HOW TO PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR THE ARRIVAL OF A NEW PET

If you have just decided to adopt a pet, now it is time you got your place cozy for its arrival. From now on, your place will be its new home, so that it should be set up and made as comfortable as possible for this new event.

Whether it is a mature or juvenile pet, there are certain patterns that may help with its adaptation. From Nugape, we would like to give you the following tips:

• Before its arrival:

Before you go and pick up your new little friend, you will have to be informed about its diet and its routines, so that the animal can get used to the new ones with the aid of a slow transaction. Futhermore, when it comes to travelling/taking home/carrying anywhere your sweet furry baby, please take into account that a pet carrier  is a must.

From Nugape, We would like to advise you to be cautious by keeping a plastic bag and dog wipes with you at all times, so that you are ready if your pet become dizzy or travel sick

• Once at home:

At the very beginning,it is normal seeing your pet quite shy, but do not worry too much. Giving them time is the response. Let them roam around the house so that they can smell and explore as much or as little as they feel comfortable.
It is well known that the dog has a dazzling sense of smell, and after this first smelling exploration, it is time you show your furry friend where their place will be.

First at all, its room for bedding and resting. Try to place the pet bed in a quite area of the house, but wihout making the animal feel isolated. So that the idea would be to make the pet used to the daily activities of the house from its cozy pet crate mat.

Secondly, it it also important to have a designated area for either drinking or eating. Same way, it is highly recommendable to set a spot for its needs (i.e. urine and/or stools). In the case of adopted dogs, they usually get used to owners´ routines very easily, so much so that it will not be a huge endeavor to get them used to going outside with a bit of a training program. When it comes to puppies, the house training will begin at home, you will have to prepare an area with newspaper and clean it when your puppy is house-soiling. Keep an eye on the products you use when cleaning the potty, as they may be harmful to their health. In the case of cats, it is highly recommendable to find a fixed place to put the litter box, this spot should not be bustling or noisy at all.

Puppies and kittens are curious by nature. Try to keep far away anything perilous that they may harmful to themselves. In that line, We would like to advise you to place far away the vast majority of dangerous products such as cleaning products, electronical cables, medicines, small devices, and so forth.

Later on, in the near future you will have the chance to teach your furry little friend how to behave, but in the meantime We would like to advise you to prevent your pet from any unwanted accident.

If you have other pets, you better introduce each other outside the house so that you may avoid territorial and aggressive behaviors. It is very important to offer equal conditions for all members, that is why the encounter should be in a neutral space (an area not considered its territory for your first pet).

In regards to dogs, you may let them smell each other for 3 seconds and then, pull them apart. Repeat this process, increasing the interaction time, and let them play outside before coming in the house. Once your new pet is investigating its new home, it is likely that the established pet takes over certain areas. This is the way to indicate a greater hierarchy within the group.

However, if your trial is about matching a cat and a dog you have to consider both personalities. They need to get used to the smell of each other. At the very beginning, They are going to need sleep in different rooms, let them smell each other through the door. In the same way exchanging bedding between the pets, if this is posible, is a great way to know a bit about each other, even before they meet. After one week, You will be able to make a physical introduction.

Please remember not to leave the animals on their own for at least the first week, if any aggression is shown, We would like to recommend visiting a pet behavior specialist.

It is highly advisable to train your pet from its arrival and not to wait until it has developed bad habits so that it would need house re-training. If there are kids in the environment, It is beneficial  that they get involved in the pet´s training schedule. So that everyone can follow the same rules, and behaviour pattern with the new member of the family. This will help your pet to learn and adapt to the new surroundings quickly.