I am a mother and a pet parent to a wonderful golden retriever named Boomer. Ever since we brought him home, boomer has been a source of happiness to us. The way he loves us all unconditionally and his smiling face brighten up even the dullest of dull days. There are times when he is mischievous but as a pet parent, we never use physical force on him and we should never do that ever. Period. Caring for Pet animals and making them feel loved is what a good pet parent does.
But as pet parents, we do at times give ourselves at his whims and fancies and let him do what he feels like doing. I guess I can say that I am still in the process of being a better pet person and there are times when I have fed him chocolates and table scraps(this I shouldn’t have done ). So lets us see what are the qualities of a good pet parent so that both you and I can imbibe these pointers to take care of our pets better.
1. Research well before getting a new pet
When getting a new pet always research what kind of pet you would like to have. Do not ever buy a pet on your whims or your children’s whims. Remember, having a pet entails a lot of responsibility. Make sure to look at all the factors like your environment, if you would prefer a dog that barks less so that others would not get disturbed. If you have space constraints then you would prefer a pet that does not demand a lot of space.
You also need to take a look at the activity level and your lifestyle. If you are a person or a family who is energetic then choosing a pet with the same level of energy will help all of you. If you need a quiet dog who can fit in with your quiet lifestyle then choosing an older dog or a cat might be a better option. Whatever is your preference, research well before bringing a pet to your home. If you bring the right kind of pet based on your personality, then you will have a ball of a time with it.
2. Provide care and comfort to your pet
Once you have decided on your choice and have welcomed your new furry friend home, giving a comfortable environment is very essential. Your pet is likely to be home most of the time. So make him/her comfortable by providing them with food and water in a clean bowl. Make sure your pet has access to a potty area or indoor potty pad and keep your cat’s litter box clean and well accessible. Give them a nice place to rest and sleep so that they do not lie on the floor. This is a good start to take care of pets at home.
3. Provide proper ID to your pet
You would never want your pet to get lost. But no matter how much you care accidents can happen. To avoid such mishaps, it is best to get your dog a proper pet ID or a digital pet ID. You can write your pet’s name along with its address so that if anybody finds your pet they can bring it home.
However, tags can sometimes fall and get lost. Nowadays some places also offer microchip ID’s a kind of tiny transponder about the size of a grain of rice. These use radio waves to transmit information about your pet along with ensuring that your pet can be easily identified. Microchips also keep all your contact information that is on the tag or the file updated. With all the information, it becomes possible for anyone who finds your pet to safely return it to you. This is another factor to keep in mind while caring for animals.
4. Keep your pet active and well-exercised
You want to be a good pet parent, then taking care of pets’ health is a must. Keep your pet active and well-exercised all the time. Pets love to be challenged both physically and mentally. You may say that my pet loves to snuggle on the sofa all the time. Yes, pets love to sleep but without proper exercise, your pet or dog will run the risk of becoming obese and you do not want that. Some dogs will crave physical activity that if denied they will channel their negative energy into chewing your furniture or your shoes or anything they can lay their paws on. Remember, a well-exercised dog is a well-behaved dog. A little walk time along with you or a game of fetch can make them charged up and happy along with adding a few more years to their lives.
5. Get your pet quality pet food
Caring for animals doesn’t always mean caring for them superficially. One has to look at all factors which concern your pet’s life. Your pets would love to eat what you have. But to be a good pet parent, we must learn to say no even if they look at us with those puppy dog looks. Yes, every time your pet looks at you with those eyes you are a goner. You can’t help give them what you are eating. (At least I can say that I do…Guilty face)
Getting your pet quality and well-balanced food is very essential for their overall health and development. But remember that nutritional requirements vary from age and stages of their life. For instance, a growing puppy or kitten will require food with a lot of protein and healthy carbohydrates than compared to an adult. Also, when they age their nutritional requirements change. So it is best to consult your vet to make sure which type of food is well suited for your pet as per its lifestyle.
6. Training your Pet
If you think that your dog or any pet will learn to behave on its own then you need to change that mindset. Pets need guidance. They need to learn things from you. So start training your pets early on so that it does not become a daunting task later on. If your dog is unruly or ill-behaved, it is not the fault of the dog but you. Yes, it is said that no dog is bad; there are only bad owners. So unless you want to identify yourself as a bad pet parent, start training your pet from early on.
