Pets are wonderful to have around the house and yard. For many of us they bring companionship, love, play and makes us happy. But how does one choose the right pet and how do you take care of that pet chosen. This pet ownership guide has great information and resource for pet owners and future pet owners.
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Caring For Furry Friends: Our Guide To Pet Ownership
Owning a pet, whether it’s a dog, cat, or bird, can be a joyful experience. Having companionship and love throughout the day can be fantastic for pet owners, and it also has health benefits, like decreases in both blood pressure and loneliness.
Not only that, but pet owners often have increased opportunities to socialize with others. In an always-connected online world where we often neglect face-to-face socializing, you can see why this is an excellent bonus!

It’s worth emphasizing that our guide to pet ownership is for everyone. It’s for those who are considering getting a pet, brand new pet owners, and seasoned ones who might need a quick brush up on some essential tips. The guide will focus on pets in general, but there’s special attention given to our beloved cats and dogs. What would we do without our furry friends?

​We will talk about everything from how to choose a pet, to creating a home for it and the essential safety tips that every owner needs to know.
Let’s dive in!

The first question potential pet owners must ask themselves: is a pet right for me? While it can seem like the right thing to do, an impulse purchase even, your lifestyle always comes into play.

You need to think realistically about whether a pet suits your life. For example, do you travel frequently? Maybe you have kids taking up all of your time? Remember that pets need care, attention, and lots of love (just like humans do). They’re a serious responsibility.

If you think you’re able to care for a pet and have the time to make them feel special, then you can expect a better quality of life and lots of smiles. Below we’ve listed everything you need to consider:

Consider Your Lifestyle
Different pets and breeds require various levels of investment and care. For example, dogs require high-quality food, frequent walks, a good deal of socializing, and a stimulating, positive environment. Cats need a clean environment, their own private space, a healthy and regular diet, and lots of stroking.

You should handle lizards just the right amount, fish need their water changed frequently, and birds need a specially formulated diet. With kids, travel, or work to factor into the mix, you really need to consider whether you have the time to care for your pet correctly.

You might have a chronic health condition or injury. This can make it difficult, or even impossible, to care for an energetic pet. If you have a disability, you could consider getting a trained assistant dog, providing you with both a companion and helper.

Of course, personal preferences can shape your decision too. Some people can’t be without dogs, while others are more inclined towards cats or even fish. Think carefully about which pet is right for you!
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Weigh Various Needs.
It can be helpful to weigh various needs—both yours and a potential pet’s—and how they fit into your life. How vital is companionship for you? How much time do you have to dedicate to the animal’s needs?

Perhaps most important of all is how the pet gels with your personality. Maybe you’re looking for a companion you can observe most of the time? Then hamsters, mice, or gerbils are an excellent option for you. They require food and water, and often exercise via a wheel, but are low maintenance overall.

Cats are also a good choice because most of the time, they look after themselves. They need food, water and somewhere warm to sleep, and while they love attention, they are very much independent animals.

Dogs, on the other hand, require consistent attention, care, exercise, and a generous helping of social. They are the perfect companions for those that have the time to look after them. Just be aware of the effort involved.


Visit Potential Pets
A sensible idea is to shop around and see what potential pets are like before you commit.
For example, try visiting shelters, pet stores, or even your friends who already have pets. By doing this, you’ll acquire a sound knowledge of what pet will suit you the best. Knowledge is power, as they say.

​Being lost is not a good feeling, whether it be humans or animals. There are however thousands of pet owners with have to go through a stressful ordeal because of lost, stolen or runaway pets. Some of these pets end up being caught ad placed in animal shelters while many are left out to fend for themselves and end up losing their lives or become the victim to some cruel act such as Dog Fighting. It is always good as a pet owner to think and be proactive than reactive when it comes down to protecting your pet. You have to make sure that your pet is kept in a safe environment where it is not easy for it to stray out yard and into streets where he may be hit by some vehicle or eventually get lost.

