Adopting a Puppy or Kitten: 5 tips for the First 30 Days.
Are you a new pet parent and don't know what to do? Here are five tips to help you and that tiny bundle of fluff, full of curiosity and energy, have a good and healthy life. As magical as it is, the first 30 days can overwhelm you and your pet, so being an expert on how to take care on the first 30 days will help you have a calm and wonderful experience with your pet.
🩺 1 Tip: Vet Visits
Even if your puppy or kitten seems healthy, it is essential to have regular check-ups. These appointments allow for routine vaccinations and deworming, and flea and tick preventions. Establishing regular pet visits is important because it will enable your pet to have a strong relationship with their vets, and those check-ups will also help uncover early disease signs, so your veterinary team can address problems before they progress to unmanageable or life-threatening conditions. Those visits are also important for basic exams. For example, your veterinarian can discover eye issues that may threaten their comfort or vision on a visit. Dermatological issues, Eye issues, such as eyelid disorders, cataracts, glaucoma, ulcers, and eye inflammation, are common problems that require prompt attention.
🍗 2 Tip: Nutrition
A healthy diet is foundational for your pet's development. Make sure you're feeding food specifically designed for puppies or kittens, as their nutritional needs are very different from adults. Puppies and kittens need a high-protein diet.
If you don't know what to give to them, you can also consult with a veterinarian, because they will gladly make a meal plan for you pet, according to their size, age, and breed. It’s important to feed them with small meals 3–4 times a day, depending on age and always provide fresh water. It’s pretty important too, to avoid giving them human food — especially harmful ones like chocolate, onions, grapes, and dairy.
P.S.: You can always give them some treat, but you can't let it be their meal or exceed of their daily caloric intake.
🐾 3 Tip: Socialization/ Training
It’s important to help your puppy or kitten have good socialization because your new pet is learning fast, and everything you do now helps shape its behavior for life. Start early with gentle training and social exposure.
For puppies: Start potty training, crate training, and basic commands.
For kittens: Show them the litter box and encourage positive handling.
Praise, consistency, and patience are key.
📆 4 Tip: Consistency / Calendar
Adopting a puppy/kitten is great, but its really important to have (at least on the first month) a calendar + consistency on that calendar, so your puppy can have a regular eating habit and potty habits, it helps make training much easier, and its very important to have regular vet visits and consistency in vaccinations.
🏞️ 5 Tip: Safe and Calm Enviroment
Your new pet is adjusting to a completely unfamiliar world — new smells, sounds, and people. Whether you’ve adopted a kitten or a puppy, they need a secure and cozy spot they can call their own.
Set up a quiet space with a comfy bed, food and water, and (for kittens) a litter box.
Pet-proof your home: remove wires, tiny objects, and toxic plants.
Keep introductions to new people or pets slow and gentle.
