Congratulations on the new four-legged addition to your family!  Just like bringing a new baby into your home requires some advance preparation, so does bringing home a new pet.  Below are some tips to help ease your pet’s transition into your family and make your first days with your new furry friend the beginning of many years of happy companionship.

Pet-proofing your home

The first step is making sure your house is safe for your pet. Just as with baby-proofing, you'll need to make sure your pet can't get to any toxic materials like antifreeze, household cleaners, or rat poison. You'll also need to watch out for heavy objects that are high up or unstable, like an iron perched on an ironing board. Unlike babies, pets have teeth, so they can do a lot of damage to electrical cords, furniture, and woodwork, particularly smaller pets like rabbits. Do not leave anything on the floor that you don’t want to be used as a chew toy.  While it may be cute for your puppy to chew on your old shoe, he can’t tell the difference between an old one and a new pair, and will think all shoes are fair game if you do not discourage him early on.  House plants also can be a problem and some, like philodendrons, peace lilies, and poinsettias, are poisonous to pets. (For a complete list, see the link below.)

The First Couple Weeks

Whether you're bringing home a puppy or kitten or a full-grown adult animal, your pet is going to need a little time to adjust to his/her new surroundings. Try to ease him into his new situation as gently as possible. Be encouraging and make sure to reward positive behavior.  Don't have a crowd of noisy, excited people meet your new pet at the front door. This can traumatize an already nervous animal. Instead, take him to a part of the house that will be his retreat and give him a little time there alone. Show a dog his crate or bed, but don't make him get into it or lock the door. You should put a cat in a quiet room and rabbits can be placed in their cage and left alone. The alone time will give your pet a chance to explore his new surroundings and become more secure in his new home.

As tempting as it might be, don't pull your pet out of his retreat for playtime just yet. Look in on your new friend every once in a while and let him come out to meet you when he is ready.  With most animals this won't take more than a few hours. This will be particularly hard if you have any kids in the house, because they'll find it nearly impossible to resist the cute, furry thing that's just in the other room. Talk to your children before you bring your new pet home.  Explain that he may be a little scared for a while and that they'll have to be very quiet and gentle with him at first. You'll also want to supervise children in their first few interactions with your new pet to make sure they know how to treat animals and vice versa.

If your new pet is joining other animals in your household, you'll need to supervise the animals' interaction for a while. Let your pets start off by sniffing each other through a closed door. Once they get used to the strange smells, open the door a crack and let them see each other. Gradually allow them more contact, and eventually let them meet face-to-face. Expect some hissing and growling at first.  As your animal family continues to adjust to each other, you can ward off aggression by making sure each of your pets has their own food bowl and toys.

If your new pet is a youngster, he may never have been alone overnight before, so his first few nights with you may be scary for him. Try leaving on a nightlight and a radio, turned down low - the background noise may reassure him. A hot water bottle filled with warm water and an old-fashioned, ticking clock wrapped in cloth also may soothe him by reminding him of sleeping near his mother. (As tempting as it is, don't bring your new furry friend into bed with you, even if you think it's just for one night. You'll be creating a bad habit that will be a challenge to break in the long run.)

Develop a routine

One way to make your pet feel more secure is to teach him that he can rely on a regular routine. Dogs in particular are creatures of habit. Start feeding and exercising your pet at the same time every day and establish a regular "bed time.” As your pet learns to anticipate the activities of his daily life, he'll come to feel confident in his new home.

You and Your Pet

Now that your newest family member is feeling calm and secure, you can concentrate on strengthening the bond between you. Take plenty of time for positive play, where your pet's energy is focused on chasing, attacking, and batting around toys (rather than you). Set aside some time for gentler pursuits like petting and ear scratching and pleasant grooming. Let your pet get used to the voices and hands of everyone in your family. When he seems nervous or gets tired of all the attention, let him retreat to the safe haven you gave him on his first day home.

If you adopted your new pet from a shelter or rescue organization, your may have a little extra work to do as you try to bond. Your pet may have been mistreated by his former owners, or he may have been ignored and neglected. On the other end of the spectrum, he may have been spoiled rotten and learned that he need only to start whining or barking to get whatever he wants. If he's been in one of these situations, he'll need some time to unlearn his bad habits. If your new pet is aggressive toward you, or if his behavior doesn't improve over time, your veterinarian may be able to help you or to refer you to a veterinary behaviorist.

© 2006. Material adapted from the American Animal Hospital Association at Healthypet.com.

Click here to send a free e-card announcing the arrival of your new pet!

Click here for “A Dog Owner’s Guide: Your New Puppy”

Click here for more information on “Bringing your new cat home”

Click here for more information on caring for house rabbits

Click here for a list of plants that are toxic to pets

Click here for a list of food that is harmful to pets

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