PREPARING YOUR HOMe
Before you bring your new adopted friend home there a few things that should already be prepared. Some equipment needs to acquired, the essentials are
Dogs
- Collar – the collar needs to fit well around the neck and two fingers should comfortably fit between the neck and the collar
- Leash – a longer leash is especially in the beginning a good investment as you should not let your dog off the leash in the beginning
- Harness – if your dog is not used to walking on the leash a harness is a good choice as the pressure is distributed evenly on the body
- ID Tag – even though your dog should have a microchip, an ID tag with your phone number helps to bring your dog back to you in case he runs away
- Water bowl – a bowl for water should be available for your dog every hour of every day
- Food bowl – a food bowl and a designated station where your dog will be fed – dog food should be ready at home as well
- Bed/pillow – your dog wants to sleep comfortably, therefore a basket, pillow or dog bed is a good investment. He should have a designated sleeping area
- Car harness, traveling crate or dog guard – when traveling in the car, your dog needs to be secure
Cats
- Litter box – there should be at least as many boxes as cats and ideally one more besides
- Opportunities for climbing – Cats enjoy occupying raised vantage points: these give them a feeling of safety while allowing them to indulge their curiosity
- Opportunities for sleeping and withdrawing - It is simply impossible to assign a cat a particular location for sleeping
- Opportunities for scratching - For a cat, scratching is a way of sharpening its claws, marking out its turf through scents in the pads of its paws – and just plain fun!
- Water bowl – a bowl for water should always be available for the cat
- Food bowl – the food bawl should be placed in another room than the water bowl
Small mammals
FOUR PAWS recommend to read specialist literature to learn about the basics of keeping small mammals in a species-appropriate way.
conclusion
