50 Of The Funniest And Cutest Pets’ Reactions To Trying Something They’d Never Tried Before (New Pics)
Parents love documenting their babies' firsts: their first bath, their first word, the first time they eat ice cream, the first time they ride a bike and more. But as you’ll soon find out, pet parents are no exception. Because even their fluffy, furry, scaly and feathery little ones deserve to be celebrated for trying something new.
Down below, we’ve gathered photos of the most adorable first times pets have experienced new things, and I’ll warn you right now: they just might melt your heart. From playing in fresh snow to trying delicious foods, this list is full of precious pet moments. Keep reading to also find interviews with Maggie Marton, of Oh My Dog blog, Dog Behaviorist Nick Jones, MA, and Lisa Stemcosky, CCBC, CPDT-KA, SBA, of PawLitically Correct. And don't forget to upvote the reactions you’re glad were captured on camera!
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Rhodie's First Time Seeing Snow
To gain more insight on this topic, we reached out to Maggie Marton, the woman behind Oh My Dog, and she was kind enough to have a chat with us. First, we asked Maggie why she thinks pet owners are so eager to capture all of our beloved animals’ first times. “New experiences create new memories! It's so fun to witness the joy, excitement, even trepidation--as long as it doesn't turn to fear--of a new experience. Capturing it allows you to relive it over and over again,” she told Bored Panda.
“Plus, new experiences give pet owners really fun stories to share of their beloved pets. For me, I love telling (and retelling!) the story of the first time we took our cat, Newt, outside on a long leash,” Maggie shared. “It's such an adorable, fun memory for us, and I always break out the pics to show as I tell!”
We Adopted This Cute Boy, And For The Past Couple Of Weeks, He Has Been Super Shy. Today For The First Time, He Plopped In My Lap And Did This
First Night At Home After Being Adopted
We also asked Maggie if our pets understand what’s going on when they do something for the first time. “Yes! And it's so important, especially as our pets age, to continue to expose them to new experiences,” she told Bored Panda. “They know and react to novelty just like we do.”
“They might feel excited or nervous or confused, depending on their lived experiences so far; for instance, a dog who loves to swim in a pool might be confused about going to the beach, but that same dog also might be more confident to test those waters than a dog who has never been swimming before,” Maggie went on to explain. “Dogs have a reputation for being more open to new experiences than cats, but if you love a cat who has an adventurous spirit, get her involved, too!”
Look At That Contented Smile And Those Lovely Eyes
I see this post a lot but will never get tired of it. Hope meatball has a wonderful life with much love and spaghetti.
Clara's First Trip To The Backyard. I Think She Liked It
He Heard Me Sneeze For The First Time
We were also curious if there’s any way to predict whether our animals will enjoy having new experiences, or if we just have to take them out and see for ourselves. “Exposure is key,” Maggie noted. “A pet who is used to experiencing new and different things will likely be more adaptable than one who spends his or her whole life at home and is suddenly taken to the ski slopes,” she explained. “If your pet hasn't had many new experiences, start small. Try a different park or visit a swimming spot. Then, expand from there. Just like people, all pets have different thresholds for what's comfy and what isn't. Honor your pet's. Try lots of different things, and don't force your pet to do something uncomfortable.”
Timber Got To Ride In The Front Seat Of My Truck For The First Time. When Asked If He Liked The Air Conditioner, This Was His Reply
Two Brothers 5 Months Apart. They're Meeting For The First Time
And as for how we can ensure that our pets are comfortable and not overwhelmed when provided new experiences, Maggie recommends that pet owners keep a close eye on their little ones. “If she seems timid, give her time and encouragement. If she seems scared, stop. I've seen too many people force their pet to do something that was frightening only to have it backfire,” she told Bored Panda. “Start small and build. Go slowly. Give your pet tons of praise (and treats help, too!).”
Nimbus Met Our Dog For The First Time. This Is Her Being Intimidating
“New experiences are so good for people and pets,” Maggie added. “In humans, experiencing new things can improve our memories, our mood, and even the neural pathways in our brains. It makes sense that new experiences would do the same for our pets! Get out there and try something new; you'll both benefit!”
If you’d like to learn more about Maggie or gain tips on how to give your pets the best life, be sure to visit her blog Oh My Dog right here.
