Whether you’re a dog person or a cat person, one thing is certain—you love your furry friend. While owning a pet is exciting, it’s also a big responsibility, and the first few months after you bring your pet home can be overwhelming.
It’s important to remember that a pet is part of your family when you’re taking care of them—in fact, a recent study by Western Financial Group showed that half of Canadians with pet insurance purchased a policy in case of emergencies or serious illness, while 26 per cent did it simply because they see their pet as a family member.
Find the right veterinarian
While going to the vet may turn your feline into Grumpy Cat, regular visits are extremely important. Ask friends and do some online research to identify a vet who is a good fit for you and your new furry friend. Regularly visiting a vet helps ensure you are preventing illness, rather than reacting to it, which can help avoid more expensive medical treatments in the future. Schedule regular check-ups to ensure your pet is healthy.
Find the right pet insurance policy
Despite preventative care for your pet, they still can need costly treatments, and pet insurance can protect you from the high costs of an emergency vet visit or procedure. In addition, certain providers, like Petsecure, offer policies that can help lower the cost of regular veterinary visits.
Find the right food
Make sure to talk about food during your vet visit. Ongoing nutritional consultation will help keep weight gain and loss in check, and make sure your pet is getting the nutrition they need.
Keep their teeth healthy
The majority of cats and dogs will experience dental problems in their lifetimes and, given how much they rely on their mouths, it’s particularly important to properly maintain their teeth. A dental examination is part of every veterinary exam and, as always, prevention is better than treatment.
Make sure they’re ready to travel
Once you have a pet, your ability to go on a spontaneous trip is limited. Pet inclusive vacations are a great option! If you’re crossing a border, make sure you have up to date rabies vaccination certification for your dog. Schedule an appointment with your vet to make sure your pet has all of the required boosters—and that you have the required paperwork. Depending on your destination, additional vaccinations may be required. If your pet can’t make the trip, make sure you have suitable alternative arrangements, either with friends or family or with a reputable boarder during your trip.
Make your pet easily identifiable
Identify your pet in multiple ways – through collar and tag, tattoo, and microchip – in the unfortunate event that they get lost. Microchip databases are international and make tracking down your lost animal easier across provinces and borders.
Welcoming a new pet to the family is incredibly exciting. By following the above tips, you can help keep your pet safe and healthy, so you can enjoy years of family fun.
Know a pet lover? Share our story with them. For more information about home insurance visit: http://bit.ly/1FiPhVe.
Robin says
04/14/2015 at 8:54 amThose are all great tips. We adopted our dog, so we feed him what they told he he liked when he was at the shelter.
Dee says
04/14/2015 at 9:23 amGreat tips. I’ve had pets throughout my life. At no point in time have I ever went without a cat or a dog. Now we have two cats and a toy size Pomeranian. Pets are the best!
Jennifer says
04/14/2015 at 9:51 amThese are great tips. I’ve had so many friends who got pets and were in over their heads immediately. This is a great resource to help make sure all your ducks are in a row before getting a pooch.
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:55 amThanks Jennifer!
kathy downey says
04/14/2015 at 12:42 pmThese are wonderful tips for pet owners,thanks for sharing
kristen visser says
04/14/2015 at 1:42 pmgreat tips!!! a lot of people do not look or think of these before hand unfortunately. great things to keep in mind
Jennifer says
04/14/2015 at 2:22 pmMy little guy has the stinkiest breath on the planet. I think it is because he needs some dental work. That is the next thing on my list.
Aimee Smith says
04/14/2015 at 2:48 pmThese are great tips! I wish I would have known them 6 years ago when we got our dog!
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:55 amIt’s never too late to take precautions!
Allie D. says
04/14/2015 at 2:56 pmThese tips are very important. I remember when we were waiting for our dog to be born. We researched all the different veterinarians to see who would be a right fit for what we want for our dog. We don’t have pet insurance, but I do set aside money in our budget monthly for things he needs like shots, spade/neutering (we saved for this before we got our dog), and his toys and food. We also got a microchip put in. We do need to get him a new collar. He seems to have chewed his dog tags, so you can’t read any of the information on there.
