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  2. About Pet Adoption
  3. Dog Adoption

Checklist for New Adopters

Congratulations on adopting a pet! You are embarking on a wonderful and rewarding relationship. Because adopting a new pet comes with a lot of change for both pet and pet parent, we've compiled a checklist to help make the transition as shine equally possible.

Questions for All Adopters:

  • Practise yous have any other pets and how will they react to a new pet?
  • Is your current residence suited to the pet y'all're considering?
  • How volition your social life or work obligations affect your ability to intendance for a pet?
  • Exercise y'all take a plan for your new pet during vacations and/or work travel?
  • How practice the people you live with experience most having a pet in the business firm?
  • Are you (or your spouse, partner or roommate) intolerant of hair, dirt and other realities of sharing your dwelling with a pet, such as allergies?
  • Do y'all or whatever of your household/family members have health problems that may be affected by a pet?
  • What breed, or species, of creature is the all-time fit with your current lifestyle? (You tin find information on specific breeds in our dog brood directory and cat breed directory.)
  • Is at that place tension in the home? Pets quickly pick upwardly on stress in the home, and it tin can exacerbate their wellness and behavior bug.
  • Is there an adult in the family who has agreed to be ultimately responsible for the pet'southward care?

Other Considerations:

  • What do you look your pet to contribute to your life? For example, do you desire a running and hiking buddy, or is your idea of exercise watching information technology on TV?
  • If you lot are thinking of adopting a young animal, do y'all have the fourth dimension and patience to work with the pet through its boyhood, taking firm-breaking, chewing and energy-level into account?
  • Take y'all considered your lifestyle advisedly and determined whether a younger or older animal would be a better match for y'all?
  • Can you lot train and handle a pet with behavior issues or are you looking for an easy-going friend?
  • Do you need a pet who volition be reliable with children or ane you tin take with yous when you travel?
  • Do you desire a pet who follows y'all all effectually the house or would you prefer a less clingy, more independent character?

Size Considerations (for Dogs):

  • What size dog can your home adjust?
  • Will yous have enough room if your canis familiaris grows to be bigger than expected?
  • What size pet would adapt the other people who live in or visit your home regularly?
  • Exercise you accept another pet to consider when choosing the size of your next pet?
  • How big a pet tin you travel comfortably with?
  • Pet Costs:
    • More than likely than not, the adopting agency will accuse a fee to help defray the cost of taking in unwanted or lost animals. The adoption fee you pay will exist a tiny fraction of the money you lot volition spend over the life of your pet.
    • You may need to pay for your adopted pet to exist spayed or neutered earlier bringing him or her abode.
    • Some expenses are mandatory for all pets, including:
      • Food
      • Routine veterinary intendance
      • Licensing according to local regulations
      • Collars, leashes and identification tags
      • Kitty litter and box
      • Basic grooming equipment and supplies.
    • Other expenditures may not exist required simply are highly recommended:
      • Permanent identification, such as a microchip or tattoo
      • Training classes
      • Boosted grooming supplies or professional person grooming (depending on your new pet's needs)
      • A spare collar or leash
      • A bed and toys
      • A crate or carrier
    • Unexpected costs: Accidents and disease can issue in costly emergency veterinary intendance. Recovery tools for finding a missing pet can include posters and rewards.
    • A pet with special physical or behavioral challenges may require specialized professional support to overcome any obstacles these problems nowadays.
    • For more than on typical pet care costs visit Annual Domestic dog Care Costs and Annual Cat Care Costs.

    Time Considerations:

    • Pets need to be fed ii to three times a day, more than often in the example of puppies, and need a constant supply of fresh water.
    • A responsible pet parent should spend at least one hr per day giving direct attention to his or her pet. This may include grooming, exercising, grooming, and playing or, with cats, may merely exist lap fourth dimension on the couch. Dogs will need to be taken out to potty several times a twenty-four hour period.
    • A pet with an affluence of energy needs more fourth dimension to exercise and interactive toys to proceed them entertained.
    • Pets with long coats need 20 minutes a 24-hour interval of grooming to prevent matting.
    • Pets with certain medical conditions may need additional attention, including specifically timed injections in the case of diabetic animals.
    • Remember that adopted pets may need additional bonding and reassurance fourth dimension in the early weeks.

    Shopping Checklist:

    Information technology may be a good thought to wait until you select your new pet before yous brainstorm shopping for supplies. For example, some items, such as food and water bowls or collars and harnesses, depend upon the size of the pet you volition be adopting.

    Too, be sure to find out which food your pet was eating in the shelter or foster home so that you can provide the same in the beginning, again to ease the transition. After the pet has settled in, talk with your veterinary about switching to the food of your choice.

    Once yous've selected your pet, here's a checklist of supplies you may demand:

    • Necessary Items for Dogs:
      • Nutrient and water bowls
      • Food (canned and/or dry out)
      • Neckband
      • Four to 6-foot leash
      • ID tag with your telephone number
      • Hard plastic carrier or foldable metallic crate
      • Dog bed
      • Doggy shampoo and conditioner
      • Nail clippers
      • Canine toothbrush and toothpaste
      • Brush or comb (depends on your pet's coat length and blazon)
      • Super-absorptive newspaper towels
      • Sponge and scrub brush
      • Non-toxic cleanser
      • Enzymatic odor neutralizer
      • Plastic poop baggies (biodegradable ones are all-time) or pooper scooper
      • Absorptive house-training pads
      • Diverseness of toys (a brawl, rope, chew toy and puzzle toy are good starts)
      • Multifariousness of treats (such every bit minor cookies, larger rawhides, etc.)
      • Get-go-assistance supplies
      • Baby gate(s)
    • Necessary Items for Cats:
      • Food and water bowls
      • Food (canned and/or dry)
      • Litter box and scooper
      • Kitty litter
      • Neckband
      • ID tag with your phone number
      • Difficult plastic carrier
      • Nail clippers
      • Feline toothbrush and toothpaste
      • Brush or rummage (depends on your true cat's coat length and type)
      • Super-absorbent paper towels
      • Sponge and scrub brush
      • Non-toxic cleanser
      • Enzymatic scent neutralizer
      • Variety of toys (toys including catnip are a favorite)
      • Offset-aid supplies