Getting a pet is a big responsibility. They depend on you for their very life. Without your care and love, they will not be happy or healthy. Since dogs are more a part of the family than a simple pet, you should make sure that you do everything you can to take care of them.
Part of that is being prepared before you bring the pup home. The more you have prepared for the big day then the better able you can take care of him. Since you don’t have the experience you will need some advice so you know what you’re getting into. In this article, we will go over what you need to do when you get your first dog.
1 – Pet insurance
Going to the vet is very expensive and at the same time unavoidable. There are routine visits to check up and make sure that they are healthy for their age and there are no issues that are hiding from view.
Then there are the unexpected visits for illnesses that come out of nowhere or a sudden accident. Those are the visits that will end up costing you thousands when you least expect them to happen. This is why it’s so important to have some health insurance for your dog since it will cover most or even all of your unexpected vet visits.
Some people think it isn’t necessary and scoff at paying a monthly premium. These days it is understandable given the increase in the cost of living. However, it will pay for itself over time because those unexpected events really should be expected.
2 – Make adjustments
That pup that you bring home is going to go through a lot of life changes in a very short amount of time. You should be ready to make some changes accordingly. This means that you will need to make sure to change their dog food for each stage of life since they have different nutritional needs at each life phase.
In addition to their food, there will need to be some lifestyle changes. As they age they will need to have more effort put into getting enough exercise. When they slow down is exactly when they need to become more active. This will keep them healthy and happy.
Lastly, make sure to make changes to their environment based on their abilities. For instance, if they have trouble getting up stairs then add a ramp for them to get around.
3 – Socialize them
Dogs are pack animals and need to feel like they aren’t on their own. They do tend to feel that their humans are part of their pack and get comfort in that. However, they do well when they have some social experiences with other dogs.
Make sure to find a community of dog owners that will provide you with a social network. This will keep your dog happy since they want to play with other dogs as often as possible.
