Looking after your pet
Looking after your pet
After you have decided on what animal you won’t, you will then need to get into a routine of how you are going to care for them, this will be made up of grooming them, feeding them and letting them get excise – you will find that your pet will very quickly get used to this routine and so it is important to stick very specifically to it. If your choice of pet is a dog they will need taking out for a walk at least twice a day – this is normally first thing in the morning and then in the evening, though it obviously depends on your individual routine and the amount of excise your dog will need will depend on the breed of dog you have.
If you have a cat is it a good idea to get a cat flap, this will allow them to go in and out as they please, and means you won’t have to worry about opening the door for them. You are also able to get a dog flap which is also good for dogs as they too will be able to get out when they please. Below is some information to help you look after your pet in the best way;
Compare pet insuranceJust like humans cats and dogs both need a healthy balance diet combined with regular excise, if you over feed your pet they are likely to gain weight and this will then make them prone to illnesses, although the odd treat it obviously allowed.
Cats tend to enjoy a high protein and high fat diet – this includes a lot of meat. Cats also like fish, though when you do give them fish please ensure that it is free of bones and cooked thoroughly. Cat food comes in a variety of styles; canned, pouches or foil trays, it doesn’t matter which you choose for your cat, you just need to make sure they are getting the right amount of vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, minerals and fats – cats a are an animal that needs meat to survive so a vegetarian diet wouldn’t be right for them. It’s widely assumed that milk is the drink a cat should be given, however this isn’t true as it tends to lend to illnesses, you should instead give your cat water to drink, a small drink of cream is allowed for the odd treat.
Exactly like cats dogs need the right amount of protein, fats, minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates in their diet. When feeding your dog you have a number of different ways to do so, from dry food to tins, to home-made food or semi moist food.
You will also need to get your dog or cat into a routine of annual vet checkups and vaccinations, they are both also likely to pick up worm and fleas so it is important to have a routine to check for these – this is where the expensive of having a pet can increase, you may want to look into pet insurance as they tend to offer you some cover for a number of costs.
Although important thing you need to do for either a cat or a dog, though it seems mean is spraying or neutering, this will stop any unwanted pregnancies and aggressive or dominate behaviour.
Neutering a female cat or dog means the removal of her womb and ovaries this will mean she won’t be able to have any babies, and it also outs them at a lower risk of reproductive cancers they can get from mating.
For the males it is the removal of the testicles, this will prevent any dominant behaviour from a dog and for cats it means there is less of a chance of them straying or fighting.
It is advised to get your pet neutered when they are young so that they grow up neutered, the obviously prevents them from getting pregnant from the start. Many people worry that neutering their pets will cause them to get fat, this isn’t true, if you give your animal a balanced diet and plenty of excise they will be fine.
It’s a good idea to get you dog or cat micro-chipped, this will mean that if they get lost or stolen they are able to identify very easily. The micro-chip is placed in the back if your pet’s neck (this doesn’t hurt them) under their skin. This micro-chip has an individual number on it which is then but in the identification register and in the event of something happening to your animal, this code will be checked for and they will ring you to inform you.
This is extremely safe and probably one of the best ways of identification for your animal, if you get your pet from an organisation like the RSPCA it will be done for free.
It is also a legal requirement that your dog has a tag on its collar with its identification on, the 1981 Animal Health Act made it illegal to have your in a public place without a identification tag and collar. If you don’t have these on your dog then you at risk of them getting handed into the RSPCA as a stray, after this you will receive a letter to tell you to get a collar and tag, if it happens a second time you are at risk to get as much as a £5,000 fine.
Whether you have your pet micro-chipped (which isn’t a legal requirement) they must still have a collar and tag. When you are out with your dog you must insure they are on a lead and stay by your side and not run into the road. When you take your dog out you must make sure that you clean up after them.
Training and disciplining your dog
If you take on a puppy then it will be your sole responsibility to train them, you will also need to make sure that you take time to play with them. It is important to start training your puppy as soon as you get them so they know to obey you and your commands; this will make them aware that you are the ‘pack leader’, failure to do so could result in aggressive and dominant behaviour from them.
If your dog hasn’t been behaving themselves you must tell them off, this means commanding them in a firm voice and leaving them for a few minutes, smacking isn’t a favoured form of discipline. You must also be sure to praise your dog when they behave themselves giving them a reward of a treat – though human chocolate isn’t advised as it contains toxins that are harmful to animals.
Another element in which training is important is for the dogs sleeping, you will have to by a bed for them and so you will have to train them to use this to sleep in. They may try to sleep on your bed with you, if you don’t mind this then allow them to, though if you do allow this you will probably find it hard to train them in the future to stay in their own bed. If you have children you may also find they encourage your pet to sleep with them, you must remember animals moult and drool at times, so think about whether you want this in/on your beds.
Training and disciplining your Cat
Cats need a lot less training than dogs as they are much more independent, however they do have a tendency to scratch furniture, bring back prey with them and climbing on surfaces. You are able to train them to out of these habits; you can do this by getting them a scratch post or another way is to have a spray bottle filled with water that you spray on them when they misbehaviour so it discourages a repeat of the same behaviour.
Cats enjoy covering large areas and so you shouldn’t be worried if you don’t see your cat for a few days as they will most probably be roaming around somewhere. If a few days turns into around a 4 or 5 days then maybe have a look around your house, under beds etc as you may find them hiding there, if not put up a few posters as its likely they are roaming around a neighbour’s house and they are just unsure as to who the cat belongs to – another idea to help solve this problem is to have a collar with a tag on them with your name, address and phone number.