It sounds so easy having a pet or... more than one. If you grew up with animals most likely you are used to having them around. What we easily forget is we need to invest time into the animals we keep in and around our house. The most common pets kept are dogs and cats and they are the easiest because it takes care of itself and uses you (and your neighbours) as his servant while a dog sees you as his companion and obeys you. At least that's what they say.
In reality, each animal kept should be raised unless you don't care about what they do, they try to rule you. If you don't invest time in your pet, don't care about its behaviour you can count on situations you not like. For your information: just like dogs cats can be raised. The only thing you need is time and making clear what is acceptable. Teach your pet what is acceptable for your lifestyle and the community's. If you work, go out, your dog should not wreck your place or bark for hours.
Owners of animals kept outdoors usually do not spend as much time with their pets. Keep in mind they need to be trained too. If you don't want your dogsl to jump against you, be on your sofa, drinking out of the toilet or cats climbing on the top of the cupboard and pets stealing your food from your plate or taking it out of your hand you have to invest time in training them. You need to be consequent and keep in mind that little pup or kitten is an adult before you are aware of it. Make clear in a way they understand what is not accepted.
For many years I had animals, I worked with them, sheltered them, took care of the sick ones and those with bad behaviour. Bad or unacceptable behaviour according to the owners who dumped them on my doorstep for 1001 reasons. The fact is we easily feel disappointed if an animal shows its natural behaviour if it doesn't obey. Cleaning poop, pee, vomit or your damaged items is no fun neither is waking up several times at night. Sick animals cost extra money and so does food and whatever unexpected costs keeping a pet will bring you.
Note: According to the law a pet is a possession not different from your house, car, bike or chair. If your property damages someone, wrecked something you have to pay! You can be angry or sad if your dog is hit by a car but if..it's your mistake and you need to pay the damage is made to the car! If you don't have savings to do so you can take insurance.
Dogs don't belong outside on the streets on their own. In many countries, these days are over from the moment governments started fighting Rabiës. There's no cure for it and a dog will be put asleep, animals in the wild will be shot if they are suspicious of Rabiës except the small mammals (mice, rats). It's a myth only foxes spread it. If you live in a country where the disease is still known as active you better let your pet be vaccinated.
The more pets you have the more money you need and you can save if you can deal with every issue yourself. To take care of the predators in my shelter I decided to do more educations and different professions. Next to it, I made agreements with those I needed or could need one day. Today I have a saving box for my pets. Just like my children, they receive a monthly amount (pet pocket money).
No animal is the same. That great animal you met at someone's place is raised by someone! There's no need to be a horse, dog or cat whisperer to understand your pet. For sure you need certain skills and it's important to know what kind of animal lives with you but if you observe, invest time in examining an animal's behaviour, you might know more than any specialist. Trust me there's a huge difference between the information on the internet and the daily experiences.
How strange it may sound many pet owners know hardly anything about their animal. Not if it comes to the specific race, the animal's personality or worse... the food it should eat. Dog food, cat food even food for rats, ferrets, hamsters and rabbits, cows and so on frequently contains ingredients the animal can not digest at all and this shows if you see it's poop!
If you walk in a Dutch field or a cow stable and see what the poop looks like it says enough. Cows with us deal daily with upset intestines.
Cats kept as pets have obstipation or diarrhoea, are overweighted, suffer from hairballs, and the special breeds have all kind of diseases and disabilities which is sold as special with a pedigree. Nature itself would never keep these animals alive.
Dogs, especially those with a pedigree, rarely get old, a part can not naturally give birth, eyes pop out and many breeds are vulnerable or suffer from diseases. The German Shepherd for example is to at least 500 which is shocking and the result of what we humans do to animals we say we love.
Just like humans pets feel stress and suffer from it. It affects their well being and behaviour.
Good food is important not only for us but for our pets too. A healthy pet won't easily get ill, spread diseases and lives longer. Healthy starts with the food, the lifestyle and avoiding stress. Too many animals are confronted with the stress of their owner which results in certain behaviour. If it comes to abnormal or dangerous behaviour shown by our pet in nearly every case it's the result of a human, the breeder or the owner.
Most food we buy is not good for animals at all. Read what it contains. Predators eat meat, not wheat!
An animal will always be an animal. If you can't live with that, if you want your pet to sit still, be on your lap 24/7 and behave my advice is to buy a stuffed animal or... robocat or dog. Toys can keep you company and you can kick them aside if you are not in the mood. No need to drill, feed, clean up, fight fleas and ticks, no risk to be scratched or bitten and no costs for vet, doctor, insurance needed.
Cats can get wild again if they are abandoned. There are more cats out on the street than dogs and they can get seriously ill too. Cats can have a 'sneezing disease' and get aids (for cats). Still, most cat owners never visit a vet. This is interesting if you take into consideration we talk about 'cat lovers'.
The cats we had and still have one owner. Interesting enough they are closer to that person than to the other family members even if the others feed it. Just like the dogs they know who accepts what and behave differently upon each family member.
I have a dog but I don't know what to do how can I train them. An expert and veterinarian said that dogs are not easy to train if you are impatient but I'm just kinda hectic screwed you know. I love my dog so much and I don't want go back to the point that he will leave me.