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You and a New Pet

So, you have decided to get a new pet, wonderful!
But here are a few things to think about when deciding on a new pet:
Training:
Kittens
  • a kitten needs to be taught to use a litter box. Usually the mom cat will train the kittens to use it if the breeder keeps the litter clean and the mom is a faithful user of the box. BUT not all moms teach the babies to use a box so that falls on your shoulders.
  • At first you have to use the non clumping litter because kittens haven’t learned to not step in waste and the clumping litter will get caught in their feet and when the kitten cleans itself it can ingest the litter and it can cause a blockage in their system.
  • Show the kitten where the box is and let them explore, if they make a mess elsewhere clean it up and put it in the box and show the kitten where it is, eventually it will take the hint (or just figure that it’s human slave is going to pick up after it, can go either way).
  • Kittens need to be taught not to go on counters. This is an almost endless job but when you get a kitten you can pretty much figure it is going to be on your counter when you are not home even if you have trained it to stay off when you are home (using a spray bottle is the best way I have found, some say aluminum wrap will also stop them). You might want to get into the habit of sterilizing your counters before using them to prep food because you honestly can’t be sure who has put their dirty little paws on there.
  • Teach the kitten to not lunge for the door every time it opens, again the spray bottle is a good training method. Many cats just get to the point of not even bothering with outside if they are strictly indoor cats.
Puppies
  • training is not just teaching a new pup how to fetch a ball. Training a puppy is hard work and takes months but in the end is very much worth the effort.
  • House training will take a lot of determination and effort on your part. You have to take the pup out first thing in the morning most likely before you can do your business because their little bladder isn’t easy to control. Having a small fenced in area for them to use safely is a good way to let you both take care of business first thing in the morning. Always take them out 20 – 30 minutes after they eat because they will need to go. Always take them out after excitement of play or visitors, they will piddle otherwise. Plan on taking them out every couple hours during the day to teach them that is the routine, as they get older you can put more time in between until they are able to hold it for longer periods of time. Pick up water after supper so they are not tempted to drink a lot before bed, try to keep their excitement down so they are settled and easier to get to sleep. Walk them before bed so they can water every tree and post along the way to give them a longer chance to sleep.
  • At first puppies will not want to sleep alone, you took them from a litter where they slept in a puppy pile and are used to having warm bodies all around. You can give your new pup a couple furry stuffies to keep them company. You can use an old fashioned clock that ticks for noise or just use an app on your phone on low of a heartbeat so it mimics another being. Be prepared, you probably won’t get much sleep the first few nights.
  • Training your pup to walk on leash is going to be a challenge, you need to teach it to walk on a leash (many give trouble with a leash, if this happens just attach the leash to them and let them walk around with it in the house, eventually pick up the leash and walk with them and get them used to using it, them try them outside). They will pull, it is in their nature, but you have to keep them on a short leash to get them used to walking with you. When they pull give one little jerk (DO NOT PULL HARD AS YOU CAN CHOKE OR BREAK THE BONES IN THEIR NECK) and stop, they will stop with you, when they settle down start again and repeat this until they realize they need to walk with you. There are aids on the market to help with this – pinch collars when used properly will work like a miracle to train your dog to walk well, ask someone who has trained a dog using one how to do so safely. Martingale collars work great if your dog just needs a reminder and can remain on the dog as their permanent collar if so desired.
  • Teaching your pup not to jump is another big job. Pups are cute when they jump but they grow up and many reach over 100 pounds and if that excited large dog decides to jump on someone that isn’t prepared it can cause serious damage to the unsuspecting person. Get your dog to jump and use your knee in front of your other knee to stop him and give him a little “tap” on the nose and say DOWN in a sharp tone … do this repeatedly until the dog learns (often this is achieved in 3 or 4 tries). It might have to be repeated for a few days but it will eventually teach the dog.
  • Biting is another thing that the dog needs to be taught not to do. Most dogs will learn with easy correction (a tap and a sharp NO often works). Many are not so easy. Sometimes when a pup is biting you can just gently grab the lower jaw with your hand in the mouth and wrapped around the lower jaw (don’t do it hard, you only want the dog to learn it isn’t right, not hurt it!). The dog will try to close its mouth and won’t be able to, let it go and try again, if the dog bites again do it again. After a few times the dog is going to say nope, not happening. Persistence is the key.
  • More advanced training is available through professionals, check your local area for someone that is trained to help you.
Feeding:
Most young animals will eat anything and everything. Most have no issue with the food they are fed and do well on whatever. HOWEVER, there are some that develop food sensitivities and those are a different matter. Start with cutting out one item at a time in their diet, often chicken and wheat are the issue, so find a food with a different protein source than chicken, give it a month to see if the issue resolves. If it does go with alternate protein sources (lamb is a good alternate protein and most animals do well with it). If it is still an issue go for a grain free food and give it a month. If after all this, your pet still has issues, you may want to discuss it with your vet or pet professional and see what else you can try.
Do not overfeed, feed according to the guidelines on the bag. Always try to feed the best food you can afford with your budget – not everyone can afford the $125 a 22-pound bag food and that is ok, just try not to rely on the $25 a 40-pound bag food as it is usually full of fillers and preservatives. Rule of thumb to remember – first 5 ingredients is 80% of the food… Do you want those first 5 ingredients to be wheat, rice, corn, byproducts and items that are hard to pronounce?
Vet Bills:
Yes, they are going to pop up quickly once you welcome a pet into your home and heart. You need to be prepared for them as they are not cheap. My rule was always to start putting a little bit away each month for the vet bills – vaccines, spay/neuter, emergencies.
Most vet bills are going to be high, sorry to tell you that. You can expect a bill of at least $200 for the vaccines (8, 12, 16 weeks of age) and spay/neuter (6 to 9 months depending on breed) will range from $400 to $1200. You need to be prepared! There is help available through some programs but they only cover a small portion, so you need to prepare and start saving now!
Doing your research before getting a new fur baby will help you make the best decisions in the future. A new fur baby can add a wonderful quality to your life and make your life more fulfilling. But it can go wrong so easily if you are not prepared. Good luck with your new addition.
Tracy Blackmore
Wagging Tails Kennel
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