Bringing Home a New Furry Friend

On Saturday, October 13, Coldwell Banker Paradise hosted the New Dog, Old Dog Pet Adoption Day at the Satellite Beach office. The animals that were present were up for adoption, and Coldwell Banker Paradise is dedicated to finding you the right home, so why not a forever home with a new furry friend?

Before you bring home a new fur-baby, here’s a few home-friendly tips:

1. Make sure your home is dog- or cat-proof. Animals loooooove to explore new places, and if your new furry beast has a tail that can clear a coffee-table in less than a second, you might want to move the antique tea set from display. Anything that is breakable or dangerous – like household cleaners and some plants – should be put where the animal cannot reach or find them.
2. Set up an area for the pet. A bed, food and water dishes, toys – anything that the new furry can find and easily distinguish as their area. When you bring home the animal, from a shelter or a breeder (even some pet stores might have these too) ask if they have anything that the animal plays with, sleeps with, or enjoys. This will make the transition a bit easier because it is already theirs and smells familiar. All the new items you have set up may still smell foreign and may make the furry nervous. If you bring home a blanket, try not to wash it for a while – this will help them settle faster because it is a comfortable thing for them to go to during the transition. Ask what kind of food the furry has been eating and try to get the same kind of food.
3. This might sound strange, but make sure that everyone in the household is ready for the new animal. There’s a lot of responsibility and work for any animal at any stage, and some family members may not be ready, willing or able to take on that level of care. Children love puppies, but may not be ready for a jumping, barking, running around ball of fur. Kittens are adorable but sometimes are hard to handle because of the biting and claws. Older furries may need special care or medical assistance, and even adult animals may need more trainings. Discuss if the animal will be allowed on furniture, in certain areas of the house, and where it will go outside. Some people do not like animals on couches or beds, while others are perfectly fine with it. Animal hair and dander also might be a problem.
4. Learn your new friend’s history – medical and growth. All rescues and breeders will have a list of medical histories for the animal; when they were vaccinated, when they had spaying or neutering (if that is what was done), and other procedures. Pet stores may or may not have this information, but it is always best to ask. Behavior, prior training and personality are also things to ask about. Are they good with other animals? Are they good with kids? Do they prefer a certain gender? Was there abuse in the past? Any medical issues to watch out for?
5. Find a vet you like. This is going to be the PCP for your furry, so make sure you like them. Your new friend shouldn’t be viewed as something like a car or something that can just be taken anywhere for treatment. Find a vet that you feel comfortable and that you feel your furry can bond with. This will make the experience less traumatic when they do need to go for treatments or checkups.
6. If you are bringing home a dog, make sure that you walk them around your yard and neighborhood on a leash at first. Even if your yard or the dog’s area is fenced in, new surroundings can be very overwhelming or exciting for your new friend. They will need to know where the boundaries are and learn where they can and cannot go. The leash will help. This should continue until the dog learns where the boundaries are, and then be monitored after. If you live on a busy street, no animal should be ever left outside alone.

We want you to have the best experience in your new home, and we want that for your new furry friend as well. Please use these tips and any tips you receive from your shelter, breeder, pet store associate, and vet to make your new friend feel right at home.