These essential tips for new pet owners are helpful whether this is your first pet, or you’re a seasoned pro. Doylestown Veterinary Hospital & Holistic Pet Care offers some reminders and recommendations for starting out with your new family member.
Preparing for a New Pet
- The basics: water and food bowls, a collar and leash, and toys
- Crate and/or carrier for training and transporting
- House training supplies like absorbent training pads for the floor and cleaning supplies for messes
- Litter box and litter supplies for cats
- Identification tag (and collar with small bell for outside cats)
- Dental care items such as toothbrush and toothpaste
- Outdoor and seasonal clothing like a raincoat, warm sweater, or protection for the paws during winter walks
Creating a Pet Friendly Home
- Establish House Rules – Will the pet be allowed on the furniture? Who will feed and walk the dog? Who will clean the litter box? Training starts the moment your pet comes home so establishing rules and being consistent with those rules and basic care are important for the pet and bonding with the family.
- Create Special Spaces – Limit access to rooms or areas of the home when the pet is unsupervised until it becomes older or more comfortable with the surroundings, and training is well-established
- Inspect for Hazards – Inspect for cords, small toys and items that would be easy to chew on, or open and easy to reach containers of poison. Just as you would for a child, view the space from the pet’s level to remove dangers.
Caring for a New Pet
- Daily care
- Choosing a veterinarian
- Spaying and neutering
- Getting your cat to the vet – Let’s face it, when it comes to going to the vet, getting the dog into the car is much easier than wrangling a cat into a carrier. But cats need care too! There’s no secret to getting your kitty to comply, but in order to avoid bodily injury from your furry feline, acclimate your kitten/cat to the carrier and the vehicle. Make the carrier familiar at home by leaving it in a room where your cat spends time and place familiar soft towels or bedding in the carrier.
Socializing & Training
Training starts with socializing your new family member. Whether it’s a kitten or puppy, your new pet should be introduced to different people, pets and experiences in a positive way. Especially for puppies and older dogs, the loving attention they receive along with consistent care and boundaries will establish trust. This sets the stage for more formal training.
Holiday House Pet Resort & Training Center offers new pet owners a free Puppy Social Hour every Thursday at 7pm. This gives the puppies time to play and provides new pet parents with the opportunity to talk to trainers about best practices in basic care and training.
The benefits of professional training to you and your dog are many:
- Reduces family stress
- Reduces damage to your home and personal belonging
- Increases a sense of safety and security
- Creates a strong bond with the dog
- Reduces costs associated with owning a dog
- Improves overall quality of life in the home
Doylestown Veterinary Hospital & Holistic Pet Care is committed to modern medicine and holistic therapies for your pets in an atmosphere of old-fashioned care and personal attention. We encourage you to visit our practice and Holiday House Pet Resort & Training Center, a luxury, full-service pet resort located on 50 beautiful acres in Doylestown.
Call 215-345-6000 to schedule an appointment.
