So, you've just made the life-changing decision to bring home a fur baby. Get ready for a life-changing, incredible adventure brimming with tender moments—and pesky toilet training.
To help you slay the pet parent game, we've teamed up with one-stop-everything-pet supplies store Pet Circle and head vet Dr Teagan Lever. From harnesses to grooming—and everything in between—here's everything you need to know to become a truly pawesome pet parent.
For all your pet's needs, be sure to head to Pet Circle and apply an exclusive coupon code: URBANLIST20 to recieve 20% off your first order.
Finding The Right Food And Treats
Okay, since you’re a first-timer you might not know this, but pets can be picky with their food. You can buy a whole value bag of kibble and guess what– they’ll refuse to eat it. Thankfully, Pet Circle’s wide range of foods specific for different breeds, ages and even activity levels make it easy to select the right dinner for your cat or dog, which is especially handy if you’ve just rescued an already fully-grown pet. "When choosing a food for your new pet, it's hard to go wrong with premium brands like Instinctive Bite, Royal Canin, Hill's, Advance and Purina Pro Plan. Be sure to transition your pet slowly over a period of 7-10 days and if your pet doesn’t like the food, most brands at Pet Circle also offer a palatability guarantee so you can get store credit and try another brand," Dr Lever says. “For treats, look for Australian-made products that are easy to digest, avoid rawhide and bones for dogs; dental chews are a much safer alternative.”
Toilet Training Your New Pet
Gosh, here comes the hard part. Cats, we love to say, are quite easy. Once you get the litter box up and running and plonk them in a few times they’re pretty good at knowing what the go is. "For cats and kittens, make sure that the litter box is always clean and placed in a secluded area. Ideally, you should have one litter box per cat, plus one extra," recommends Dr Lever. Dogs, on the other hand, require a bit more work. For dogs and puppies, the key to toilet training is consistency; take your pet to their toileting spot after eating, playing and waking from sleep, then reward them when they do the right thing. "This means, treats and cuddles ahoy! No yard? No worries, you can literally get a mini patch of grass toilet for your pooch that will fit perfectly on your balcony—maybe less 3am runs downstairs for you," Dr Lever says.
Leaving Your New Pet At Home Alone
This next one is a big one, and a common mistake first-timers make. Once again, many cats are quite alright at home alone, especially with toys, food dispensers and calming diffusers to help them stay entertained and settled into their new environment. Dogs, on the other hand, can be a whole other kettle of fish. Choosing a breed that suits your lifestyle is essential to avoid having lots of issues that may even lead to you having to give up your new furry friend. Many different breeds of dogs are rather notorious for developing separation anxiety, so this is important to consider if you spend heaps of time out of the house. It’s not impossible though—enrichment, basically keeping them busy and teaching them to self-soothe while you’re gone is key to a less-stressed pet. Dr Lever says, "Separation anxiety is a common problem in pets left alone for long periods during the day. Providing engaging activities through interactive toys, snuffle mats and lick mats, as well as addressing anxiety with pheromones like Adaptil and Feliway can help."
How To Keep Your Pets Looking Good
Come on now, you know you can't have your new furry friend looking scruffy! Grooming is essential to a healthy, good-looking pet and you can find ALL the essentials on Pet Circle. Each breed, coat type and shedding type needs different grooming, like different de-shedding brushes for both long and short-haired dogs, shampoos and nail clippers (fair warning, this could be a two-person job). Dr Lever recommends limiting the bathing of dogs to about once every two weeks to prevent skin dryness and irritation, "Pet wipes and waterless shampoos are ideal for keeping your pet fresh between baths." They haven't forgotten about cats either, with more brushes than you can poke a stick at, and even fur perfume! "Long-haired dogs and cats should be brushed daily to prevent the development of painful mats," Dr Lever says.
How Often You Should Flea And Worm Your Pet
Everyone knows fleas are a nightmare, and worms can cause many serious health problems for your furry friend so it's essential you regularly flea and worm your pet. Dr Lever has seen these complications arise one too many times, "Dogs and cats require year-round protection from fleas, ticks, heartworm and intestinal worms. Combined products like Simparica Trio, Bravecto Plus and Revolution Plus offer protection against multiple parasites in a single monthly dose."
How To Train The Right Behaviours
You want to enjoy the best bits of life with your pet– dog park trips, getting coffee with your furry friend and introducing them to the people you love. You do NOT want to have to wrangle a crazy animal that is reactive to skateboards (for some reason?), bites kids or hates other dogs. The key to avoiding this is training them right from the start to behave correctly. Dr Lever advises, "When training pets, positive reinforcement rather than punishment is the key so you need to keep plenty of treats on hand. Jerky treats that can be broken down into bite-size is a good option for dogs, for cats try liquid and paste treats."
Making Sure Your New Pet Is Comfortable
Consider your dog's preferred sleeping style when choosing a bed, for those who like to stretch out, mattress-style beds are a good choice. For pups who like to snuggle, a bolster bed is ideal. You want your new dog to be able to relax in its new home and flop into the ever-coveted side sleep—this is especially important for rescue dogs so getting a bed they will love is a must. "Cats feel the safest sleeping on elevated platforms like cat condos or inside hideaway beds," Dr Lever explains.
In short, this is such an exciting time! You’re getting a guaranteed best friend forever, and a life partner as long as you both shall live. Let it be known, we are all about adopting. Rescuing a pet can be one of the most rewarding experiences for both of you. Pet Circle has the hookup on all sorts of rescue organisations, even breed-specific ones so you can still get your dream pet. Pet Circle even have complete 'Better Puppy' or 'Better Kitten' bundles for your new furry friend, ensuring you welcome them home with ease and, most importantly, have a blast.
Editor’s note: this article was produced in partnership with Pet Circle. Thank you for supporting the partners who make Urban List possible. To read our editorial policy, click here.