Everywhere you look these days, it seems everyone has a pet. From dogs and cats to snakes, iguanas, and mice, people can’t get enough of pets. In fact, it’s estimated that 67% of U.S. households own at least one pet.
Why Get A Pet
Whether you’re looking for a dog or cat or wanting something like a ferret or a hamster, there are plenty of good reasons to get a pet and plenty of ideas for how to raise a pet.
Whatever you’re in the market for, you need to ask yourself some important questions before you fully commit to getting a pet.
- What is the lifespan of the animal?
- How much exercise does the animal require?
- What are the costs like if you take an animal to a veterinarian?
- Do you have enough time to properly care for the animal?
- Are pets allowed where you live?
- Who can be around the animal you’re interested in I.e. kids and older folks?
Health Benefits
Believe it or not, there are plenty of health benefits to owning a pet. For starters, owning a bet can do wonders for boosting your mood and can also help you lead a healthier lifestyle. With a pet by your side, you could have decreased blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, more chances for exercise and being outdoors and plenty of chances to be sociable.
Taking Responsibility
Owning a pet can bring you hours of fun and enjoyment, but it can also be the perfect way to learn the importance of taking responsibility. Learning how to raise a pet teaches you the importance of feeding a pet on a regular schedule, grooming it, taking it for regular medical checkups and making sure it gets plenty of exercise. If having kids is something you want in your future, a pet is a great way to get practice before you have the responsibility of children. If you keep your pet in the garage, you’ll want to make sure that it’s properly insulated for cold Minnesota winters. You can always rely on garage door sales to ensure you have a properly fitting door for your home.
Feeling Happy
Perhaps the best thing about pets is the happiness that comes from owning them. As any dog or cat owner knows, there’s nothing better than coming home after a long day and seeing a happy face and a wagging tail. With a pet, you’ll have a companion who will show you unconditional love and will be there for you in good times and bad.
Finding The Right Home
Part of learning how to raise a pet, especially in Minnesota, is finding the right home. In many cases, that means finding the right pet friendly apartment.
But as any pet owner knows, finding a pet friendly apartment is often easier said than done. You might consider your dog or cat part of your family, but some landlords don’t feel the same way. If you’re looking for a home, the best thing you can do is keep hunting.
Go Online
Whether you’re looking for an apartment or a house, you can find just about anything on the internet these days. That includes going to apartment websites where you can narrow your search down to specific criteria. If you find yourself striking out on apartment-specific sites, try sites like Craigslist or even Facebook Marketplace to see if anyone has pet friendly apartments available.
Look For Private Housing
When it comes to figuring out how to raise a pet, you can have better luck finding an apartment by dealing with a private landlord. These landlords are usually more flexible and willing to negotiate with you on what types of pets you can have.
Think About Size
As you search for pet friendly housing, it’s important to keep in mind how big your pet is. Even in Minnesota, landlords are usually accommodating when it comes to smaller dogs and cats, but you may have to look elsewhere if you have a larger pet.
Showcase Your Pet
You may think it silly, but part of finding pet friendly housing is showcasing your pet. If you have a dog for example, you can really sell a landlord on your dog by getting recommendations from dog walkers, obedience trainers and even a vet to really showcase that your pet is well-trained.
Some landlords can be wary of pets and for understandable reasons. If a dog bites a resident for example, they’re likely going to need a dog bite attorney in case that resident decides to press charges.
Again, your job is to prove that your dog is the perfect dog to have in an apartment, so do everything you can to showcase that your dog would be a good fit.
Having The Essentials
If you’re moving into an apartment with a brand-new puppy or kitten, you absolutely need to have all the essentials for your pet. If you have a dog, you’ll need food, a food bowl, a water dish, toys, a leash, perhaps a collar, a pen, a dog bed and dog treats just to name a few things. If you’re going to have the responsibility of a pet, you need to have all the tools for the job.
Transforming Your Home
An important part of learning how to raise a pet properly is transforming your home to accommodate a pet. After all, if you bring a new puppy home or a kitten, you’re going to have to make some changes.
So what can you do to create a pet friendly home. As you figure out how to raise a pet in your home, the sky is the limit when it comes to pet friendliness, but these tips will help make it possible:
Vacuum
If you’ve got a puppy, especially a breed that sheds, you need to make a habit out of vacuuming a lot. That might include running the vacuum every day. Why? Vacuuming will help keep pet hair from piling up around your home. If you’re not used to it, you’ll be surprised at just how easily pet hair can cling to your skin, your clothes your furniture and even your appliances. If you need to, get yourself a vacuum aimed at removing pet hair.
