Bringing a new pet into the home is an exciting, life changing event! Here are some tips for making the transition a positive experience for all involved.
1
Remember: This Too Shall Pass.
Consider the next week or so an investment in the family’s happiness over the next several years.
2
Call Gentle Doctor Animal Hospitals…Stat!
Have a veterinary examination and fecal examination and any needed vaccines done right away, ideally before your new pet even comes home.
3
Gender Issues – Avoid Them All Together!
Make sure dogs and cats are spayed or neutered. With small mammals, make sure you have the genders you think you have!
4
More on the Little Guys…
With small mammals, do not mix species! They do not always get along well, and some diseases are transmissible across different species.
5
What the World Needs Now…
…is LOVE! Spend extra one-on-one time with the resident pets. Give extra pets – extra treats – extra walks. Really overdo it! Reassure them that they are not being replaced, and start to provide positive associations with the new family member.
6
Nice to Smell You
Let the pets get to know each other as animals usually do best – by smell. Keep the new pet out of sight in a kennel or small room for one whole week. Adjust the time frame based on how all the pets are doing with the introduction.
If it is small mammals such as ferrets, rabbits or rodents that you are introducing, place their habitats near each other, but do not allow them to physically interact at first.
7
Remodeling the Home to Include More Restrooms…
For cats - set up one more litter box than you have cats. Make sure there is at least one litter box on every level of the home and that each is easily accessible. Use big boxes with low sides and make sure at least one box is uncovered.
8
There’s Room for Everyone Here!
Cats communicate with each other through very subtle movements and signals. They tend to be very independent, even in multi-cat households. As best you can, watch their patterns and where they like to be. Try to set up the household so each cat has a low, covered retreat, a high, open retreat and a window seat.
With dogs also, make sure each pet has a resting place and a retreat or hiding place.
9
A Walk Could be the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship.
Walk the resident dogs together with the new dog. The shared activity seems to help quite a bit in creating new, positive memories of time together.
10
Adjusting to the New Family Dynamics…
After the first week, give the pets supervised, controlled time together, even with leashes if needed. If all goes well, let them loose. If all continues to go well, let them loose unsupervised. If any doubt, pets may need to be separated, in kennels or in different room, when unsupervised, even long term.
Good job acclimating everyone to the changes, and congratulations on the new addition to your family!
Thank you to our wonderful client Jodi Finch for this topic – introducing new pets into the home!