new pet

Balancing Your New Business with a New Pet

Diane Weinmann Animal Communication , , , ,
By Ryan Goodchild

Well, it’s finally happened: the stars have aligned and you’re about to start your own business. But you’re also committed to getting a pet — a desire underscored by the many remarkable benefits of owning a pet as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

You worry, however, about being able to supply the time and energy that each requires. Luckily, these tips from HOPE: Helping Our Pets Everyday can put your mind at ease and see to it that both commitments get the attention they deserve.

The Pets that Suit Your Life

Even if you start and run your business from home, a pet is a lifelong commitment. Consider what happens if your business outgrows your home office and you move to a larger space with employees. It may be nice to have the option of taking your pet with you. While most well-trained pets are good office companions, a pet rabbit can be one of few distractions. In addition to being characteristically quiet, their tendencies to take afternoon siestas allow for hours of work productivity. It’s also fairly easy to create a bunny living space within the office.

Cats, fish, and some birds are also good pet options that can transfer well to an office environment. Dogs can also be good choices, although they tend to be more active and demanding, which may be limiting to you in either a home or office workspace.

Be sure to factor in the need for self-care for both you and your pet. Taking care of yourself by getting in regular exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, and taking in a bit of nature will help you stay focused and productive. As for your office companion, there are many resorts that allow pets. Plus, you could treat your furry family member to a spa day of their own while you enjoy one, too.

The Structure that Fits Your Business

You should also carefully consider the proper business structure for your new venture. Simply remaining a sole proprietor has its advantages: it’s easy and inexpensive to set up, can offer certain tax advantages, and allows you to retain 100% control. However, the price you pay for this simplicity is in the liabilities you might also absorb. It can also be more difficult for you to get investment back or other financing, which you may need for startup costs and expansion.

The drawbacks of the sole proprietorship structure are why many entrepreneurs opt for a corporate structure. “C” and “S” corporations are two corporate structures that offer some distinct tax advantages and disadvantages. They can also curtail the flexibility you need to remain nimble. That’s why many in your shoes opt for the limited liability company, or LLC, structure. It retains much of the flexibility of a sole proprietorship, with the limited liability and tax advantages of a corporation. While it’s fairly easy to set up, each state has different laws that govern a business structure, so you’ll need to carefully check your specific requirements and get step-by-step guidelines for your state.

Get started right away with quality business programs to keep track of your money. You can choose invoicing software online, but look for a program that fits your budget and your needs. Custom invoices and online payment reminders are great features to look for before you commit.

Bringing the Two Together

Now, you have to make the two work. For your business, rather than take the time to hunt down state guidelines and do the filing yourself or take on the burden of additional attorney fees so soon in your business’s life, consider signing up with a formation service. They know how to comply with all of your state’s laws and save you thousands on attorney fees.

The Next Scoop explains that other cost savings can be found in marketing your business. For example, when you need to create business cards, you can use free online templates to design professional-looking and unique cards to hand out to customers, clients, and at networking events. You can also use the digitized version of your business card to post on your website and social media channels.

For your pet, take advantage of the current proliferation of apps — there is one for almost anything. From scheduling to training to co-op pet care with other owners, you can find an app that eases you and your new family member into your life as both an entrepreneur and pet owner.

It may seem like too much at first, starting your own business and introducing a pet into your life. However, with a little research and preparation, it’s possible to realize both dreams at once. In fact, you may even be surprised by how easily your new pet adapts to your routine. And it never hurts to have a friendly furry face around for when you need a much-deserved break.Diane with HOPE believes there is a deep connection between humans and animals. Visit her website for information.

9 Things to Consider Before Adopting a Pet

Diane Weinmann Animal Communication, Animal Health , , , ,

By Dr. Karen Becker with comments by Diane Weinmann

So you are thinking about adopting a pet…good for you!  Now have you thought of these topics:

  1. Do you have time every day to devote to a pet? — Even relatively low-maintenance pets require attention from their humans, so if your life is already very busy or you’re not home much, a pet may not be the best idea.

Many animals, especially dogs, exotic birds, and yes, even cats require lots of daily interaction with their humans. Pocket pets and other animals who live in cages or other enclosures need supervised time outside their habitats each day. Without social interaction and stimulation, pets tend to develop behavior and emotional problems.