In addition to vacuuming, you need to have cleaning supplies at the ready. If you’re trying to housetrain a dog for example, there might be some accidents along the way. When that happens, you’ll need some pet stain removal spray to pick up the mess off the floor or out of the carpet.
Look At New Flooring
As you go through the motions of how to raise a pet, one thing to consider is what kind of flooring you’ve got in your home. Investing in waterproof flooring material like vinyl, is one of the best options you have. Vinyl is comfortable, stain resistant, waterproof and scratch resistant and your dog will love it, no matter where in Minnesota you live.
Get Some Fencing
As any pet owner knows, it’s important to keep track of your pet, whether it’s inside or outside. If it’s outside, you’d do well to contact local residential fencing services and have a pet fence installed on your property. An important part of how to raise a pet is making sure your pet is kept safe and fencing will ensure that your pet is safe. With the right fencing, your pet can roam around your backyard and you won’t have to worry about it taking off. This is especially important as the seasons change and your pet experiences Minnesota winters.
Create Space For Your Pet
When it comes to layout of your house, an important part of acclimating your pet to their surroundings is to create an area specifically for them. If you have a dog, you can create a dog-centric area perhaps near your back door. You can install a dog door in your door for them to go in and out and you can set up their food and water dishes in that area as well as a bed. That way, they know just where to go when they get hungry or thirsty or tired.
Think About What They Eat And Drink
Any checklist on how to raise a pet includes knowing what to feed your pet. If you’re unsure of what to feed your pet, consult a vet when you take your pet to a local vet clinic for a check-up. When it comes to giving your dog clean and safe water, having water conditioning systems in your home helps soften the water and making it safer to drink.
Finding The Right Vet
Part of owning a pet involves taking your pet in for proper medical care, whether they need a check-up or care for an ongoing medical issue. Much like people want to find a doctor they’re comfortable with, pet owners should try to find vets they are comfortable with. These tips can help you find the right vet for your pet:
Knowing Your Pets Needs
Part of finding the right vet is knowing what sort of care your pet requires. With so many breeds of cats and dogs and such a wide variety of pets, different kinds require different types of care. If your pet needs routine car, you can likely find a local vet in your area for things like shots and filling prescriptions.
If your pet needs more specialized care, you might need to look into a local vet hospital or a veterinary specialist. If you have a dog with heart troubles for example, you can find a vet that specializes in heart conditions. If your dog is having trouble with movement, you might be able to find a vet that specialize in neurological issues.
The Vet’s Experience
Before you take your pet into a vet’s office, it helps to establish what they’re credentials are. If the staff has been with the practice for a long time, that should give you a strong indication of a strong working environment.
Attentiveness
When it comes to finding the right vet’s office, you want to pay attention to the level of attention the vet gives your pet. Good vets should be able to interact easily with your pet and pick up on cues that something might be wrong that they need to attend to. Pets pick up a lot from body language and good vets will know just how to make your pet feel comfortable.
You should also pay attention to the level of attentiveness the vet gives you. Establishing a good relationship with a vet requires good communication and shared values. If you have questions, the vet should be able to answer them and give you all the information you need.
The Particulars
Finding the right vet includes nailing down the basic information on a practice. When are they open? What veterinary services do they offer? Do they offer emergency services? Where are they located?
Getting all this basic information will help you make the final decision on the right vet for your pet.
Obedience Training
One of the most important parts of learning how to raise a pet is training them, especially if you have a dog. Everyone wants a well-behaved dog, but it takes a lot of work to get your dog to be on its best behavior. Good obedience training helps keep your dog safe and helps established trust between you and your dog.
So how do you train your dog? These tips can help:
- Start training early, because that can help you develop a bond right away.
- Make training fun by offering positive reinforcement and coming up with fun games.
- Find the treat your dog absolutely loves and offer that as a reward to keep them motivated.
- Be consistent in your training methods and offer plenty of positive reinforcement.
- Help your puppy get comfortable with the whole vet experience.
Enjoy Your Pet
Having a pet can be one of the best experiences of your life. Having a pet, especially during the cold winters of Minnesota, can give you a friendly companion that’s always happy to see you and will offer you plenty of comfort whether you’re having a good day or a bad day. There’s no one right playbook for how to raise a pet, but by showing it love and offering positive reinforcement, you’ll form an unbreakable bond.
So if you’re thinking about getting a pet, do it. It might just be one of the best choices you ever make.