Family Life, Parenting

Coming Home: New Furry Family Members

April 6, 2020

Preparation and patience are key when welcoming a new pet into the family home.

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Bringing a new pet into the family home is a big step. Not only should you feel comfortable with the adjustment, but the new furry addition should also feel at home. Dr. Allison Wegmann, a veterinarian with Metairie Small Animal Hospital, says that this takes preparation and patience. It can take anywhere from two days to two months for everyone to adapt to the new living situation. 

It’s important that everyone in the family is on board with the idea of bringing home a new pet, and that everyone understands their role in Fluffy or Fido’s life,” Dr. Wegmann says. “Bringing a pet into the home is a big responsibility and it’s very important to educate yourself on the commitment both time and financial that it will require.” 

Preparation

First things first, prepare your home. Gather the items your new pet will need in advance. You’ll need a collar and leash, food and water bowls, food, and of course, toys. An identification tag should be purchased as soon as you know your new pet’s name. 

Dr. Wegmann also recommends pet-proofing your home. “Make sure your home is safe for your new pet,” she says. “Remember, they don’t know what’s off limits or dangerous, so you have to make sure they can’t get themselves into trouble.”

Household items that are easily reachable and are choking hazards, poisonous plants, and other potentially pet-dangerous items should be removed.

Establish House Rules

Work out your pet-care regimen in advance among the human members of your household. Who’s walking/feeding/cleaning up after the new pet? And when? How involved will the kids be? What will the morning routine be like? Who will feed them at night? Will they be allowed on the couch? In the bed? What’s off limits? And most importantly, who’s pooper-scooping the yard or cleaning the litter box?\

Try to arrange the arrival of your new pet for a weekend or when the family will be home will be home for a few days. Spend some quality time together — play and go for walks. Get to know each other. Make sure you don’t neglect any other pets in your household.

Assume your new pet, specifically a dog, is not house trained and work from there. The most important element in house training is to be consistent and maintain a routine. A little extra effort on your part to come home straight from work each day will pay off sooner.

Health

Take your new pet to the veterinarian within a week after adoption. “Even if your new pet’s vaccinations are current, you should take them to the veterinarian for a wellness exam to establish their baseline health status,” Dr. Wegmann says. “At their first visit, we’ll discuss nutrition, a vaccination schedule, preventative care, and address any questions you may have.”

If your pet has not been spayed or neutered, make that appointment, too. Most likely, a shelter will require that you have your pet spayed or neutered anyway. Shelters take in animals from many different sources and backgrounds: homeless, surrenders, lost — some of whom have not been vaccinated. Heart worms and Parvo, a highly contagious virus, are very common for homeless animals, and can be deadly.

Finally, remember to take it one day at a time. Life will be different for both parties for a while, but be patient and your family will have a new furry member for life.

Note: This content is sponsored by Metairie Small Animal Hospital.

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