My New Kitten's First Encounter With The Big Ball Of Flame In The Sky
The Way My Cat Looked At My New Boyfriend When She First Met Him
First Time Being Carried In The Arms After The Rescue
We also reached out to Dog Behaviorist and Dog Expert Witness Nick Jones, MA, to hear his thoughts on why we’re so excited to capture out pets’ firsts. “The bond an owner has with their dog is usually deep and long lasting, and to experience the world through the life and senses of a dog is a wonderful thing,” Nick told Bored Panda. “Who can resist laughing as a dog bobs up and down as it runs in long grass or charges through fresh snow fall or roots around in crisp leaves on the ground? Dogs are normally easy to read and especially when they are curious and excited by a new experience and witnessing this brings great joy to the owner.”
Our Kittens Were Outside For The First Time. Never Seen Them This Happy Before
He Saw Me Wearing A Hat For The First Time
Nick also assures dog owners that their furry friends can handle taking on new tasks and activities. “Provided that a dog has plenty of positive life experiences and a good degree of exposure to the world from a young age, it can cope with most new experiences without a hitch. And a well-balanced dog is able to have a new experience without concern for its welfare and reaction,” he explained. “Provided we are not overwhelming a dog and that the owner feels the dog can cope, then most life experiences can be provided to a dog without concern.”
This Was The First Time My Kitten Watched Our Christmas Tree Light Up
‘One day, that tree is gonna be MINE and MINE only… to destroy *insert evil kitty cackling sounds*’
Puppy Met His First Box Turtle
“Most owners will already know the nature of their dog and how adventurous or otherwise the dog is,” Nick went on to note. “This basic understanding of the dog's character and ability to accept new experiences should be the measure to apply before carrying out a new experience where you might think twice in the sense that it may overwhelm the dog. Most dogs embrace life and all the variety it brings, so with a little preparation and planning, by all means take your dog to the beach or out in the snow and enjoy the experience.”
My Pomeranian's First Snow
His First Leaf Pile
And when it comes to how to introduce a new experience to your pet, Nick says it’s important to have a feel for what your dog can cope with and to consider that before making any big leaps. “Think of the experience you'd like to expose your dog to as a number of chain links that start with the first link and end with the last one,” Nick told Bored Panda. “Be sure to move forward one link at a time and to build on the last positive experience that you had with the dog. You're building until you are at the last link and the process is complete, and [ensure] that your dog is enjoying the process as you go.”
My Labrador Puppy Chased A Ball For The First Time
My German Shepherd Experienced Snow For The First Time
“Dogs are able to cope with a wide range of experiences in life. Most pet dogs will enjoy a relatively relaxed lifestyle, but we know that dogs can be trained to sniff out cancer cells, to jump out of planes attached to a parachuter in the military, to guide blind people or to hunt for game,” Nick noted. “This adaptability makes dogs the perfect companions for people in the modern age, but for any dog to achieve anything like this level of achievement, it will need a progressive socialization and training program, combined with a balanced leadership style to bring the best out of the dog.”
If you’d like to learn more about Nick and his approach as a Dog Behaviorist and Dog Expert Witness, be sure to visit his website right here.
Peat Experienced Catnip For The Very First Time And Transformed Into The Stoner Meme Guy For 20 Minutes
Gary Was Pretty Excited About Reaching His First Ever Summit
We were also lucky enough to get in touch with a cat expert to hear about what it's like for our kitties to experience new firsts. Lisa Stemcosky, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, CPDT-KA, SBA, and owner of PawLitically Correct in Washington, DC, was kind enough to answer some of our burning questions. "People welcome pets into their homes as part of the family. The care for them and nurture them, so it’s natural to celebrate all those first time experiences together," Lisa told Bored Panda.
My Puppy's First Time At The Beach. He Couldn't Stop Smiling
My Dog Saw Me In The Bathtub For The First Time. She Was So Worried That She Had To Call The Backup. Cat Was Not Impressed Too
My cat regularly tries to save me from the Most Evil Water by screaming at me in the bathroom.
Lisa also says that our felines do understand when they see something new or experience something novel. "They may be curious and want to investigate it, or they may be fearful of it. It often comes down to previous experiences of similar situations, during their critical period of development," she explained.
And although certain activities, such as swimming and playing in the snow, are often more associated with dogs, there's always a chance our cats will love them too. "There are some cats that may enjoy these things. Some breeds are known to like water, like the Turkish Van," Lisa told Bored Panda. "Some cats have bolder personalities are up for an adventure." In an email, Lisa even shared adorable photo of her cat, Davey, on his first snow day, and he appears to be having a wonderful time.
