First time Pet Owner: A complete beginner's guide

Owning a pet is very similar to taking care of a child, there are a lot of factors that first-time pet owners need to know before they began their journey with an animal that is going to occupy a significant portion of their lives.

The thought of bringing a pet home is very exciting as you are not only bringing a companion but a being who will require all your love and care and will reciprocate it.

Here are some things that you need to look out for before bringing a pet home:

Choosing a pet that complements your lifestyle

While you might have your eyes set on a particular animal, various issues can arise because of a lack of compatibility between you and your pet. For example, choosing a dog that requires a lot of exercise would not be a logical choice for a person who doesn’t like to move around and has a stationary lifestyle.

Therefore, it is necessary to do your research before adopting/buying a pet to ensure that you and your pet both remain happy in each other’s company.

Choosing an animal that you like would seem like a lucrative idea but if your lifestyle hinders the animal’s, it will affect you as well.

Preparing a home for your pet

The above-given factor is also dependent on how big your house is, while bigger breeds would require a sizeable house and smaller breeds can live happily in a small one.

Preparing your home before bringing in the pet, saves you a lot of trouble. Some ways that you can prepare are to bring pet supplies such as food, water/food bowls, litter boxes, carriers, medications, enclosure for a puppy or kitten.

With a cat or a dog, you will also require some toys and scratch pads to keep the animals entertained and protect your furniture, it is also very necessary to puppy proof your house before bringing in a puppy.

Also, move out the “fragile” stuff out of the puppy’s way.

Medical issues

While adopting from a shelter or a breeder there are various things such as deworming, vaccinations and other pre-existent conditions that are taken care of by the providers but you might still need to continue with the treatments or vaccinations,

Make sure you understand everything about your pet’s conditions and their requirements before bringing them home.

Assuming that you have already brought home a pet (preferably from a shelter or a breeder rather than a shop) that will be your best friend for a long, the above steps are some things that you need to do to ensure a swift and safe transition of the pet into your home.

Some other things that you can do to maintain the health of your pet are regular checkups with the vet, provide nutritious quality food, and ample exercise and proper training.