Do your shopping in advance. If your choice is a puppy, you'll need a collar and leash, a crate (a great aid in housebreaking), brush or hand mitt for grooming, toys that will be safe for the puppy, a bed for the puppy, non-tippable, easy-to-clean food and water bowls.
If the puppy is to be housed outdoors, choose a well-insulated doghouse large enough to accommodate the puppy at its full-grown size. It should be located on a high, well-drained site protected from the wind. Choose a location that provides outdoor shade during the summer.
A kitten also needs its own bed, food and water dishes, grooming equipment and toys designed for kittens. Other essentials are a scratching post, litter box, litter material and a scoop to remove droppings. Kittens eight weeks or younger may be too small to use an adult-size litter box. An aluminum or plastic pan with a 2-inch rim can be used until the kitten can negotiate a larger box. Place the pan where you plan to locate the litter box — preferably in a quiet, private place.
You'll want the proper diet on hand to meet the special nutritional needs of your rapidly growing newcomer. Diets such as Purina® Puppy Chow® brand puppy food and Purina® Kitten Chow® brand kitten food are formulated to provide the extra protein, calcium, phosphorus and other nutrients puppies and kittens require. Please remember: kittens have unique nutritional needs and should never be fed a puppy or dog food.
Select a veterinarian for your new pet as soon as possible. Ask pet-owning friends and neighbors for recommendations. The Yellow Pages is another source. Visiting veterinary clinics in your area may help in your selection. Choosing a veterinarian who is located nearby is a convenience and saves time if an emergency should occur.
Puppy-proof and kitten-proof your home. Put household cleaners and detergents and other chemical compounds in tightly closed containers and be certain they are properly stored. Medicines should be kept out of reach. A good rule to follow is that anything that is not safe for children is not safe for pets.
The best time to bring your newcomer home is at the beginning of a weekend. If possible, add a few vacation days. This gives you time to acquaint your puppy or kitten with its new home and to begin housebreaking and other training.
Make arrangements with the person from whom you are getting the puppy or kitten as to the time you will pick it up. Ask that it not be fed prior to pick-up time. This helps avoid the puppy's or kitten's becoming car sick on its way to its new home.
Once in its new home, remember that your adoptee is adjusting to strange new surroundings and people. Children can become especially excited. Explain to them that their new companion needs time out for naps. Show children how to pet the newcomer and the proper way to pick up the kitten or puppy.
A puppy should be closely supervised and taken outside to relieve itself after eating, following naps and play periods. A kitten should be introduced to its new home one room at a time. Show a kitten where its litter pan is located. The mother cat may have trained it to use a litter box. Watch for more about housebreaking and litter box training in future columns.
As soon as possible after you adopt your puppy or kitten, take it to your veterinarian. At this time, a schedule can be worked out for needed vaccinations to protect your newcomer from a number of viral and infectious diseases. It should also be examined and treated, if necessary, for extern al and internal parasites.
Bring any immunization information you may have received when you adopted your pet to your veterinarian to begin a case history for future reference. It's a good idea to keep your own medical record. You may need it for reference if your pet's veterinarian is not available.
Choose a name for your newcomer and use only that name in calling the pet. In teaching a pet its name, as in all training matters, 100 percent cooperation of all family members is essential. When a pet is sent mixed signals, it can become confused and not respond to any of the contradictory signals. Behavioral problems may be in the making.
Key words to remember as you welcome your newcomer: Gentleness. Care. Patience. Consistency. Praise. Love. Your reward is a delightful companion for years to come.
A final thought
Avoid bringing home a new pet during busy times such as birthdays and holidays. The noise and confusion may frighten the pet. Family members are generally too busy with the festivities to devote adequate time to help the puppy or kitten become comfortable in its new home.