It’s always tempting to ask How much is that doggy in the window? when we see a photo or video of a unique puppy or a cute kitten. These days it’s too easy to just pay money or feel you’re doing your part by adopting an animal in need from a social media post – and suddenly your furry family has expanded. As pet owners, do we really give enough consideration to the lives we’re about to change by bringing them into our homes?
Put yourself in a new pet’s paws – they’re about to shape their whole world around their life in your home. Can you meet their needs from the beginning right through to the end? Do you have the time, resources and knowledge to fulfil their physical, mental and emotional requirements? And will this new relationship be affordable, beneficial, enjoyable and sustainable for you, your human and furry family, and this new pet?
This article aims to address all the considerations you need to make before adopting a new pet – whether you’re a first-time pet owner or an old hand at pet care. Let’s take a fresh look.
Step 1: Understand how a new pet will change your life
As pet owners, we can get caught in the moment when a pair of puppy or kitten eyes melts our hearts. However, it’s important to put some distance between our feelings and our thoughts: what will the future look like after that pair of eyes has moved into your home. Are you truly ready for the day-to-day joys and challenges of that new pawsonality? Adopting a new pet today will add big material changes to your life for the next 10 to 15 years (or longer). Be sure to go into this decision with your eyes wide open.
Do your breed research before you fall in love
A dog is a dog is a dog… not! Every breed type of every animal will have their own set of needs that must be met or they will be physically and mentally under-stimulated, which can lead to problem behaviours. Compare the activity needs and independence of a border collie, with the low-energy, human-oriented Pekingese. Or compare the playful and energetic Bengal cat with the ‘purring décor’ traits of the British shorthair cat.
A French bulldog may be everybody’s favourite right now, but can you afford the high costs of his socialisation training and his medical bills? If you have children and a full-time job, do you have the time to train and entertain the Belgian Malinois’s unlimited working drive? Perhaps you’re a movie buff and a gamer who fell in love with Ghost the direwolf on Game of Thrones and want to adopt a husky… before finding out they need to run 10km (minimum) per day!
Take a good, honest look at your daily habits, and make sure you get a pet to match your lifestyle. If you cannot meet the physical and mental needs of your pet, they will find ways to keep themselves entertained, which will more than likely be the opposite of what you want. This is not their fault – they are just being themselves. Always get to know the breed you’re interested in before you adopt. Do thorough research and speak to other people who have owned those breeds before so that you get a good idea of what you’re in for.
Draw up a pet budget to see if you can afford it
Who thinks about affordability when you’re faced with impossibly cute puppy-dog eyes? It’s not just the adoption fees (ranging from R800 to R1500) or the cost of the purebred puppy or kitten (which can run into the thousands). It’s everything the pet needs within their first year, such as vaccinations, deworming, microchipping, sterilisation, and tick and flea treatments. And then every year after that.
The start-up costs alone can be exorbitant, especially if you’re starting from scratch. Your new pet will need food and water bowls, a bed and blankets, scratching post and litterbox (for cats), loads of toys, a collar and leash, grooming tools and products, and vehicle pet accessories like a car seat or hammock to protect the inside of your car. The monthly costs will include pet food (it’s always recommended to buy the best pet food you can afford, for the health of your pet), and annual costs will include vaccination boosters, vet check-up, and dental cleaning and polishing to prevent periodontal disease. If you’re looking to adopt a puppy, you’ll also need to invest in socialisation classes and puppy school – these are worthwhile costs that will certainly pay off in the long run.
It is also recommended to take out pet insurance, especially if your budget is stretched and you don’t have an emergency fund. Can you afford the monthly premiums? Add up the start-up costs, monthly costs, and annual expenses, then multiply the monthly and annual expenses by the 10 to 15 years (plus inflation) you expect to have your pet. It is very important that you work out whether you can afford a new pet in the long term.
Find your new pet wisely
Google is an excellent resource for many things EXCEPT for finding your next best furry friend online. Never do a Google search for the breed of pet you are looking for because you will get scammed (read this article on how to avoid puppy scams). If you want a French bulldog puppy and do a Google search for it, you will be met with some very legit-looking websites that promise a wide range of puppies immediately available. Even ‘backyard breeders’ don’t have 8-week-old litters of a variety of different breeds all available at the same time. That would be a huge (and unlikely) coincidence!
Legitimate, registered breeders who breed for the health and soundness of their chosen breed have very few litters per year – sometimes only one or two. They do not market their litters, nor do they need to emotionally manipulate people or create a sense of urgency to sell their puppies or kittens. They very carefully screen the potential homes for their animals, and often have waiting lists that can be six- to 18-months long. If you are serious about obtaining a specific puppy or kitten with their welfare in mind, the process will be long and complex, especially as the breeder will want to get to know you, to know that their puppies or kittens will be going to the right homes.
If you don’t want to wait, your next best option is to visit animal rescue organisations in your area, in person, to see which pets are available for rehoming. You will be surprised by how many purebred dogs and cats end up in animal shelters (for a wide variety of reasons), so you might just find the animal of your choice for a fraction of the cost! There are so many dogs, cats, puppies and kittens waiting for their forever homes – imagine one of those being yours.