In case you have hyper or a stubborn dog and need help training, then look for professional dog trainers. Trainers have a lot of knowledge about dogs or cats and as such, they can help you train unruly dogs or pets easily. Starting young helps to become a habit. So start with little things like sit, heel or stay every day and reward them when they have accomplished the particular task.
Training a cat is different from training a dog. Make sure to discourage bad behaviors such as scratching furniture or any other thing with an interruption without scaring the cat. If you keep on interrupting the cat with a tapping noise or tapping on the table while it is scratching then eventually the cat will stop doing that.
Remember as children pets can also make mistakes like peeing inside the home. Caring for animals doesn’t mean reprimanding them for their behavior; instead, try to be gentle and friendly. Praise them when they do something good so that they associate the act with good behavior.
7. Keep their belongings clean
Because they are pets doesn’t mean that their things do not need to be clean. Caring for animals means taking care of all their little things like their belongings. Just like you would keep your things clean and tidy, your pets too need the same thing. Your pet’s food and water bowls should be cleaned regularly to prevent germs, dirt, and bacteria from accumulating in them leaving them sick. Make sure to keep their bed, blankets, and other belongings clean so that mites or other insects do not make a home in it.
8. Pet proofing your home
Like small children, pets tend to explore their surroundings, especially in new environments. And how do they explore the unknown? Yes by sniffing, licking, eating, or scratching. As such it is our responsibility to take care of pets and keep our home pet-friendly and safe. Make sure to keep all dangerous stuff like detergents, cleaning agents, kerosene, gardening tools, and pesticides away from their reach. Keep them all out of their reach so that they do not ingest these harmful things leading to poisoning.
Young pets also tend to chew shoes, clothes, or furniture. Keep your cabinets locked and your electrical cords and wires out of reach so that they do not chew on them. Pets need things to play with. So make sure to buy dog and cat toys and other essentials so that they have their own things to chew and play with and not destroy your valuable things.
9. Make your children a good pet parent
If you have children at home and you decide to get yourself a new pet, make sure to take things slow and steady. New pets will take time to adjust to a new home and get along with the children and the rest of the family members. If there are young children at home, it is imperative to teach them to be gentle and not treat their pets as toys. Initially, your pet may be scared and as such may not be on its best behavior. That does not mean that your pet is bad. Give time to your pet time to adjust to its new environment and soon you will see that it will gel well with everyone.
Having pets at home means having responsibilities. You can teach your children depending on their age to take up some basic responsibilities such as feeding and watering your pet and keeping it safe and sound. However, too young kids or babies should not be left alone with pets. Adult supervision is a must. Make sure to socialize your pet with kids and babies. Early socialization of your pet especially your dog is the key to develop a friendly disposition towards kids and other family members.
Having pets at home not only is a great thing but studies have also found that exposing young children to animal germs can actually be healthy and it helps to build your child’s immune system. You can also teach your kids about having compassion towards your pets. Make your kids realize that they too have feelings and can feel pain when hurt. They feel ashamed when they know that they have done something wrong and feel sad when they are ignored. This will make your kids more humane towards your furry friend.
If you intend on becoming a good pet parent make sure to teach your child and your pet to behave properly. Maintain consistency and establish a routine to make sure everything runs properly. In no time you will see that your kids and your pets share an unbreakable bond for a lifetime.
10. Take your pet to the vet
Another reason how you can be a good pet parent is by making sure your pet is in good condition. And you do you determine that? Make sure that you take your pet to the vet.
Your pet will not be able to tell you how it feels. It is up to you to notice if your pet has any problems or is suffering from something. Be aware of the symptoms that are atypical of what they normally are. Signs like being lethargic, not eating or drinking, having a nauseous tendency, scratching itself continuously, or having reduced activity levels are all red flags when it comes to caring for animals.
Take them to the vet immediately when you notice these symptoms and get them checked soon. Your vet can also answer your question and queries relating to your pet’s vaccinations or other related problems. If you want to spay or neuter your pet then your vet is the best person you can get information from. However, you should not just go to a vet if there are some problems. Make sure to take your pets to the vet for their wellness check at least once a year or how often your vet recommends.
Caring for animals can only happen when you as a pet parent recognize their needs.
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