9 Ways to Know That You Are Ready for a Pet
It doesn’t matter how practical or logical you are otherwise – as you walk past a pet store window, there will always be times when you will want to throw caution away and head in to take that cute little kitten with white paws home where you can let it know that it’s safe.
It’s easy to fall in love with a pet. As in any human relationship, though, love isn’t the same as being ready for responsibility or for long-term commitment. While most people are capable of such dedicated love, they may not be ready for it at all times. Before you commit to a loving relationship with a pet, you need to make sure that you are mentally prepared for it. How do you know this? You can ask yourself these questions.
1 Ask yourself why exactly you want a pet
A surprising number of people rushing into pet ownership neglect to ask themselves this simple question. The answer could be that you need the companionship or the exercise or simply that you love animals and it makes you happy to be close to one. These are good reasons. It would be a bad reason to jump headfirst into pet ownership because you feel sorry for the cute animal in the store window, though. This kind of sympathy tends to be fleeting.
2 Ask yourself how you will feel setting aside a couple of hours each day for your pet for the next 10 years
Pets are like babies – they need you to be fed, for companionship, play time, exercise, to stay clean and so on. If the thought of setting aside around two hours every single day for years strikes a chill in your heart, you aren’t ready for a pet. If it makes your heart soar, you can consider yourself ready.
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3 Can you afford a pet?
Pets are far more expensive to keep today than they once were. The pet industry offers better treats, toys and clothing. Veterinary science today offers advanced treatment options that cost thousands. Quality pet foods tend to be expensive, too. Pets today are hardly natural breeds, the way they used to be. Most have been bred by breeders with little knowledge or experience. Pets tend to suffer from poor health, for this reason. What will you feel like, spending about $200 each month on your pet? Will you resent having to spend such a sum when you are short on any given month? It wouldn’t be fair on you or your pet then.
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4 Are you in a position that you can take care of a pet?
With certain kinds of work, pets are out of the question. If you work for long hours in healthcare or if you are a student at a hostel, pets will either be completely out of the question or will be very difficult. It may also not be a good idea to get a pet if you have very young children at home, either. Each year, millions of children get bitten by their pets seriously enough to end up in hospital. You need to consider whether you should put off the idea of getting a pet.
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5 Is your home suitable for a pet?
Different pets have different needs. Small dogs, for instance, tend to be very active. They wouldn’t be happy in a small home. Large dogs, on the other hand tend to be happy sitting around all day. They would have no problem with a small home. If you are getting an exotic pet like a ferret, you need a fairly self-contained home. An open room would be risky – the ferret could quickly run away and get into trouble.
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6 Will you be patient with your pet?
Animals can take a great deal of time to learn new behaviors. Whether you need to potty train your pet or train it to not turn aggressive in the presence of new people, you need to never lose your temper. You should only get a pet if you have a natural appreciation for the demands involved.
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7 Do they allow pets where you live?
If you rent your home, you need to think about the landlords policy pets. If you have an exotic pet in mind, you may need to consider the requirements of the law. Ferrets, for instance, aren’t legal in some states. Many people skip this point, but they have many problems in the future. Before buying or adopting a pet, find out all of the pet laws and regulations of the state and make sure you won’t have any problems down the road.
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8 Will you be happy in a truly long-term relationship?
Many pets live for years. With dogs, 10 or 12 years are common. You need to ask yourself if you will truly want to take care of your pet through old age and disease. Pet is like a child, you should train it, feed it and give lots of attention and love. You can’t just go to another state or country and leave your pet alone without care. Make sure you are ready for such long-term relationship with a pet you are going to buy or adopt.
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9 Will you like being a responsible pet owner?
Owning a pet requires a high level of responsibility. Never buy or adopt a pet if you are not responsible person and remember that pets are not toys, they do need a lot of long-term attention and they can be noisy and messy at times. Being a committed pet owner requires that you stay on top of every problem that your pet has.
Before you go out and buy or adopt a pet, you must know for sure whether you are ready for this pet or not. Pets are great companions and they can make your life brighter, especially if you live alone. So, are you ready for a pet?
