Before dishing out expensive treats and kibble, first make sure you're buying the right products. Here's some helpful tips:
It costs, on average, more than a hundred dollars per month to own a pet, with dogs costing approximately $139.80 per month and cats costing roughly $92.98 per month. But while taking care of animals can be costly, with expenses from veterinary visits to regularly reoccurring costs, like food and litter, the positive impact pets have on one's mental health is often worth it! Not to mention, they're pretty cute!
If you're trying to decide whether or not to get a pet, this ultimate pet guide will help you organize your costs and gain a deeper understanding of the commitment of pet ownership. Use this guide to learn all about pet care. Tips for how to take care of pets include everything from buying the right leash to being better prepared during a disaster. There are many things to know before getting a dog, cat, bird, or other type of pet, and this guide will help you plan ahead!
If you're considering owning a cat, dog, or other kind of pet, it's important to understand that the animal's welfare will be the owner's - your - responsibility. Pets have a hierarchy of needs just like humans, with biological needs as the baseline, like food, water, and sleep. Social needs, like force-free training, playing, and emotional support are closer to the top. Emotional security is important, but animal care starts with those most obvious needs first.
Before dishing out expensive treats and kibble, first make sure you're buying the right products. Here's some helpful tips:
Puppy food is different than adult dog food, and adult food can be different depending on the breed of your dog. Find out how to read a dog food label - dogs need lots of protein. Be sure you're giving the right portions. Be sparing and train with small treats. Try to avoid giving them "people food" or find a way to ensure your dog doesn't beg, though occasional treats given away from the kitchen are fine. Popcorn and carrots are okay; onions, garlic, and chocolate aren't.
Cat food can be either wet or dry. Cat food needs to be super high in protein, and portions should be monitored.
Instructions on pet birds really depends on your breed, but the ordinary cockatiel usually gets layers of seeds, pellets, vitamins, and mineral supplements. You should also provide your cockatiel dark greens every other day, an apple or banana once a week, and a honey stick about once a month.
Other pets, like snakes, will have very specific needs. Be sure to read any manuals and guides, and never make assumptions about which food they can and cannot eat.
Pets that are not vegetarian should not be made to be vegetarian. Try to provide food that's as close to what they could get in the wild as possible. Doing otherwise can harm your pet.
All pets need a certain amount of fresh (and sometimes even running) water. Prevent mold and bacteria by cleaning out water containers frequently!
Cats typically sleep during the day and dogs tend to have the same sleeping hours as humans. Puppies and kittens, remember, definitely need quite a bit more sleep. Try not to bother your pet while they're resting. Here's some exercise tips:
Dogs should be walked at least 30 minutes every day. Remember that small dogs may need a slower pace.
While it's not necessarily common practice, walking your cat with a leash and harness can help them stay fit.
Ferrets are also fond of walks!
Pet birds should be given safe, out-of-cage time. Also, you can play games with your bird with toys, or even encourage them to dance. Remember that birds are very social, and need attention as much as exercise.
Just like with humans, pet shouldn't be exposed to the elements. With some pets, consistent temperature is considerably more important than for humans.
Dogs should be given winter gear; fur is often not enough, even for huskies. An unheated dog house is not enough. Cats should be brought in during winter weather as well.
To prevent many different kinds of diseases, parrots and most pet birds need exposure to UV light on a fairly regular basis. They can become vitamin D deficient just like, though faster, than humans.
Snakes, especially ball pythons, not only need consistent heat, but consistent humidity. Keeping a cage that encourages both is one of the top expenses for owning these types of pets.
Vaccinating, providing heart-worm medication, preventing and watching for ticks and fleas, examining your pet's skin for rashes, and visiting the vet annually not only makes your pet happier, but also prevent some costly episodes of easily preventable illnesses.
Ask your vet for a full list of medications you'll need to give you pet on a one-time and annual basis.
No, not all pets need to be pampered like a poodle, but most will need to be groomed to prevent discomfort and potential disease.
Most dogs can be bathed every few months, though it depends on the breed and how often they're playing outside.
Cats need to be bathed after certain flea medications, if they've gotten into a sticky or dirty substance (like soot), or if they're too old to groom themselves properly. Otherwise, they generally bathe themselves.
Older cats and dogs will sometimes get matted fur that's difficult to get out. Try to do so as painlessly as possible.
Both cats and dogs need their nails clipped without damaging the finger-like blood vessels inside the nail, called the "quick".
Remember that over-plucking feathers is a sign of a lot of bad things for your bird! If they start, there may be something up with their cage or their situation.
