You may be wondering how your beloved pet will fit into a shared living arrangement. Or if you don’t have a pet, you may be wondering how much care you will need to provide for a homemate’s pet.
(If living with pets is a deal breaker for you, seek out others who feel the same way.)
Pets need to be compatible too…..
As a pet owner, when you are looking for compatible homemates for yourself, you are also looking for compatibility for your pet. As well, your potential homemates may also have pets. Then, you are looking for compatible petmates for your pet.
It sounds a bit complex, but it can work out perfectly with a little planning. Here are a few tips.
1. Check the profiles for those who have pets and those who are willing to live with pets.
2. Include lots of discussion about your pets when you chat with potential homemates. Share both the good things about your pet but also the behaviours that might be troublesome for others.
3. Be sure to introduce your pets to each other and let them spend time together to ensure that they get along well.
The Internet has lots of information and even YouTube videos about how to introduce pets to each other and then help them get along. It’s well worth the time to share this information with potential homemates in order to create a workable and effective plan for introducing your pets.
Discuss and agree on specific rules for pets…..
Pets need lots of care and attention and for the most part, the owner of the pet will likely provide what is needed. However, all homemates may have to take a caregiving role from time to time. So, it is essential that details need to be discussed and decisions added to your homemate agreements.
Have discussions and create agreement on how your homemate group will manage all of the following pet issues:
- feeding, exercise and elimination
- discipline and training
- allowed on furniture and beds
- cats allowed on kitchen counters
- chewing and scratching
- barking and other noises
- managing the pet when the owner is absent
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