Please do not just go out and buy a new pet. Carefully consider how this pet will change your life; have their welfare and quality of life in mind; make sure you can afford it, and that you are mentally and emotionally ready for a new pet.
Step 2: Prepare to bring your pet home
There are many elements of safety that need to be addressed before you bring a new pet into your home. Is your yard fenced? Do you have a space in your home that can be cordoned off – even just temporarily while your new addition settles in? Can you restrict access to a staircase?
Pet-proofing your home can entail:
- securing your property with a fence
- installing baby gates and window screens
- restricting access to certain parts of the house
- keeping human food out of reach
- putting cleaning supplies and medications out of reach
- purchasing and stocking a first-aid kit (and learning how to use it in case of an emergency)
- tying up/hiding loose cables, or restricting access to the rooms where loose cables cannot be stowed away
- getting rid of plants that are poisonous to dogs
Teething puppies and kittens will chew on anything, so mitigate a dangerous or destructive situation by ensuring they have enough toys to keep them busy and give them something positive to chew on.
New pets will need the following supplies:
- Food and water bowls (if you have other pets, don’t let them eat or drink out of each other’s food and water bowls; this can lead to food aggression)
- Pet food specific to each individual pet’s needs and life stage
- Pet supplements (if vet-recommended)
- Pet treats
- Pet bed and blankets
- Pet toys (lots of them)
- Scratching post for cats
- Collar and leash for dogs
- Grooming tools (brush, nail clippers, toothbrush)
Step 3: Introduce your new pet to the vet
Vet visits should not be reserved for emergencies only. Take your new pet to the vet for their initial check-up – like a meet-and-greet with your pet’s second most important person. The vet will use this visit as an opportunity to create a health baseline for your pet, so that at subsequent consultations, they’ll be able to see if something goes awry.
The vet will encourage you to have your pet microchipped, vaccinated and sterilised (if not yet performed) and it will be beneficial to go over your new pet’s dietary requirements. This will give you the opportunity to get the best pet food for your new pet’s breed, age and health profile. The vet will likely also encourage you to only feed your new pet with their recommended food and treats – to not give them human food from the table, and to not overfeed your pet and cause them to become overweight. The vet will know!
Step 4: Introducing your new pet to their new home
At last, your new pet will come home, sweet home! Their introduction to your home needs to be done with the wellbeing of all its residents – human and four-legged – in mind. If it’s just you and your new pet, that’s fairly straightforward. However, many new pets are introduced to homes with existing families (and children) and resident pets. It’s important to make sure everyone is comfortable and accepting of this new furry family member.
- Introduce your new pet to your resident pets on neutral territory (like a dog park or a friend’s house). Resident pets must not treat the newcomer like an intruder.
- Keep pets’ beds and belongings separate. Each pet must have their own safe space, which you can encourage by rewarding them with a treat simply for being on their own bed. Do not let them share bowls, toys and other possessions. Stop any jealous behaviour immediately, as it could turn to aggression.
- Before introducing your new pet to your children, first teach your kids exactly how to handle an animal. They only get to engage with the animal if they are gentle and respectful of boundaries – never let them pull the pet’s ears, or pick them up by the paws or tail. All interaction with the pet must be supervised.
- Prioritise socialisation with other pets and humans. Pets don’t come with intrinsic social skills – these skills need to be learnt and practised by being around other members of their social pack; both people and other pets. You can do this by pre-arranging to meet other pet owners at the park or in a neutral setting, where your pets can engage in a constructive way. Socialisation classes and puppy school are fantastic environments for this, as everyone is there for the same reason. Do not simply walk up to another dog owner and force your dogs to engage without asking their permission. Not all dogs (or people) enjoy that approach.
- Put a daily routine in place – the consistency of eating, sleeping, walking, playing and grooming at the same times each day instils a sense of self-confidence in your pet. If pets know what to expect each day, it may reduce their anxiety and mitigates the risk of conditions like separation anxiety and aggression. A routine helps them to feel safe and cared for, knowing that certain activities take place at certain times of the day. Vigorous exercise twice a day can calm pets down, especially if a lot of their energy goes towards sustaining their anxiety and hypervigilance.
Obedience training should be a non-negotiable aspect of pet ownership. Attending training classes in a group or getting personalised training with a behaviourist – it’s essential that you and your pet learn how to communicate with one another. Reward the behaviour you want from them, but also learn how to work with your pet’s unique personality.
Step 5: Practise patience with your new pet
View the world through your pet’s eyes and try to imagine what they are experiencing from their point of view. Your resident pets and children, as well as your new pet, need time to adjust and accept the reality of their new home. This is especially the case for an adopted pet who has had a traumatic or insecure history. They will need empathy, patience and lots and lots of unconditional love to help them realise they are safe and can relax. The shelter environment can be stressful and overwhelming, so they will need time to decompress and to make your home, their home. Some pets can take months to relax and come out of their shell, so just give them the time and space to do so. When your new pet gains the confidence to play, eat and sleep well, you will see the change in the way they express their joy and excitement, and you and they will know: they are home!
Speak to the vet if you have any questions about introducing a new pet to your home and how to smoothly integrate this new pet into your life.