Simple Steps To Prevent Your Pet From Getting Loss
If you have a yard and you allow your pet outside to play in the yard, ensure that there is no accessible routes that can be taken by your pet to allow him to leave the safety of the yard. Apply fixes to worn out or rotting board fences. If you have a small animal as a pet, one that can easily slip through a small opening, you need to ensure that if such openings exist, they are quickly corrected. If you have large pets such as Dalmatian or great dame, make sure the height of your fence is such that it is impossible for the animal to simply run and leap over. If you have a cat and want the cat to go outside in the back yard, it will be difficult to prevent that feline from venturing outside that safe zone. Cats are very agile and able to run up certain walls and leap easily.  You will have to ensure that there are no tree overhang to your yard which will entice the feline to leap on which will eventually lead him away from the home.

Acquire a GPS for your Pet
This is a must to acquire for every pet owner. Pets are always moving around, some get lost and some will get stolen, it would be of you and your pet's advantage to acquire a simple, effective and cheap GPS Tracker for your pet. For those who do not know what a GPS is or what GPS stands for; The abbreviation GPS stands for Global Positioning System, what this technology does is actually pin point your current location anywhere you are on earth. So when you get a GPS for your pet, you will always know where your pet is, especially if you have a dog and you have to hire a Dog walker, you will always see where your dog is being taken.  Look at the GPS for pets below and don't gamble with your pet’s whereabouts.
 
Make your Own BPS
Okay, if you want to gamble with the whereabouts of your pet you could do the cheap and ludicrous way of keeping a close but noisy track of your pet by acquiring a bell collar. A bell collar is a collar with a bell attached to it. So what this does is to always ring whenever the pet is in motion. Once you haven't heard the noisy bell in a while you can check to see if the animal is resting, sleeping or simply disappeared. The thing is that once out the yard your BPS or Bell Positioning System may render utterly useless.
 
Whatever your choices are regarding the safety of your pet is up to you. The most important thing is that you don't take your pet safety for granted and not have something in place just in case a bad situation occurs.

​Pet owners move around all the time, and so do their pets. When you move with your pet, it is best to ensure that the animal is transported safely and is always kept out of harm’s way.  Pet carriers are convenient accessories which can be used in plane, cars and even on your person. It is important to choose the right pet carrier for the type of pet which you wish to transport.  Pet carriers are great for smaller pets, it will keep them out of harm from much larger pets. There are a variety of pet carriers and each has its own unique purpose and attribute.  So if you are out shopping for pet carriers these are what you must likely look for first before you dash out you money on looks alone.

1. Holding The Pet Securely
You simply cannot acquire a pet carrier which will do more damage to your pet than if it was not in any carrier at all. Good and secure pet carriers are equipped with straps or belts which are there to hold the animal firmly in place so the sudden braking or and sharp right turn or even collision will not allow your pet to go banging its head on the carrier itself.

2. Comfort
Now who doesn't want to be transported or travel in comfort and style? You just don't want a pet carrier with straps, you want one that is comfortable to your pet while it is in and comfortable for you to handle also.

3. Protect the Car Interiors and Exterior
Depends on the type of carrier you purchase, you have to ensure that pet carriers don't have any exterior sharp edges or made too much of an heavy metal which may damage your car. Ensure that the pet carrier your purchase has buffer plastic on all edges. Some pet owners experience scratches to their vehicle while simple placing the pet inside the car. Ensure that the carrier comes with easy slide in and out bottom tray and a washable cover. The cover keeps your car clean from pet hair.

4. Ensure that the pet carrier is Flexible.
What I mean by this is that the pet carrier should be able to fold down so you pet can easily be transferred elsewhere or for just easy taking out.  Not to mention that a folding pet carrier will save a lot of space when it comes on to storage! Not only should it be able to fold, many good
 

​Many pet owners purchase designer and stylish pet carriers and enjoy the convenience of easily traveling with their pets. They look for carriers with storage compartments for their dog or cat and even themselves. Sometimes it’s good to travel with a bottle so your pet can be refreshed after a long hot day out. Animals love out doors and they love new experiences and love to explore new places. You pet should enjoy traveling with you and you can bet every time you take up that pet carrier you pet will assume the travel position and just jump right in once it knows it is comfortable. So no matter the size of your pet or carrier, you both should enjoy the experience of traveling together