Their First Taste Of Peach. My Fingers Were Not Safe
My Kitty Saw Me In The Tub For The First Time And Was Very Concerned That I Was In The Water
Oliver Is Unsure Of What To Do With His First Time Under The Christmas Tree
When it comes to how our cats will respond to new things, Lisa says, "It’s a combination of nature versus nurture. If you start out with a kitten and expose them, in a slow and positive manner, to things like baths, harness walks, hiking, boating, they’ll be more likely to enjoy them as they get older. But nature, genetics, is always at play. Some cats may have a predisposition to be extremely fearful of novel situations, despite exposing them in a slow and positive way."
If you'd like to gain more insight from Lisa on cat behavior, be sure to visit PawLitically Correct's website right here!
I Took My Dog On His First Boat Ride
The First Time My Little Guy Got Groomed
I feel like I already follow my dog around with a camera constantly because I find everything she does to be adorable, but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for any new experiences she has from here on out. There’s something beautiful about seeing the genuine reactions our pets have to trying new things, so I hope you pandas have enjoyed viewing these precious photos for the first time. Keep upvoting the pics that warm your heart, and then if you’re in the mood for even more adorable animal photos, you can find Bored Panda's last article featuring pet first times right here or an article featuring pets looking lovingly at their owners right here.
My Indoor Cat's First Time Experiencing Heights, And He Instantly Regretted It
When Mom And Dad Take You To The Dog Park For The First Time
Luna Was Very Excited To Explore The Outside For The First Time
Rescue Lizard's First Experience Of The Outside World. Look At That Face
Bear's First Time In The Mountains, And Needless To Say, He's In Heaven
Hildegard's First Snow Experience Went Well
Say Hi To Baksik. It's His First Day On The Beach
Today Is My Kitten's First Birthday. My Mum Got This Painting Of Him, And He Was Very Surprised
My Dog Fell Asleep In My Arms For The First Time
First Time Outside
First Time Playing In The Snow
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Our Cat's First Bite Of Snow And Subsequently First Brain Freeze
First Bath
That poor thing. Bathing cats is unnecessary except for medical reasons. And this "breed" has a horribly deformed skull. It's gonna have trouble breathing and teeth problems a lot.
First Nail Trimming Session
What are you doing?! (Looks around for help) They're taking my weapons!
Rudy Went For A Swim For The Very First Time
She Found A Way To Get Under The House And Out For The First Time
First Snow
She Experienced Rain For The First Time
Mimi Tried Lime For The First Time
Bailey's First Time On A Moving Escalator
isn't that one of them horizontal airport ones? I think they are called travelators.
When My Dog Ravioli Saw His Puppies For The First Time
I wish people would stop breeding massively brachycephalic dogs that have breathing problems and have to give birth via caesarian section as the puppies' heads are too large to pass through the birth canal. Brachycephalic dogs that struggle to breathe aren't "awwdorable", they're suffering because humans want an ✨aesthetic✨
She Enjoyed Her First Autumn In Colorado
Pablo's First Trip To The Vet
My Parent's Cat Experienced Snow For The First Time
My Blind Cat Went Outside For The First Time
Beanie Finally Pooped In Her Liter Box For The First Time, And Now She's Exhausted
My Dog Oakley After His First Hike
My Sister's Puppy Saw Water For The First Time
First Bath. After That, Sadie Was Never Quite The Same
We Adopted Johnny From A Dog Shelter. He Doesn't Trust Anyone, And Today Was The First Time He Agreed To Come To Work With Me
First Attempt At Eating From A Dish Instead Of A Bottle
I Introduced Charlie To The Bubbles
Nugget's First Snow. Poor Little Guy Couldn't Walk Through The Snow. He Had To Hop Like A Bunny
Puppy's First Car Ride To Home
My Dog Archer Dug His First Hole
My Puppy's Reaction To Me Taking Her To The First Dog Treat Bakery
Puppy: "I choose these!" Me: "Which ones?" Puppy: "Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!
My Dog Saw A Grasshopper For The First Time
Waffle's First Snow
Our Rescue Kitten Panther Has Discovered His First Christmas Tree
Anubis Got His First Pair Of Shoes Today
She Got Her First Box, And She Loved It
I was at the supermarket the other day and this guy who was stocking the shelves said "hey, need a box?" I said "no, but if only there was a cat here - they always say yes to boxes!" He laughed and said "I've got enough of those at home!"
Kevin's First Time Outside
Her First Time At The Vet
My Calico Had Her First Litter Of Five Babies. She Absolutely Loves Them
First Time On A Tractor
🎶 And I can take you for a ride on my big green tractor, we can go slow or make it go faster. Down through the woods and out to the pasture, long as I'm with you it really don't matter 🎶
Waffle Celebrated His First Hannukah
I Bought Catnip For The First Time. Guess Which Kitty Loved It
Sisters Meeting For The First Time Since Adoption. My Baby Girl On The Right
Your dog seems to be like the aunt saying “look how big you’ve gotten”!
