Installing and Maintaining Doors

Quick Tips for Bringing Home a New Pet

16 February 2018

Camila Pena

Bringing home a new dog or cat can be a big adjustment for the family, and for the pet as well. Not only will the animal need to get accustomed to a new environment, but they also need to get accustomed to new people and perhaps even a new daily routine of when they'll be fed, if they'll be left alone, and so on. To make this transition easier on you and your new pet, note a few quick tips.

Before the pet arrives

Choose a particular spot for the pet's food and water dishes, their bed, crate, litter box, and other such items, before they arrive, and leave those items in one spot. This will make the transition easier on the pet, as they will then need to adjust to their new surroundings only once, after their arrival. If you continuously move their food dishes or other items, this may be confusing and upsetting to them, and a pet may respond by hiding, lashing out, or even relieving themselves in the home. Set everything out before they arrive and keep those items in one spot, for an easier overall transition.

First day

Take a new dog or cat to the area where they will relieve themselves very soon after their arrival, and spend a few minutes with them there, making them comfortable. Indoor cats will need to know where their litter box is located, so take them to that spot first, and then let them explore the home from there. For outdoor dogs and cats, give them a quick walk-through of the home and then take them outside right away; once they relieve themselves, give them lots of praise, so they know that's where they'll be relieving themselves in the future.

Training

A new pet may need some training and patience no matter their age; for example, your new pet may need some coaxing before it will go up and down stairs at your home. Be patient if they should knock over a lamp or other item on a table, as they are not yet accustomed to your home's features. A new pet may also need some training on how to use a pet door, even if they were in a home with such a door, as they may not recognize the pet door in your home as being accessible for them. Take some time to help them through a pet door you have installed, and be sure to praise them when they use it, so they're comfortable in their new environment.

Share  

Search