Tips on Adopting a Pet

Don’t let your child take a new pet to school, advises Stephen Zawistowski, Ph.D., the executive vice president of National Programs and a science adviser for the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). A room full of excited kids is too overwhelming. For the first several months, introduce your pet to one or two appreciative onlookers at a time.

Don’t handle small pets, such as hamsters and guinea pigs, at length for several days after you bring them home. Moving is stressful for animals; they need quiet time to adjust to their new cages. When cleaning a cage, if you must move the animal, be gentle.

Keep new kittens in a separate room (with food, water, and a litter box), away from the rest of the family and other pets for up to a week. Cats need to adjust slowly to the sounds and the smells of your home.

Avoid public places and parks until a puppy has had its full round of vaccinations (around the age of four months). Until then, it’s very susceptible to illness. It’s best for a puppy to be socialized early, so carry or drive it to locations to meet people, and invite visitors to meet it at your home.

In case of an emergency, make sure rescue workers are clued in to the fact that a new furry friend lives in the house. Available through the ASPCA (www.aspca.org) or the Pet Emergency Tag System (www.petemergencytag.com), window decals notify emergency personnel that animals are on the premises should disaster strike when you’re not home.
Better yet, you can even register your pet for a fee with a registry site, such as the aforementioned www.petemergencytag.com, and rescue workers will (fingers crossed) have an easier time reuniting you with your pet.

What to Know About "Designer" Doggies

You can customize your sofa fabric, your bedroom paint color, and even your half-decaf nonfat latte — why not your dog? “Designer dogs” like Labradoodles (half Labrador, half poodle), Puggles (pug and beagle), and Chiweenies (Chihuahua and dachshund) are now commonly sold alongside their purebred counterparts.

Although breeding is unpredictable — each pooch may look and act a different way — hybrids appeal to a dog owner’s desire for a unique pet. According to Susan Chaney, editor of Dog Fancy magazine, a hybrid can make a fine family member — as long as you shop carefully.

First, buy from a reputable breeder. “Designer dogs are so trendy right now that disreputable folks are getting into the business,” says Chaney. Good breeders generally sell limited numbers of puppies at a time, offer contracts with health guarantees, and let you inspect their facilities.

And when choosing a hybrid, research the temperaments, grooming needs, and health issues of both parent breeds carefully. In many ways, says Chaney, you’re adopting two dogs instead of just one.