Realistic Pet Care Expectations

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably seen or been on the receiving end of some pretty judgmental posts about what qualifies as proper pet care.  This is for everyone who’s scared to post and ask questions in groups, who’s been on the receiving end of unkind comments when asking for advice, and/or those who are new or experienced pet keepers looking to better their animal husbandry.

Ok, so first off, if you’ve already tried looking for help for your pet and you’ve had a bad experience – I am so sorry.  You are doing the right thing by trying to find better care for your pet.  You are being a responsible pet owner by educating yourself and trying to build a better life for them and a better relationship between you and your pet.  We absolutely commend those efforts here.  We believe strongly in “You don’t know what you don’t know and when you know better, you do better.”  Except we’ve tweaked that last part to “As you CAN do better, do better.”

We recognize that not everyone is in the position to change every single thing to meet ideal criteria of care the second they learn what those standards are.  Emotional/mental health, physical limitations, financials restraints, living conditions, environment, etc, all play a part in what you can and cannot immediately change in your pet’s life. 

Keep in mind that those limitations/conditions may change throughout your life/your pets’ life as well.

With that in mind, let’s talk about some of the basics we should be looking for in pet care if you choose to bring a pet into your home.

Bare Minimum

• You should be able to provide a secure enclosure/home your pet can’t escape from and hurt themselves or others.
  
• You should provide proper basic nutritional needs for that species that won’t cause any deficiencies.  You should know if that species needs supplements added to their diet and how often to give those.
  
• You should provide fresh, clean water (unless otherwise recommended – some species get all their water from their diet – like isopods).
• You should provide all necessary veterinarian care.
• You should provide grooming/sanitary cleaning help (such as helping with stuck sheds as needed) as needed for each species/breed.
• You should provide minimum exercise needs, particularly for young, adolescent and young adult animals.
  

Better:

• You should provide a comfortable enclosure/home with multiple areas where your pet can relax/hide.
• You should provide a good diet, with high quality ingredients and variety in the diet (not the same thing every time (unless you happen to have like a panda or a koala or something similar).
•  Multiple access points of fresh water (if recommended for the species), and a place where they can choose to bath/soak (if appropriate).
• All necessary vet care with regular check ups.
• Still provide all necessary grooming/sanitary help, learning to do this quickly for individuals who get easily stressed or hiring a qualified professional who your pet is more comfortable with (or at least who can do a better, faster job than you).  Treat your pet with their favorite thing after.
  
• Provide recommended species appropriate exercise and give them a variety of activities to participate in throughout their entire lives.
  

Ideal:

• Provide them with the largest possible enclosure you can still safely secure.  They should have many areas to hide/relax (for house-roaming pets, one area per room is idea).  They should not be disturbed while resting if at all possible.
• Research nutrition for your specific pet and provide a variety of well-sourced nutrition for them.  Include any recommended vitamins or supplements (talk to a vet or pet nutritionist if you’re unsure) that may benefit your specific pet to see if those help.
• Multiple access points of fresh water and bathing/soaking area (if appropriate).  Water play is also great for appropriate species who enjoy water.  Aquatic species can learn specific behaviors underwater (turtles can touch targets underwater and fish can swim through hoops underwater). Some horses like to splash in puddles.  Some dogs like to dive for toys in shallow water.  Figure out what works for your pet.
• All necessary vet care with regular check ups.  Include preventative care when appropriate.  For example, all dogs and cats in the US must legally be up to date with their rabies vaccine.
• Learn how to do cooperative care correctly (without flooding your pet or putting them in a state of learned helplessness – the two most common grooming tactics humans use) and teach your pet to tell you when they do and do not wish to participate in grooming and hygiene care. I’m telling you – it’s so worth it.  It’s so much easier in the long run.
  
• Try to replicate as much of your pets’ natural wild behaviors they would normally do (as long as you can do so safely) in captivity.  If you have a species that’s considered domesticated, like dogs, you have no wild counter-part to draw from.  Instead, look at the behaviors your dog enjoys doing and give them opportunities to safely do those things.  You dog likes to dig?  Great!  Build them a digging pit in your yard.  They like to steal food from your counters?  Stuff their meals inside of food puzzles/dispensers and watch them have fun working for their food!
  

Some of these things may sound daunting, or undoable at the moment.  That’s ok.  That’s where most people start.  We don’t expect you to do all the things all at once.  Just make the changes when you can.  If you feel completely over your head with even the basics, try asking friends or family for help, or asking online if someone is able to help you out (many people are open to trading pet care).

If you don’t think you’re a good fit for your pet or vice versa (maybe you got a pet and then learned how much work they’d be), try rehoming them yourselves first to a good home.  Then try a rescue.  Shelters are a last resort since they have the least amount of resources generally and many of them are kill shelters.  One exception is if you have a medical emergency and can’t afford the vet care, please consider surrendering your animal to a rescue or shelter.  They often can get your pet the care they need.

Here are a few general sources on where to find info on animal husbandry.

Questionable Sources:

• Pet Stores – Pet store employees are notorious for giving terrible animal husbandry advice and for selling you inappropriate enclosures and products for your pet.  There are some employees who are amazing and know what they’re talking about.  Just be cautious.
• Breeders – There are a lot of great breeders out there who are up-to-date and know all about modern husbandry and behavior for their species.  For some reason though, there are far more who aren’t.  Again, be cautious.
• Veterinarians/Vet Techs – Again, there are vets that are out there who know a lot about animal behavior and husbandry, but it seems like the vast majority know less about that than a pediatrician knows about child psychology.
• Pet Trainers/Pet Pros – This one hurts my heart because I know a lot of great pet pros who are more than qualified sources of info.  But again, though the tide is turning in favor of science-based, modern practices of animal care, there are still tons of pet professionals living decades behind the times.  Just vet your sources.  See my other blog post on How to Find a Good Dog Trainer.
• Random online articles/blogs/websites – it’s really hit and miss with what kind of info you’ll get.
  

Better Sources:

• Peer-reviewed studies
• Peer-reviewed articles
• Websites/pages/books/blogs, etc. of scientists, ethologists and behaviorists (real behaviorists with degrees and certifications)
  
• Some Facebook groups – hobbyist groups that are dedicated to science-based care and education are great (these are easier to find for small animal species – note that if they’re picky about their rules that’s a good sign)
• Some YouTube/Instagram/TikTok accounts – again easier to find good ones for small animal species – look for people who say science-based, positive reinforcement and who are certified (but positive reinforcement and certification aren’t as common with small animals)
• Certification/Education Organizations – Science-based organizations like IAABC, Animal Training Academy, Behavior Works, Behavior Vets, etc. are phenomenal educational resources
  

Everyone’s goal as a pet owner should be to one day reach those ideal markers with each pet they care for.  However, start with the changes you’re able to make now.  Start with the things that matter most to you and your pet first – the things that affect health and safety are often on that list.  Then work on things that build your relationship and trust.  Have fun with it and create something unique between you and your pet.  And if you run into problems, please contact us and we’re happy to chat!