Have you been thinking of adopting a dog or cat, but you’re not sure if it’s the right time? It’s good to investigate and understand what it means to bring home a pet. Even if you had a pet before, you might have forgotten what it was really like. Here are some aspects of pet parenting to keep in mind before you adopt a dog or cat.
Pet Care Is a Big Commitment
Dogs and cats need daily and recurring care, just like you do. Your daily routine includes feeding your pet, giving them fresh water, making sure they get exercise, cleaning up after them. They need to visit the vet every year, including an annual rabies shot and tag, and possible visits in between if they get sick.
Grooming is part of pet care. Depending on the pet, this might be done at home, or it may involve visiting a groomer. Pets suffer from lack of neglect just like people do, so part of pet care is playing with them, giving them your attention, making them part of the family.
A pet’s life span can be quite long: 10-20 years for cats or dogs. So, adopting a pet is a long-term commitment. Are you ready for that?
Pet Parenting Isn’t Cheap
As you consider adopting a pet, you’ll want to be sure you can afford this responsibility long term. My small dog’s bag of food is $21 and lasts about two weeks. For a bigger dog, the cost would be more. Grooming for my dog is $40 every three months. For large dogs, grooming can be over $100. Our annual wellness visit to the vet is $300, and the annual auto-ship of flea and heartworm meds is another $300.
Supplies are another part of pet parenting. If you have a dog, you’ll need a leash, possibly a harness, a crate with a pillow, and maybe a restraint for riding in the car. If you have an indoor cat, you’ll need a litter box and litter. Your vet might recommend supplements. You might want toys to keep your pet from being bored, and a cat or dog bed for comfort. You’ll need home grooming supplies, like a pet brush or comb.
What about emergency care? Can you afford a large vet bill if your pet gets sick or injured? My cat developed a kidney infection, had to be treated and switched to a special diet. Thankfully, I had a good-paying job at the time. A dog in my neighborhood broke his foot and had to be treated immediately. Both of these pets survived and thrived, thankfully, but their treatment involved unexpected vet bills. It’s not a surprise that some folks invest in pet insurance or set aside an emergency fund for their pets.
How Will a Pet Affect Your Lifestyle?
Is your home safe for a dog or cat, and is there enough room for them to get exercise and be comfortable? How long do you plan to be in this home? If you’re renting, what happens if you move and can’t find a pet-friendly rental?
Can your work and travel schedule accommodate a pet? Will you be home to walk your dog at regular times, or can you afford to hire a dog walker while you’re at work? What about travel and vacations? Can you afford to hire a pet sitter? A dog requires more visits by a pet sitter, but even cats need someone to look in on them once a day while you’re out of town. Are you ready to be tied down to this level of commitment?
Pets Can Try Your Patience
If you ever wanted your patience tested, try living with a dog or cat. They will try your patience, and at the worst possible times. And yet, you need to respond to them with absolute patience. They don’t understand all the ways they are pushing your buttons. They aren’t really trying to aggravate you. There’s just a huge gap of communication between human and pet. As much as we all love to personify pets, the bottom line is you are bringing an animal to live in your home. Are you ready for that?
Teenage dogs, for example, can seem out of control. When I used to pet sit, two of my clients were teenage dogs that were unruly, to say the least. I thought they would be the reason I would resign! One moved away, but the other dog has now become one of my best buds. He finally grew out of his teen phase and was trained into the most well-behaved dog. It’s a pleasure to hang out with him now. Night and day different. Imagine the hard work his pet parent had to put into training him so well.
Years ago, I was a cat parent, and one of my cats had very difficult behavioral issues. It took a lot of time and research to find the answers and help him through it. Eventually, with the help of an online cat support group, I found things that helped, and he grew out of those issues. But it was a lot of work to get to that point, made more difficult because I had two cats at the time and had to keep them separated.
It doesn’t have to be anything this extreme. Just ordinary behavioral upheavals or health challenges, or an accidental cat scratch or damaged furniture can try your patience. Can you respond in a healthy and loving way, while pressing forward for answers to help the situation? A pet parent needs patience and a calm response to whatever happens.
Different Pets Have Different Needs
Part of adopting a pet means choosing the right breed and age for you and your family. Do you want an energetic young dog that needs lots of attention? Or do you want an older, calmer cat that is more settled and is content to just hang out? You’ll need to do some breed research, talk with pet parents, and take a realistic look at your lifestyle to choose the pet that’s most compatible.
Should You Adopt or Buy a Pet?
If you feel like you’re ready to bring a pet home and make a long-term commitment, you have choices of how to get your pet. You can adopt from an animal rescue or buy directly from a breeder, or maybe your neighbor just had puppies or kittens. Adopting can be a great way to bring home a pet, as long as you choose a reputable shelter.
Find out if the pet has already been checked by a vet and received its vaccinations. If it’s an older pet from a shelter, possibly it’s already trained and socialized. Shelters can help match you with the right pet – you can spend time visiting with the animals to see which one is most compatible.
Many shelters also have foster programs. If you’re thinking of adopting a pet, but you’re not sure, you can foster short-term and see what the experience is like. You might discover you’re not ready to adopt a pet, or you might realize you are ready but need a different breed from the one you fostered. Even if it doesn’t work out, you’ve given love and socialization to a shelter animal, and this helps them become more adoptable.
Adopting a pet is a big commitment of time, energy, funds, and lifestyle. But if you’re ready, it’s a very rewarding experience. It’s wonderful to find the perfect match and adopt a pet as part of your family.
Janet Eriksson 