Stages of owning a pet

The increasing number of people who have started to appreciate keeping a pet is an indication that having one is a way of life now. The bond that we share with our pets is a rare one and overtime they become a part of our family.

STAGE 1

The first stage is rather simple but undeniably important. Unfortunately, this is one that most people skip out on. If you are planning to buy a pet, be it a cat, dog, rabbit, or birds, you need to research which breed is best suited to your lifestyle. For instance, if you have to stay outside for long hours, then it is not a good idea to get a dog since it requires a lot of attention. If you have allergic tendencies then it is best to find out which breed is hypoallergenic. This saves you the heartache of having to give your pet away because you are allergic to it.

STAGE 2

At this stage you have already gotten your hands on whichever little ball of fur you fancy. You have to remember that animals are not exact copies of each other in terms of personality. So if your cat ends up acting completely different from what you saw in that YouTube video do not be disappointed. Just give it some time to get used to its surroundings. Chances are it will not immediately crawl into your lap and start purring. You need to provide your animal with an environment it feels safe in and is surrounded by all the things that it needs, like a litter box, or a hutch to burrow in.

STAGE 3

By this time your little pet is well accustomed to its new surroundings but the difficult task of training begins. Puppies are super energetic and it is just one of the things that makes it difficult to train them. With the right amount of determination, and a few treats, you can get them rolling on the ground or giving you high-fives. It is much easier to train cats to use the litter box, though, because it is an innate nature of these friendly felines to be as clean as they can. At this stage your pet will probably start exhibiting its individualism and the two of you will even start understanding each other better.

STAGE 4

This is the stage that tests how strong the foundation of your relationship is. Most people pass this stage with flying colours. Most people, though, tend to give up. They realise that they cannot accommodate their pets' needs around theirs and even if they love their pets, the time comes for them to part. At other times, people lose interest and are no longer prepared to take the responsibility. Many domesticated animals are set lose in the streets to fend for themselves but the truth that we forget is that they are not equipped to handle themselves out there because they were trained to be dependent on us for food and shelter. Thus, if you think that you cannot take care of your pet any longer just make the extra effort to rehouse it.

Subaita loves cats and dogs, and everything that flies and hops. Send her your favorite animal videos at subaita.fairooz@gmail.com