  1. Do you have the energy to dedicate to a pet? — In addition to spending time with you, your pet also needs and deserves to be exercised, played with, trained, groomed and cuddled. If you come home every night exhausted, you should think seriously about whether you have the energy reserves you’ll need to offer an animal companion a good quality of life.
  2. Can you afford a pet? — Caring properly for a pet can put a dent in your bank account. You should think realistically about whether you can afford the cost of a high-quality diet, toys, other supplies, obedience training, wellness visits to the veterinarian, etc.

In addition, your pet could get sick or injured, and you should have a plan in mind for how you’ll pay those vet bills in the event something serious happens to your animal companion.

  1. Is everyone in the household sold on the idea of a pet? — It’s ideal if everyone in the family or household is onboard with getting a pet. Otherwise, resentments can build, and relationships can suffer. It’s a good idea to involve all members of the household in the decision-making process, openly discuss concerns and determine who will have primary responsibility for the pet’s care.
  2. Does your prospective new pet come with emotional or behavioral “baggage” you can accept or commit to dealing with? — Behavior issues are the No. 1 reason pets are dumped at shelters. Most of these animals didn’t have the best start in life. For example, they weren’t socialized at the ideal age, were over-vaccinated or endured traumatic events that created behavioral quirks you will need to be prepared to deal with.

Combine a lack of healthy socialization with the potential for negative, fear-based training or a neglectful/abusive first few months, and you have the recipe for a lifetime of dysfunctional behaviors and responses to everyday life in the animal you just adopted.

Are you committed to a lifetime of “damage control” when it comes to positively addressing negative behaviors and phobias that your newly adopted furry companion may arrive with? And can you trust everyone in your household to participate in positive training to correct behavior issues?

Knowing your every response will fuel or diffuse unwanted behaviors can be daunting, so having a positive trainer or behaviorist on hand will be crucial in helping you deal with unwanted behaviors in a way that enhances your relationship with your adopted pet. I strongly recommend low-stress welcoming techniques the minute your new addition arrives home.

  1. Will your existing pet (if you have one) accept a new pet? — You definitely need to plan ahead if you already have a pet and want to add another to the household. Most animals can learn to get along or at least tolerate each other, but there are situations in which it’s just too dangerous or stressful to keep two poorly matched pets under the same roof.

If possible, introduce your existing pet to your potential adoptee in a neutral setting and see how they interact. If it doesn’t go well, I encourage you to consult with an animal behavior specialist before throwing in the towel on adopting a second pet. Often it just takes some time and a few helpful tips to put an existing pet and a new one on the road to a harmonious relationship.

  1. Are you prepared to prioritize your pet over your belongings? — Pet ownership means there will be the inevitable accidents and other messes in the house, furballs on your furniture and bedding, and the random destroyed slipper or other personal belonging.

If you can’t tolerate the thought of a less than perfectly clean house, you might want to reconsider the idea of pet ownership. Even the most well-behaved, well-trained animal companion makes the occasional mess or forgets his manners.

  1. What kind of relationship do you want with your pet? — It’s important to think about how you’d like your new pet to fit into your lifestyle. For example, if you do a lot of traveling and want to take your pet along, a small dog is probably a better choice than a large breed or a cat.

If you plan to jog with your pet, some dogs are better suited to long runs than others. It’s also important to think about what you can offer a potential pet. If, for instance, you’re the outdoorsy type who enjoys hiking and camping, those activities have tremendous appeal to certain dog breeds, such as retrievers and retriever mixes.

Ideally, you do plan to include your pet in many of your leisure time pursuits, so it’s important to give the subject some careful thought.

  1. What changes do you expect in your life in the next five, 10 or 15 years? — While we can’t predict the future, most of us have a vision for our lives that extends years down the road. Regardless of the type of pet you’re considering, you’ll be taking on a multi-year commitment. It’s important to be reasonably sure your lifestyle will be as pet-friendly in five, 10 or 20 years as it is today.

Any addition to the household should we well thought out.  Additionally, contacting an animal communicator for the potential adoptee along with talking with any existing fur family members is helpful for a smooth transition.  Do not underestimate the opinions of your current pets (if applicable).