Getting your child their first pet can be a big milestone, especially since many children nag their parents for years to adopt the pet of their choice. However, although getting a pet can be extremely exciting, there are a few steps that you need to take first to make sure that the adoption goes smoothly.
1. Sign Up With a Vet
Even if you adopt an extremely young animal, this does not mean that it will not need emergency medical care in the near future. Not only this, but every pet will need vaccinations and annual check-ups to keep them healthy throughout their life. Then, before you do anything else, you need to make sure that you have signed your pet up to a trustworthy and reliable vet in your area. For instance, Easyvet can allow you to give your pet the care that they need, from nail clipping to neutering, for an affordable price.
2. Delegate Pet Care
Before you bring the pet in question home, you should also discuss pet care with your child. When your child has been nagging you for a pet for years, it is then unfair to make you look after every aspect of its care. Additionally, looking after a pet can be beneficial to your child and can teach them responsibility. Then, you should find pet care activities that they can perform easily without damaging your pet’s wellbeing, and make sure that you supervise them while they do these. For instance, they could feed the pet, brush and groom them, and play with them.
3. Explain to Your Child the Responsibility a Pet Requires
However, although your child may be fixated on getting a furry friend, not many children fully realize the responsibility that this entails. Then, before you bring your new family member home, you should sit down and discuss with your child exactly what it will be like to have a pet and what they will need to do to ensure that it has a happy life with you as a family. This will make sure that your child is ready for the attention and care that a pet demands. You also need to judge whether your child is ready for a pet and whether they are mature enough to cope with the demands of a pet and the way that you must behave around them. However, whether your child and your pet hit it off depends on how you introduce them to each other.
4. Create a Pet Zone
You might also consider creating a pet zone in your home before bringing your new friend home. Creating a pet zone will give your pet somewhere to escape and relax when the chaos of everyday life with children gets too much for them. This can also prevent your child from constantly pestering the pet when they want to be alone, and can make sure that they do not become scared or overwhelmed, which could lead to them lashing out at you or your child.
