray cords or wires to prevent your pet from getting tangled in them. 

For your pet’s health and safety, it is best to store cleaning products and other chemicals out of reach. Also, put shoes or clothes away to avoid being chewed especially if your pet is on the teething phase.

2. Go Slow 

You would understandably be quite excited to show off your fur baby. However, avoid exposing your pet to a lot of new faces especially when you first bring it home. Give your pet enough time to acclimatize to its new environment. Rescued animals may even take longer depending on their history with people. 

Instead, gradually introduce new people to your pet. If you’re living alone, maybe you can bring a friend or two over until your pet can be quite comfortable with a pet party. If you’re living with other people, try not to overcrowd your pet and give it some space to familiarize itself with everyone.

3. Establish Routines 

It is crucial that you establish routines if you want your pet to exhibit desirable behavior. It will be easier working with baby pets but you can still try to create new habits with older pets. 

You should start with toilet training as soon as you bring our pet home. It will take a few days or weeks to get your pet housebroken. Be patient in picking up after your pet if an “accident” happens. Do not fret or go berserk when your pet doesn’t get it right away. Instead, just show your pet where the potty is located. 

An exercise schedule will also be helpful. While not every pet is the same, a regular exercise routine of about 15 to 30 minutes should generally be fine for healthy pets. The right amount of exercise will vary depending on the age, bred, or if your pet has any underlying health issues. Your dog can also benefit from undergoing a course in obedience dog training Huntsville, this can make your dog's behavior change for the better.  

Regular grooming at home, such as brushing their mane or teeth, will help when your pet will be left at a professional groomer. There are plenty of grooming tools, products, and other bath and shower supplies that you can even have delivered.

4. Get Healthy Pet Food 

You have to invest in high-quality and healthy food for your pet. Do your research online and check out Dr Marty Pets reviews about the best dog food ingredients for your particular breed, as their nutrition needs and requirements vary greatly. Designate regular feeding hours so your pet will eventually know when to expect food. Carefully portion the food that you give so you can watch the calorie intake. 

Different life stages will also mean different dietary requirements. What's important to note, no matter what the age of your pet is, is that you prepare a nutritious and balanced diet.

5. Keep Your Vet on Speed Dial 

Your veterinarian should be your foremost resource person with regard to the care of your pet. If you do not know anything about the proper amount of exercise or the right kind of food to give your pet, ask your vet. If you are unsure of how to go about their grooming or what to do when you need to travel with a pet, ask your vet. 

Put your vet on speed dial so if there’s an urgent need or emergency, you can easily get the right information that will help your fur baby. Just be considerate though, as you do not want to pester your vet with every question that you can think of. Better yet, stick to a regular schedule for check-ups so you can avoid problems.

Fur-tastic Time 

Caring for a pet should entail mindfulness and thoughtful care. You should make sure that you provide a warm and welcoming home so you can raise a happy and healthy pet. In turn, you can also look forward to many fun and fascinating moments with your new fur baby.

AUTHOR BIO

Farah Al-Khojai is the Managing Partner of Pet's Delight. A passionate entrepreneur, Farah holds a Bsc in Government from the London School of Economics. She is always on the lookout for new opportunities to develop and grow the pet and equestrian retail and wholesale market in the UAE and beyond, and is proud to be at the helm of the first and the largest pet care provider in the market representing world-class brands including Orijen, Applaws, Hunter, Savic, Flamingo, Ruffwear and Rogz.

Also read: on this topic 8 Ways You Can Cater To Your Pet The Right Way