Preparing Your Home For A New Pet
A new pet can be exciting and overwhelming. You, your family and your pet will all have to adjust to a new lifestyle. You’ll want to make sure that your house is safe for your pet and that you have enough distractions to keep your house safe from your pet. Here are some new pet basics that every new pet owner should know.
The Basics: Before your pet comes home, have new food and water dishes, food recommended by your vet, a couple of toys, bedding, a collar, and a leash. Be aware that ornate food and water dishes can clank with or catch on collars, which can make eating an unpleasant experience for your new pet.
Prepare A Safe Space For Your Pet: For dogs and puppies establish where they will sleep (if you don’t want them in your bed) with a comfy new bed. Crate-trained dogs should be shown their new crate immediately so they can determine their “safe spot.” New cats should be shown a safe place to hide, as they are often shy they may want a dark, hidden place to observe until they are ready. Don’t feel bad if your new cat or dog is a little shy, they’ll warm up once they get used to their new surroundings.
Toxic plants include:
Autumn Crocus
Azalea
Cyclamen
Kalanchoe
Lilies
Oleander
Dieffenbachia
Daffodils
Lily of the Valley
Sago Palm
Tulips and Hyancinths
Provide Appropriate Toys: For cats, set up a scratch post to deter any unwanted scratching of the furniture. Lay out toys like vet recommended dolls or ropes (these are especially good if pets are teething).
Pet-Proof Your Belongings: To ensure your new pet doesn’t get into trouble or get hurt, hide away any cords that they can chew on, remove any poisonous or toxic cleaning solutions or house plants, and remove any items you don’t want chewed on (especially for puppies). IF something were to hypothetically happen, come to your local ZippiVet Animal Hospital in Austin for fast and immediate service. Also, you’ll need to provide appropriate potty places for your new pet! For cats, place a litterbox in a low-traffic area. For dogs, show them the door to outside. You may want to put down some puppy pads while they are still being potty trained.
Establish A Schedule: Pets thrive on schedules and reliability and will be much more relaxed and well behaved if they can predict when they will be fed and able to enjoy exercise. Feed and walk your pet at the same time every day!
Socialize Your Animals: If your home has other pets, let the pets slowly meet each other either through their individual crates or with human intervention.