Living With Your Pet

This is when the owner and pet will grow together and accept the changes and acknowledge them as they come

Living with a pet on a daily basis will bring new challenges, which will change to other types of challenges as the pet goes through adolescence, maturity, and senior years. Life with a pet can bring unexpected events and expenses. It is difficult to enter into the owner/pet relationship knowing all that may be ahead.

The Reality of Pet Ownership

Owning any pets can:

• Demand a lot of time
• Require regular training
• Require regular and appropriate exercise
• Require daily care
• Require regular cleaning and maintenance
• Be expensive, including unexpected emergencies or care
• Develop behavior issues
• Prevent last-minute vacations
• Require cleaning of various messes
• Require replacement of furniture or other items that have been chewed on or scratched
• Make it difficult to go out with friends or family to different events

This can be frustrating for the new owner, especially after the initial newness wears off. The realization of what the care of the pet actually entails can be overwhelming or frustrating. This is why it is so important for all new pet owners to do their research before bringing home any pet. When the owner has chosen a pet that fits them and their lifestyle, it can be a very rewarding experience. If the owner is more hands-on with raising and living with the pet, they will come to understand the pet and will more easily accept certain behaviors, which allows the owner to create a closer bond.

Exercise

Proper and regular exercise is very important both physically and mentally. Even the smaller pets can benefit from some type of exercise that is designated specifically for them. Mental challenges will tire them out in a different way than physical activities, and is just as important. This activity will also help create a stronger bond between the pet and the owner. Some pets will be much easier to work with than others, especially those who enjoy interacting with their owners. Dogs, cats, rabbits, pigs, and birds, for example, are regularly given exercise and mental challenges. Other pets, though, can also enjoy appropriate challenges if they are patiently worked with. For those who are less likely to engage with their owners, such as amphibians and reptiles, exercise can be provided by placing food sources in various locations where they would use their natural hunting skills to locate them, and by having a large enough environment that they can move around freely and mimic, as best as possible, their natural environment.

Environment

A clean, species-appropriate environment needs to be established for the pet and maintained regularly. This should preferably be in the home where the owner and family reside to make it easier for the pet to become part of the family. It is important to know if there are any local ordinances that may be in place for the particular type of pet. The pet should be provided with enough space, as well as an area where they can retreat and be safe if the outside activity level becomes too high.

Make sure all members of the family understand where the pet is allowed and where it is not. Consistency with this will help prevent any issues from occurring.

Nutrition

It is essential that proper nutrition and a source of clean water is provided daily. Feeding the pet correctly will help to maintain their health, help lower veterinary costs, and also help with their behavior. The owner may want to set aside time for research to ensure that they are feeding their new pet with high-quality and appropriate food, as what is available at the grocery store or pet store varies widely in the ingredients and nutritional value. Learn to read and understand the ingredients listed on the package. Consulting with your veterinarian for proper nutrition for your particular pet will also help in maintaining their long-term health. Be aware of the ingredients of the treats that you give them, as ingredients that are neither necessary nor healthy are frequently added in. Over the life of your pet, this could create potential health issues, allergies, and behavioral concerns. Considering that most pets are fed the same diet for an extended period of time, any ingredients in the food can have an adverse effect on them.

Grooming

All pets can benefit from basic grooming, although the requirements will vary depending on the species. Some may only require an occasional bath or touch-up, such as reptiles, amphibians, or hamsters, while others will require much more intensive grooming, especially certain dog and cat breeds. Most pets enjoy being brushed, which can help control the amount of loose hair that they ingest and shed all over the floor, the bed, sofa, and clothing. Regular brushing also removes mats and can help prevent skin issues. Since it is a hands-on activity, brushing can encourage the growth of the human-animal bond, and any potential skin issues or lumps and bumps will be discovered earlier. Bathing of pets can be up to the discretion of the owner, but if they are regularly brushed, most pets do not require a bath very often unless it is to help minimize allergens. Some reptiles and amphibians may require an occasional bath to help maintain their skin health. The pet owner should learn how to trim the nails of their specific pet, being careful not to cut into the quick. When the pet is handled on a regular basis, and both the owner and the pet remain relaxed, this can be easily achieved. If the new pet owner is in doubt as to their ability to safely trim their pet's nails, they may have the option of taking them to the vet for a trim on a regular basis.

Training

The majority of pets should have at least basic training to help them integrate into the family and home life. Pets such as dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc., will benefit from being provided an environment that offers some type of enrichment, such as play or species-appropriate brain games or challenges. Cats, as well as rabbits and some of the other small mammals, can be trained to use a litter box. If in an apartment, or other confined space, dogs can also be trained to use a litter box, grass area, or pads. Many of these pets will be willing and able to learn as many commands and tricks as the person wants to teach them, if the particular species is respected and expectations are not too high. Dogs, of course, are the easiest to train in a wide variety of skills, depending on the breed. Cats can also be taught the game of retrieve, any number of tricks and commands, depending on the personality of the cat. Cats and rabbits have been trained to play or compete in agility, with amazing results.

Training the pet will not only help them be a better housemate, as they learn what they can and cannot do and what is expected of them, but with the regular interaction between the owner and pet, it will further grow and develop the human/animal bond. When the pet is growing through their adolescence, taking the time to work with and train them can help keep them more balanced and focused, possibly helping to make that time period more manageable. Sadly, this is frequently when many people give up their pets, so the more that they are worked with and understood by their owners, the better the chances will be for them to stay in their home.

End of Life

One part of pet ownership is the inevitable day when the pet, whether through old age, sickness, or an accident, needs to be sent on ahead and is no longer with us. This can be very difficult to handle, but it needs to be addressed before anyone brings home a pet. Unless the owner has chosen a pet that will likely outlive them, all pet owners will go through this process. While it is always painful, it can be devastating to some. If possible, send the pet off with a fond farewell, such as a special day just for them. Allow them to do things they normally wouldn't be allowed to do, or give them a special treat. Some veterinarians will make house calls, so that the pet can be comfortable in their home. It is best for the pet that, if at all possible, the owner stays with them during the last moments the pet is with them. This gives the pet the security and comfort that they need, to know that they are loved up until the very end.

There are several support groups available that will help pet owners work through their grief. It is okay if you feel that you need to reach out to someone who can understand what you are going through, as many times, non-pet owners cannot relate. It is okay to feel pain, sorrow, and grief.

Living with a pet can be a joyful and richly rewarding experience if the owner is aware ahead of time of the responsibilities that it entails. If they embrace the adventure that is before them and accept that their life will be different during the pet's lifetime, it can be a wonderful life.