Birds often like to bathe in a bowl of shallow water once a week or month, but don't bully them into bathing - try a different shaped bowl or different temperature of water.
Rabbits, mice, and most rodents only need to be bathed if they've soiled themselves in an extreme way, are too old to groom themselves, or are ill in some way.
So those are some of the bare necessities, but covering just dog food and water the isn't necessarily how to be a good dog owner. There's lots of things you can do that tackle issues higher up on the hierarchy of needs.
Training makes your life easier. Rules and a safe environment can also give your pet peace of mind. Consistency and calmness is key! Positive reinforcement from the psychological principals of operant conditioning is simply more effective than most forms of punishment or negative reinforcement. In simpler terms, it's more effective to reward your pet (for instance with smiles, petting, or treats) than punish for bad behaviors (yelling or spraying with water). But timing and consistent rules are important, as well as the number of steps needed to ensure that your pet associates the good behavior with a positive reward.
If you're looking for tips for raising a puppy, potty training will often take center stage before teaching other commands. Again, the most effective methods center around praise for accomplishments rather than older methods, like "rubbing its nose in it".
Give cats plenty of toys to scratch at key places around the house; don't give them ones that resemble your furniture, as that may be confusing for them. If they do scratch your furniture, try wrapping in a sheet or aluminum foil or spraying it with a natural citrus spray.
Service and emotional support pets must be housebroken, under the control of the handler (preferably with a leash and voice control), and vaccinated in order to legally qualify for their role. Many seeing-eye dogs and other expert dogs are trained by professional, enthusiastic trainers. Service animals have a much more rigorous training than therapy animals. If your pet is mild-mannered and calm, they may make good therapy pets; volunteering locally can be a big help to your community!
Dogs, cats, birds, bunnies, and most animals need some form of socialization other than with you. Dogs, especially, should learn how to be social with other humans, children, and other dogs, optimally between three and 12 weeks of age. Cats should be socialized between two to 14 weeks with cats and people. If you're trying to socialize pets with each other, let the smaller animal set the pace and stay calm.
To cover all these basic needs, we've helped by compiling some lists of important items you should buy for your pet, from pet beds to the right kibble!
New Dog Checklist
Cat Owner Checklist
Pet Bird Owner Checklist
Checklists for Other Types of Pets
There are many hacks for pet owners interested in affordable pet care options, but if you're trying to find how to save money on pets, you simply cannot skimp on the bare minimum needs. For instance, skipping out on flea and tick medicine would be a terrible idea; at best you'd have a mess in the house and at worst you'd have a very ill pet. Not vaccinating your dog, not buying the right bulbs to keep your snake warm, and not having enough living space to keep your bird happy would all be very unethical ways to cut back. On the other hand, there are plenty of great ideas for saving money on pet care:
Shopping for your pet and looking to save money? Don't worry: It's easy to find coupons and discount prices on all kinds of pet stuff. Coupon savings and first-time member discounts exist for most major sites like Chewy.com, PetSmart, and 1-800-PetMeds. You can also often find $20 or $40 off Petco coupons on our site as well.
Additionally, buying certain pet items in bulk at super discount stores like Costco and Walmart can also be a good idea; You should be on the lookout for the best prices (compare prices when possible) and look for Walmart discounts on various brands. Depending on your preferred brand, you may want to check Amazon, Walmart and Costco when buying in bulk. Just remember to store bulk perishable items like food well, as pet food does have an expiration date and some may last better in certain temperature ranges.
Another important responsibility of a pet owner is to remove household items that might hurt a pet. Don't leave extra wrappers or packaging on the floor, and make sure there's nothing they might accidentally ingest, fly into, hide in, or hurt themselves on. Cats are known to jump into washing machines and closets, and dogs are known to indiscriminately eat things that have fallen on the floor. Making sure that any garbage cans around the house have a lid that secures is very important.
Some Things That Are Poisonous for Most Dogs and Puppies
Some Things That Are Poisonous to Cats and Kittens
Some Things That Are Poisonous to Birds
Other Dangers
If your dog or cat is not breathing or doesn't have a heartbeat, you can do CPR and chest compression similar for humans, though your hand placement will be different: For cats and small dogs, you'll want to lay them on their sides and place the heel of your hand over the pet's heart. For barrel-chested dogs like pit bulls, you'll want to lay them on their back and place your hand on the widest part of the sternum and lock your elbows. Watch a few videos to ensure you won't be panicked if the time comes to use it.
There are many responsibilities and costs that pet owners take on when they decide to adopt or buy a pet, but having such a wonderful animal in your life can be worth it! Take the time to make a game plan with our ultimate pet guide and save!