Are You Ready for a New Friend?

4 minutes

Written and verified by the lawyer Francisco María García

Last update: 21 December, 2022

Do you think you’re ready to bring a new friend into your home? Once you’ve made the decision to adopt a pet, you have to keep in mind that some animals have been through very difficult experiences.

The welcoming and the affection that you’re going to give them are fundamental once they step into your home for the first time. Your new friend is going to experience some changes, both physical and psychological. These changes will also affect your routine.

Steps to take before bringing your new friend home

These are some of the steps you have to take before bringing your new friend home:

Give your new friend a cozy place in your home where they’ll feel comfortable. Having their own place will give them more confidence.
Choose the right veterinarian. To do this, you should compare different options, social forums, references, etc.
Have their bed ready. You can find a variety of sizes and designs at the pet store.
Food and water bowls.
Enough food for the first week. You can find commercial food at the store that will meet your pet’s nutritional needs.
Vitamin supplements.
Collar with their name on it.
Leash to take them out for walks.
Toys and bones to help get rid of their excess energy.
Litter box and sand if you’re adopting a cat.
Brush for their fur.

The best materials for your new friend

When choosing the right bed for your dog, make the material is strong and durable. Reversible materials are also a nice choice because they have two different uses. You can change the design and use.

Food and water bowls

As for their bowls, they can be plastic, ceramic, stainless steel, etc. Plastic bowls are easy to wash, but can cause allergies. Stainless steel bowls are a clean and there are ones that don’t rust. Other aspects to pay attention to when choosing a bowl are the height of the bowl and the way the dog eats.

Each bowl has its own characteristics. Stainless steel are usually the most common. It’s clean and corrosion resistant. They also won’t become toxic to your pet. They’re also popular because they can be cleaned very easily. There are also a lot of options when it comes to their design. There are some that are ceramic coated or others that have multiple pictures, engravings or colors.

Your dog’s personality will also influence the kind of bowl you choose. The bowl’s height, how your pet eats, sometimes they can make a mess, so a good option will be one that has the raised edges, a lower edge coated in rubber, etc.

First steps to take when bringing your puppy home

Dogs learn everything you teach them between two and four months, which is a good time to start training them. A dog trainer may be helpful during this time so that the puppy grows into a well-balanced dog.

Among the guidelines to follow are:

Don’t overwhelm them by giving them too much attention in the first few hours and days.
Leave them alone, let them get used to their new home. If you overwhelm them, it’ll take them longer for them to adapt.
Don’t punish, shout or correct them. You have to give them their time to learn.
Teach him where he is and that his space is limited so he can’t walk around the entire house.
Don’t put them in their bed right away.
Always have water at their reach.
It’s a good idea to have a family meeting to discuss their meal times, when they need to be walked, and when to play with them. You should also decide what the puppy is and is not allowed to do (sleep in the bedroom, get on the couch…) so the rules are always the same. Not being consistent with the rules will confuse the dog because they won’t know what to expect. This will make teaching them a lot harder.
Rewards and treats: dogs learn everything faster through positive reinforcement. This means rewarding good behavior. These rewards can be games, affection or food. The important thing is to reward them at the right moment — immediately after they do what you want them to do. For example, obeying orders, lying down, going to their bed, going to the bathroom, etc.