Bringing home your new pet is a joyous experience. It’s an exciting time for you, your family, the animal, and other pets in your household. But it can also be a very stressful time, particularly for your pets. Dealing with unfamiliar territory, excited kids, or other pets is often tricky for puppies, kittens, and rescue animals. It’s essential to spend the first few weeks easing your new pet into its new home and building a strong, long-lasting relationship based on trust and love.
Give Your Pet Some Space
Any new pet needs time and space to adjust to its new surroundings. Designating a pet-friendly area or room is a great way to help them feel welcome and secure. This space should be calm and quiet and help keep your pet out of trouble and away from other pets (and children) when you’re not around. Be sure to keep a close eye on them during this time. Watch for signs of distress, like low energy or nervousness, and be extra sensitive to their feelings as you approach them.
When you see that your new pet is starting to feel comfortable and more content, reward their progress with lots of love and praise–and maybe even a treat or two. Remember, treats don’t have to be food. They can be a new toy or perhaps some playtime with another furry family member (under supervision, of course). Giving your new pet the time and space, they need to adjust to their new home is the key to a happy companion for life.
Ease Your New Pet into the Household Slowly
It might be tempting to let your new pet have free reign, but resist the urge to let them roam at will for the first few weeks. A measured approach is much healthier for all involved, including your existing pets. For dogs, a slowly guided tour of the house (on a leash preferably) can help them get comfortable at their own pace. This is also a great time to teach your dog proper household rules, such as which rooms they are not allowed in.
On the other hand, cats tend to hide for the first few weeks. They usually seek the closest hiding spot and hunker down for a while. This could be under the bed, in a closet, or another secluded area. Don’t force interaction. They’ll come to you when they’re ready.
Take Care to Properly Acclimate Existing Pets to the New Member of the Household
Building a solid, friendly, and non-combative relationship between your current pets and a new one takes time, patience, and understanding. Older dogs might feel territorial and less willing to share you or their home, so take it slow when introducing them to a new dog. Pet them both at the same time and offer encouragement and acceptance. First meetings should be brief and casual. Dogs are best kept on leashes so you can stop any potential aggression quickly. While on a leash, allow them to sniff one another and get acquainted. Your older pets will look to you for body language that will tell them everything’s okay, so be sure to keep things calm and amiable.
Keep Pets Separated at First
It’s often best to keep cats away from other cats in the household to get to know each other slowly–first through smell, then by sight, and ultimately face-to-face. In the case of dogs, keep your current pet’s favorite toys, chews, leashes, and other items out of reach to avoid confrontation. Also, you want to separate food and water dishes to prevent mealtime clashes. In time, chances are good your pets will learn to live, eat, sleep, and play together peacefully.
This initial separation also includes kids in the household. Always supervise your children around a new pet. In their excitement, they may make sudden gestures or loud noises that can frighten a new pet or make them feel threatened. Look for signs of canine distress, such as raised hacked, hunched back, a tail between the legs, or bared teeth. Be sure your child understands your new pet’s boundaries and how not to agitate them.
Likewise, over-eager children can cause a cat to react aggressively. Don’t let your little ones pick up a cat or kitten at first or get their faces too close to the new pet. This could lead to a nasty cat scratch. Instead, ask them to sit quietly in a cat’s safe space and let the cat approach them. This will also teach your child patience and respect.
Most Importantly, See Your Veterinarian First
The most important thing you can do before you take a new pet home is to bring it to one of our Jacksonville Community Pet Clinics locations first for a checkup. One of our experienced veterinarians can spot any congenital birth defects or health problems that you can’t see. You don’t want to purchase or adopt a dog or cat that might have serious health problems down the road. Plus, we can treat and diagnose fleas or other parasites before you introduce them into a home with other pets and give the puppies and kittens their first round of pet shots.
