• Owning a dog or cat costs more than the initial adoption fee. Food, veterinary care, heartworm/flea prevention and proper identification—that means a collar with tags and a more permanent form of ID such as microchipping—can add up.
• Time is also a factor. Dogs benefit from several hours of exercise and companionship every day. Cats are healthiest and happiest indoors and love to be treated to energetic play sessions. If your work demands that you travel often, or if you're out of the house most days and evenings, this may not be the right time to adopt.
• It is important to consider whether your children, along with your resident pets, are able to accommodate the addition of a cat or dog to your household.

• If there are young children in your home, a puppy may not be your best bet. You may want to consider adopting a medium-sized dog over five months of age.
• It is a good idea to draw up a schedule of who in the family will help with the care of your new dog, including walking, playing, feeding and grooming.
• Socialization is the key to a happy and confident dog. All puppies should be enrolled in a puppy class where part of the time is devoted to monitored play with other dogs.
• Basic manners classes can also help adult dogs brush up on their skills or new learn ones.
• America’s shelters are filled with pit bull-type dogs. There are many misconceptions about these dogs, who can make amazing companions and loyal family pets.

How To Train Your Dog

• Make sure everyone in the house is prepared to have a cat.
• Cats can be very independent. Make sure everyone knows that the fun begins only after the cat feels safe and her needs are met.
• Once you're sure everyone is ready for feeding, litter changing and grooming, you can divvy up chores among family members so everyone is prepared to care for kitty before she arrives.

• Put a cozy bed for your pet in every room. Pets are much more likely to keep off of furniture if they have attractive alternatives.
• If you have a cat, try putting double-sided sticky tape or upside-down carpet runners on furniture to discourage her from scratching.
• Avoid vertical blinds, pooling drapery, ornate tassels and long cords that can become strangulation hazards.
• If you have cats, be sure to install high-quality metal screens on all windows.
• It may be a good idea to roll up and store decorative rugs until your new dog is fully house-trained.
• Provide your new cat with a variety of scratching posts and perches.
• Use dog crates and gates to confine your new dog when home alone until his house manners earn him unsupervised freedom.
• Provide plenty of “legal” things for your dog to chew. If he has attractive toys and bones of his own, he’ll be much less likely to gnaw on your things!
• Check to make sure that plants in and around your home are not poisonous to pets.

Tips from ASPCA