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:54 amThats a good point, even collars can come off!
Lynda Cook says
04/14/2015 at 3:39 pmThese are all great tips, and it is very true that it is expensive to own a pet, and more people need to learn the facts before accepting a new pet into their home
Daisy says
04/14/2015 at 6:29 pmWe are thinking of getting a pet for our son. These tips are handy to have!
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:54 amThanks, hope it helps!
Chrysa says
04/14/2015 at 6:37 pmThese are all very good tips. So many people get a pet without taking all of these things into consideration first!
Amy says
04/14/2015 at 6:50 pmWhen I was taking a walk yesterday and a stray dog followed us. She had no tags but we ended up finding her ungrateful owner a few streets over. This just made me realize how important dog tags are.
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:54 amThat’s horrible, and yes, so many don’t. Ours does and is tattooed.
Liz says
04/14/2015 at 6:51 pmMy son is thinking about getting a dog! These are great tips for him to look through.
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:53 amHope it helps him!
Jesica H says
04/14/2015 at 6:54 pmWonderful, helpful and useful tips! As many have said, so many people get a pet with out being fully prepared, and also reading up on the breed. Sadly, so many dogs end up back at a shelter.
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:53 amI agree!
Aubrey says
04/14/2015 at 9:12 pmMy family has bad luck with pets. We decided to wait until the kids get older. Maybe I should pay attention to these tips.
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:53 amWe held off for the longest time, I’m all about the tips now that we got a puppy!
tammileetips says
04/14/2015 at 9:57 pmGetting a new pet can be very overwhelming. These are amazing tips for anyone getting a pet.
Stacey says
04/14/2015 at 10:37 pmBecoming a pet owner can be hard, but it is very rewarding! Tips are always needed.
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:52 amI agree!
Kristina says
04/14/2015 at 10:57 pmThese are such good tips for those about to get an animal and even for those who have one(s). Sometimes we dont think about all this when we bring an animal into our homes. Thanks for sharing.
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:52 amYou are so welcome, hope it helps!
Elizabeth Vlug says
04/15/2015 at 5:31 amSome great tips for those thinking of bringing a new pet into their home!
Shelley says
04/15/2015 at 5:44 amEasily identifiable is most important to me. We had two dogs go missing when I was young. We only ever found one. It’s just so upsetting when you “Lose” a dog.
Tammi says
04/15/2015 at 9:52 amThat would be so upsetting! {knock on wood!}
Lena says
04/15/2015 at 8:15 amAll these tips are basic necessities, but they are so important to follow to avoid bigger problems. Only the best for the family
Judy Cowan says
04/15/2015 at 9:11 amAll great tips! Right now we have four fur-kids! Two cats and two poodles – they keep us busy!
Susan Patterson says
04/15/2015 at 9:38 amThanks for all the great tips – I will pass them on!
Kelly Hutchinson says
04/15/2015 at 11:24 amI would love to have a dog but we are renters so we are not allowed. My daughter has two dogs, so I am going to share these great tps with her.
Dogvills says
04/15/2015 at 1:48 pmThese are great tips. We try to make sure that if our pets got loose that people would have no problem getting them home to us.
Sarah @ Must Have Mom says
04/15/2015 at 2:15 pmThese are awesome tips. Way too many people make the decision to buy a pet without fully understanding the consequences and all it takes.
lisa says
04/15/2015 at 3:01 pmThese are great tips. Finding a great vet is so important. And just show the pet love everyday!
mary says
04/15/2015 at 9:10 pmI had never heard of pet insurance before but vet bills can be so costly for major procedures, it makes sense!
kristy e says
04/19/2015 at 7:37 pmGreat tips for sure, I always explain to people wanting to buy a puppy the huge responsiblity that comes with it, especially when going on vacation
Elaine Buonsante says
04/20/2015 at 10:56 pmYou’ve collected great information for those of us who are new to the pet world!