How to Settle a new pet into your home
Bringing a new pet into your home means there are lots of things to consider to ensure your pet stays happy and healthy and forms a good bond with you as its owner.
Establishing a routine from their very first day or night in the home is one of the most important things you can do
1. When & where they sleep
Where your pet sleeps needs to be warm and dry in winter and cool in summer to ensure they are comfortable. Depending on the type of pet they will often need a different type of bed, a big retriever often likes to stretch out whereas a tiny kitten will want a nice quiet, dark and cosy place to curl up so keep this in mind when buying their bed. Where your pet sleeps also helps establish its rank in your family, it's often recommended that your pet sleeps on a level lower to your own bed and if next to the bed closer to the end, this ensures they know you are in charge. If you don't want your pet on your bed or the couch then it's important to enforce this from the very first night. A pet will not be able to tell the difference between when you're home and feel like having them on your lap and when you're at work and they're not supposed to jump on the couch so it's best to keep it simple and stick to one rule or the other.
2. When & where they eat
Food and the activities associated with it play a very important role in the animal kingdom and also in your home. Who eats first and where they eat are worth thinking about before your get your pet home. Young puppies and kittens will need to be fed three times a day initially. It's worth getting them used to being fed after you eat yourself. This helps them understand their place in the family and ensure they don't get forgotten! Their food and water bowls should be positioned out of direct sunlight and not too close to where they are required to go to the toilet.
It is vital for healthy development that your new pet is fed the right diet. Speak to your vet to help you in the right direction.
3. When & where they will go to the toilet
Puppies and kittens need to go to the toilet at three main times:
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After eating
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After sleeping
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After playing
You will need to take them to the area where you want them to go to the toilet after each of these occasions to ensure rapid toilet training. Kittens have the advantage of coming predominantly toilet trained from good breeders!
The location of where your pet goes to the toilet needs to be thought about as changing where you want them to go is very confusing for them and will often result in accidents! Most pets are sensitive to how dirty their area for toileting is, and may start to seek other spots if it's not up to their expectations.
If you already have your pet at home and are experiencing any difficulties in toilet-training, come in and speak to us about some clever products and techniques that will help.