Your Perfect Pet - Puppy Or Kitten?

Tuesday, July 9, 2019


Of course, there are so many other options that you might like to consider. Puppies and kittens are usually the default when people talk about getting a pet. They’re cute and fluffy, they have a reasonably long lifespan and overall can be trained to some degree in house.

They usually work with kids too. We’ve all seen the movies where the child and the dog are best friends, think Homeward Bound, or maybe ever Cheaper By The Dozen.

The less fluffy options come in the form of lizards, birds, horses, tortoise and fish. All are perfectly great options. Fish are excellent starter pets for kids. They are easy to feed, great to look at, and even cleaning them is pretty simple for a cold water set up.



Puppies
They are great options provided that you get the right idea about the type of dog it will grow up to be. Of course, personality starts to come out by week 12, which is usually when you get to pick your puppy up. 

Research
Before you start actively going to look at puppies, you should have a look at some of the breeds that you might want. If you have a big garden and are an active family, then what they might call working dog breeds or large dog breeds might just work out. Malamute and Huskies make stunning pets for busy families. They love to puzzle solve and require a lot of exercise.

All dogs will need to be walked but if you don’t love the idea of walking for hours each day, or you can’t fit in 2 hour-long walks a day, then some lazier dog breeds will be happy to slob on the couch with you for a while instead.

If you have a family, then you will need to consider the size of the dog too. Usually, bigger dogs are gentle giants, and wouldn’t intentionally knock a baby or toddler over, but it still happens. Other breeds of dog are referred to as nanny dogs, meaning they are great with kids. 

Preparation
Once you have decided on the breed of dog that you want to get, next comes preparing your home and family for your new arrival. Although puppies are a lot of fun, they need to learn the boundaries that you have in your home. Everyone in the family needs to stick with the rules to make them work.

You’ll also need to get a list of items:
  • Bed, bedding, blankets
  • Crate for travel or sleeping (many people find them helpful for training)
  • You’ll want to browse puppy pads 
  • Toys - chew toys and toys with some brainwork required are perfect
  • Lead, collar and harness
  • Treats - to help with training
  • Plenty of food
  • Food and water bowls
  • Training
Once you have your puppy at home, and they have had their vaccinations, then it is time to get them signed up to a training class. It helps with following commands and socialisation too.


Kittens
Research
Although many people assume cats just to have four legs and a bad attitude (which is why they are amazing), there is still a lot to think about. Some breeds are rare, others are known for their outgoing nature.

There are some spectacular cat breeds, in fact, some that really should be shown. If you are interested in rarer colours and breeds, then you really need to be prepared to pay a lot. Both cats and dogs can come from champion bloodlines. Or, you might be happy with any breed, as long as you have those long Sundays relaxing in bed.

While your cat won’t need you to be as hands-on as a puppy, there will still be some things you will need to think about. If you are out for long stretches during the day, installing a cat flap is a good start.

Rare breeds, and show cats probably won’t be going outdoors, so be sure that is what you want.
Preparation
Although cats are a lot smaller, it doesn’t mean they need any less than a dog will. Kittens love to climb, so before you take the fluffy furball home, make sure that all of the windows are safe enough for your kitten to explore without falling out.

You might like to consider some of these:
  • Cat bed
  • Scratch post
  • Cat food - you can discuss what is best with your vet
  • Collar
  • Food and water bowl
  • Litter tray, litter and tray liners
  • Cat flap installation

Training

Well, cats are funny creatures - you can, of course, try and train them, and they understand a lot. But, whether they listen to you or not is a different story. 

Considerations
For both of these furry companions, you are going to think seriously about your decision. It should depend a lot on how much time you and your family have available for them. Can you commit to walking Berny the Beagle for the next 15 years? If not, then maybe a dog isn’t for you.

Even though the children will swear that they will do ALL of the pet responsibilities, most of it will fall to you. So, when you are going into the new ownership, just remember that you will likely be doing most of the work.

The space that you have available should be a huge consideration. For example, a Doberman in a small flat isn’t always the best thing, and a new kitten exploring a balcony on the 10th floor is a bit risky too. That isn’t to say that those situations wouldn’t work out, it just means that you’d need to really be sure.

Kitten or puppy - both will need space from time to time. They will need an area that is away from people. Just like we humans need a break once in a while, so do animals - so try to put their bed somewhere that they can have some peace too.

Kittens and puppies are loving, sweet and a lifelong commitment. So, put in the time before you head out the door to visit a new batch of cute little fluff balls.



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