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18 days ago

What to consider before getting a pet?

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Having a cute puppy waiting for you at home after a tiring day is excellent. With loving eyes and affectionate gestures, it can always make your evening. A pet is a blessing for our soul, whichever breed or species. But it is also a challenging job. Pets need proper grooming, attention and care, which can be challenging for a busy timeline. If someone is thinking of taking a dog, cat or even a guinea pig, there are some requirements you need to fulfil– some questions to be answered. 

Do you have enough time for them? That is a necessary question to ask before taking any kind of pet in. If the answer is not affirmative, then it might not be a great idea. 

Do you enjoy travelling? If so, it's important to have a contingency plan for your pets. Where will they stay and who will care for them in your absence? Will they be comfortable with this arrangement? If you can confidently answer these questions, then you might be ready to welcome a new member into your home. 

Almost all of us like a kitten or puppy walking in the street and think of taking it home. But not all of us do that. Is it a sudden desire because we are not ready for and know it? Have you been thinking for enough time before jumping to a conclusion? Ask yourself and be sure of the decision. If one is not very sure, then it might turn into a hassle after some days spent. Pet grooming can be tedious if one is not very interested in nurturing. So, take a rational hit on this desire to pet something; it will not be the same after the process starts. 

Is there enough space for them to roam around? These days, urban life only supports a somewhat spacious household for us, and pets. So it is essential to ensure extra space or even a lawn, terrace or a vehicle-free road beside your home. Pets get bored and irritated when they get stuck in a small space. Animals like dogs and cats tend to be more accessible than humans, and living in boxes can be annoying. So they need to be walked from time to time. They are nothing less than human children as they also need to be cared for by playing with them whenever you can. Sometimes, a pet parent needs to take time out of their busy schedule just to keep their pets mentally healthy because nobody wants a sad pet tagged along. 

Rather than dogs and cats, one can have a tank full of fish or a cage full of birds. There might be less parenting time than the above, but basic things should be maintained carefully.

If you have an aquarium, keeping the water clean and the food distributed equally and timely is necessary. It would help if you kept a sleep routine for them, switching off the light and turning it on at the same time every day regularly.

The pets would likely be disturbed and eventually sick if these things are not taken care of. Fishes have a relatively short life period, but any aware person would wish to give them the healthiest and highest possible lifetime. Strict feeding is a critical factor for every pet. They cannot be overfed one day and starved for two days. The proper amount and type of food at an appropriate time is needed for their food consumption and nutrition. It needs to be kept that even if we love to take cheat meals and ruin our health if we keep providing them with unhealthy food items, they will likely be happy.

Making them happy for their good is not what a conscious parent should do. If people call your pets your child, they need to treat them as their children. And if that is not possible, then they might even give it a second thought about taking them in. 

Another factor to remember before adopting a pet is its health. Some key points to notice are neutering or spaying to prevent unwanted births, vaccinating to avoid harm to others, trimming their hair and nails, and bathing them. One should have a small training before the adoption because it will be a 'trial and error' process every time someone needs to gain the basic knowledge of grooming a pet. 

Each type of pet requires specific care. A cat cannot be treated like a dog. While both are popular pets, they have distinct grooming needs. Understanding these differences is key to providing the best care for your pet.  

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