Congratulations, you are about to embark on one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of your life by opening your heart and home to a new pet. If you love animals then the chances are you are extremely excited to bring your new best friend home, and it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all by focusing on choosing the perfect name or picking out some adorable collars. While it’s great that you’re excited, you still need to make sure that the practical considerations are taken care of too.

First things first, you need to do plenty of research into the kind of pet you are getting and make sure you have a good understanding of what you will need to do on a daily basis to give them the care they will need from you. You, as the pet owner, will be the centre of the animal’s universe, and will need to make sure that they have absolutely everything they need in order to be happy and healthy in the long term. 

Exercise

Animals will all need the right amount of exercise for their species, size, activity levels and general physical condition. If you are getting a cat then you will need to get them some toys they can chase and play with to practise their hunting skills, especially if they will be house cats that are kept indoors. Choose toys that mimic the movements of the small mammals and birds they will naturally want to chase after.

Dogs are a little different. Some are real couch potatoes that will only need a small amount of exercise each day in the form of walking or play sessions. These tend to be smaller dogs and those with short noses, though some speedier, traditionally athletic breeds like greyhounds and whippets only need a short burst of high intensity exercise each day to keep them happy. Athletic dog breeds such as spaniels, collies and labradors will need a lot more movement to tire them out and keep them from chewing your slippers - usually an hour or two of brisk walking, some running, and some energetic play such as catch every day. 

Hygiene

Keeping your pets and their environment clean is one of the simplest ways you can ensure their health and happiness. House cats that use a litter tray can be put off by one that smells bad, and their noses are much more sensitive than ours. Use a pet odour eliminator to keep any unwanted pet smells to a minimum, and use a pet safe cleaner to disinfect their litter tray and the area around it to keep it fresh and free of pathogens. For dogs that do their business outside, use an appropriate kennel cleaner to rinse the surfaces they poop and pee on, and pick up after them every day to prevent the spread of disease.

Good hygiene doesn’t just mean cleaning up after their toileting, you also need to make sure the bowls they eat and drink out of are kept clean and safe for them to use. Wash them every day, and make sure their water is changed every day, and more frequently if you notice that dust and detritus is forming on the surface. Dogs tend to slobber into their water quite a bit, so you may want to change their water after each drinking session to keep it fresh for them.

Nutrition

The jury is out on what constitutes the perfect pet diet. There are so many unique considerations to be taken into account such as allergies and intolerances to certain ingredients, palatability, cost, pet species, pet age, and even your pet’s activity levels. Most people believe that a raw diet is best for cats and dogs, but this can be easy to get wrong because it’s not as simple as you might think.

Raw diets must be carefully planned and prepared to give them everything they need, and this involves feeding a mix of raw meat, organs, bones and connective tissues, as well as certain grains, fruits and vegetables. You can buy premixed raw food but this can be too expensive for most people. If in doubt, stick to a high quality complete dry food as recommended by your veterinarian.

Resources:

• Enzymatic Cleaner for Dog Urine - Fife College

• Cat Urine Cleaner - Tribe

• Pet Stain and Odour Remover - Klusster