Responsible Pet Ownership

Transitioning a new dog into a new home and environment takes time and patience to do it right, but there are ways to manage introductions that can help ease the process. Being proactive will be far more helpful and faster in the long run than being reactive. Here are some general ways to help and please note: your new dog may have more specific information and instructions that you should always follow.

Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease. It can spread to people and pets if they are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal. In the United States, rabies is mostly found in wild animals like bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes. However, in many other countries dogs still carry rabies, and most rabies deaths in people around the world are caused by dog bites.

Once your adopted cat has acclimated to her new home (see the Bringing Home a New Cat article), she's ready to meet the resident dog. As with any introduction (house, people, resident cat), the meeting process should be done slowly, calmly, and with lots of positive reinforcement.

As described in Adopting the Right Cat for You, set up a room as a home base for your new cat—this will allow for a gradual introduction to the family. For the first 72 hours, do nothing. It is important to allow your new cat to become accustomed to her surroundings. Your new cat is not only acclimating to home base, she also is using her fine-tuned senses to discover what is beyond the closed door of her home base, including resident cats.

Your cat may feel quite upset at the arrival of a new baby. It is important to follow certain steps to reduce this stress and, if you do, baby and kitty will be friends and companions for a long time.

Positive dog training means using rewards/positive reinforcement rather than punishment and corrections to train. With positive methods, the dog is guided/lured into doing the behavior and rewarded (usually with a food treat) when he complies. Because harsh methods are not used, training can begin very early, and most puppies quickly learn the basics without ever having their collars jerked or seeing a rolled-up newspaper!

Learning how to crate train your dog will require patience. You will need first get your pet comfortable with the crate, then comfortable sitting inside the crate. Only after that will you be able to proceed in building up the duration of time spent inside. It is important to take your time. Rushing here will only make your dog uncomfortable.

Many people refuse to crate or kennel-train their dogs because they feel the confinement is cruel. However, a crate or kennel can give dogs a sense of security. Crate training done correctly is also a highly effective management system that can be a lifesaver for dog owners. Like any training method, crating can be abused, but using a crate for appropriate periods is helpful with various essential goals, including house training, preventing destructive behavior, and teaching a dog to settle and relax.

Pet insurance is not health insurance for your pet, although at times, it sure sounds like it is. While most of us consider our pets members of our families, legally they are personal property. That is why pet insurance is considered a type of property and casualty insurance, like automobile and homeowners policies, as opposed to a health insurance policy.

If you're thinking about getting a dog and you've never had one, please do some research first. Learn about what's involved in having a dog — basic dog care, medical needs, training and behavior. In particular, ask yourself the following