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What pet owners wish people knew before getting an animal companion

July 28, 2023 - 10.49am

Getting a pet is a huge decision and a years (sometimes decades) long commitment.

While you can learn a lot from doing your research before making a choice, there's nothing like hearing from people who have been through the experience.

Whether it's raising the same animal and/or breed that you're thinking of getting, or the realities of pet ownership in general, it can be helpful to hear what pet owners wish they knew before taking the leap.

To find out the advice pet owners have for others considering getting an animal companions, 9Honey Pets asked six long-term dog, cat, rabbit and amphibian owners to share what they wish they knew beforehand.

Dogs

For Sindy, getting a puppy was a shock to the system and required more work than most people assume.

"Something that I wish people knew about owning pets – and dogs – in particular is that they are a lot of work! I would not give up Gary for anything but I had the puppy blues for a few weeks because he was such a disruption to our normal routine," she said.

"Puppies have to go to the toilet every two hours and that is not conducive to a good night's sleep, plus the time and effort needed to train him, socialise him, exercise and vet visits was not easy."

But putting in the effort when dogs are puppies means they will be healthy, happy and well-trained in years to come.

"Dogs are yours for life – but there is a lot of work needed in the puppy stage for you to be able to relax when they're older," Sindy added.

When it comes to choosing a breed of dog to get, it could be worth considering the reputation that a breed has and the impact it will have when you take them outside.

"My ex and I had two Rottweilers, and they were just the most beautiful dogs. They were so loving and loyal. But I do wish I had known how having two Rotties would be perceivedm" Jo said.

"Everyone was terrified of them, and us. And I don't blame them. The dogs were loving and loyal... to US! But not to strangers and especially not while I was pregnant.

"I loved Pepper and Baxter so much, but if I ever got a socially unacceptable dog again I'd pair it with a cute little one instead of another socially unacceptable dog... I spent most of my time trying to explain they were actually quite gentle and not as vicious as they looked."

Rottweilers don't have a great reputation, according to some people. Getty Images/iStockphoto

It's not just a breed's reputation to consider; sometimes they don't have the characteristics they're supposed to, and other times they have those qualities in spades.

That was Georgia's experience with a schnauzer/ Lhasa Apso, which her family was told didn't shed but "shed worse than a Labrador". Meanwhile, the guard dog qualities from the Lhasa Apso were stronger than expected.

"The biggest thing for us was barking... we were definitely shocked by how on guard he is – no one can so much as breathe around our house besides us or he'll go berserk. He won't ever bite, he's just very much always on guard. But we love him and we've trained the barking with commands," she said, adding that this breed also has an adorable personality.

Cats

Maddison learnt the hard way that cats are best kept inside and wishes other cat owners would take this rule more seriously, so keep this in mind if you're going to get a cat.

"So many people let their cats roam free outside because they don't know any better, but all that does is put the cat at risk and pose a huge threat to other wildlife," she said.

"I was 10 when I got my first cat so I had no clue, but my family decided she'd be an indoor-outdoor cat and spend most of her time outside. She went missing a few times and eventually got injured (we still don't know how) and had to be put down.

"After that I did my research and now have an indoor-only cat, but so many people just don't take that seriously. There's a reason why vets, breeders, shelters, you name it all say cats should be indoor only."

Rabbits

Bunnies can make surprisingly good indoor-only pets, and can even be trained to use a litter tray.

What you might not realise about rabbits is that hay isn't the only thing they like to nibble on around the house, so prepare your space to avoid damage before you bring them home.

"I used to have a bunny called Bugs, and he was the best, but the one thing I wish I knew beforehand was that he would eat all my phone cables and laptop cables. I lost so many cables to him, and always whenever I needed a charger the most! Bunnies literally eat anything," Caterina said.

And if you have a dog that struggles when you leave the house, a rabbit might be a good companion pet to get.

"As bunnies are super social creatures, they hate to be on their own and love to have a pal, we kept him as an indoor bunny and he became best friends with our dog, so cute. They just used to hang out all the time together at home (the dog used to give the bunny head massages, I am not even joking)," Caterina added.

Axolotls

Anyone looking at the more exotic or niche pet options, like amphibians, should thoroughly do their research before getting one or giving it to someone else.

Kathleen's dad gave her an axolotl and she said caring for Burt ended up being a "wild ride" because his needs were so specific.

"I wish there was more information (even groups with open chats) about owning pet amphibians! I think people are under the impression fish are the same as amphibians and I can guarantee they are not. Burt the axolotl was the most headachy pet I've ever had," she said.

Burt required the water in his tank to be a specific pH and naturally cycled to have the right amount of healthy bacteria in it.

Axolotls also have a unique diet that includes blood worms and beef hearts, and requirte specialist vets, who may be few and far between.

"There were STRANGE ways to treat him when he was bloated like putting him in a black tea bath, literally a Lipton tea bag or putting him in the freezer for a little while (I'm not joking!). All the solutions are expensive and vet visits are even more expensive," said Kathleen, who loved Burt dearly.