Whether you're getting a new puppy, introducing an old dog to a
new house or socialising different animals, it's important to help
your best friend adjust to their new environment. Optimum has
compiled all the dog environment information that will help you do
this.
Puppies are inquisitive and mischievous
creatures and you will need to puppy-proof your home to help keep
your little dog safe.
Within your house, check each room for
harmful things that might attract your exploring puppy. Items such
as plastic toys, small balls, electrical cords, medications,
aerosols, hanging curtain cords, cleaning cloths, cleaning products
and sharp objects can all be dangerous and so should be kept out of
puppy-reach.
If you have a yard, be sure to check your
fence for gaps and ensure any swimming pools or fish ponds are
fenced off. Also be aware of the plants you have in your garden -
some can be dangerous to dogs.
Cats and Dogs….They either love each other,
or hate each other. What do you do if you want a cat and a dog? Or
simply want to factor in a new part of the family? You'll need to
consider a number of things like age, gender, temperament, breed,
size and health status.
For all family members, (including you!) to
be able to live in peace you need to consider how your other pets
will react to a new pet. A good place to start is to search through
the breed selector
for cats, and the breed selector for dogs.
Once you've bought your new pet, you will
have to start with an initial meeting. This is a tough one as you
never know how both parties will react. Make sure that you are
present at the time of meeting and watch both animals behaviour. Do
not look away, even for a second. Let the animals explore each
other but if you notice any signs or aggression separate them
immediately.
You should try having lots of short meetings
at the start to try to get them used to each other. It should get
easier with time. Try placing food down on either sides of the room
so that they will associate food (which is a good thing) with the
other pet being around. Hopefully by this stage your pets are
relaxed and able to be left alone together. If not, speak to your
veterinarian or an animal behaviorist about different ways of
coping with this situation.