I Took My Dog On His First Boat Ride, And He Loved It
My Kitten Saw The Neighbor's Cat For The First Time
My Friend's Cat Saw Snow For The Very First Time
When Toby First Met Mia
Kanga Had His First Swimming Lesson Today. He Definitely Wasn't Nervous
Roxy Saw A Monkey For The First Time
My Puppy Experienced Snow For The First Time. I Think She Liked It
My Hamster Got His First Noodle
Apparently, My Cat Doesn't Like Rain
Iris After Experiencing Snow For The First Time
First Time On The Bus
My Mom Took Our Cat To The Vet For The First Time Last Week. She Was Not A Fan
Rowdy's First Trip To The Pet Store
He Went For His First Walk
What Started As An Adventure To The Garage And A Grease Puddle Turned Into Tater's First Bath Time Experience
My Dog's First Time In A Car Wash
First Bath. Cat Rolled Around In Something Unknown And Paid For It
For the people complaining about bathing cats: this is an example of when you might bathe one for a non-medical reason. They are known to get into mischief, no? Not everything a cat rolls in is good for them to lick off.
Han's First Time On The Ferry. He Screamed At Every Single Person He Saw So He Could Get All The Good Pets. My Little Attention Seeker
First Time At The Beach
My Little Dog Met My Giant Dog For The First Time Today
When It's Your First Time At The Beach And The Water Is Cold
Today My 7-Week-Old Puppy Saw Himself For The First Time
My Boy Went To The Office For The First Time
Puppy's First Time At The Dog Park
Hank Was Genuinely Scared For His Life After His First Bath
Her First Fearless Bath Left Her Proud And Warm
My Dog's First Time On A Plane
My Dog Met My Hedgehog Prickachu, For The First Time
Archie's First Snow
Johnny Tried Salmon For The First Time
Since The Weather Was Nice, I Took My Indoor Cat Out To Sit By The River For The First Time. He Was Very Confused
This Little Honey Went To The Dog Park For The First Time Today
First Vet Visit Was Not A Hit
My Self-Conscious Rat Sees How Handsome He Is For The First Time
Aww, he looks exactly like a rat I babysat last year! He took over the cat tower my own rats like to chill out in, and indeed spent most of his time in there. So I drew a picture of him accordingly. (His name is Bucket! Or, as he would have it, King Bucket). King-Bucke...d7f23e.jpg
Latte Enjoyed Her First Taste Of The Snow
Her First Shower. Before vs. After
This Little Guy Had His First Pumpkin Patch Visit Ever
Kitty Experienced Live Music For The First Time
My Friend Had To Take Care Of This Cat While The Owner Was Out Of Town. This Is How He Looked At His First Breakfast
She Just Heard Geese Outside For The First Time And Looks A Little Bewildered
Move to Kansas two years ago I was f***ing terrified when I heard what sounded like a group of clown horns murdering someone
We Introduced Our Parent's Twelve-Year-Old Staffy To Our Crazy Nine-Week-Old Golden Retriever
Cat's First Time In A Box
Baby Dragon's First Bath. I Need Help With A Name
Cat Experienced Snow For The First Time
I Took My Bunny To The Beach For The First Time. The Beach May Not Be Her Thing
Cat's First Bike Ride. She Was Not Pleased
It Was My Dog's First Time Kayaking, And He Fell Into The Lake
Petunia's First Shower
This Is Bibi. It's Her First Time Outside. You Can See By The Look On Her Face That She's Mindblown By How Big The World Is
It's Tsunade's Very First Day At The Beach
Look at those baby teeth!!! I still have one of my dogs baby teeth in a little bag around here somewhere
Chapy Discovered Our Fireplace For The First Time, And He Also Showed His Cute Bobtail
My Dog's First Time Playing In The Snow. The Pure Joy On His Face Is Amazing
Giving My Cat A New Kind Of Treat For The First Time, And I Think She Liked It
Our Cat Had To Put On The Cone For The First Time. She's Not Happy About It
I Took My Puppy To The Dog Park For The First Time Today. I Don't Think We'll Be Going Back
Mine is the one in the middle with a look of terror on her face.
Hugo's First Adventure To The Hardware Store
My Kitty's Reaction To Touching Sand For The First Time
The Excitement Was Too Much For Sophie's First Time At The Dog Park
My Dog Went To The Beach For The First Time. Notice The Drag Marks
Uh, maybe... this is just a suggestion... don't DRAG your dog along the beach if it it doesn't want to be there THIS badly?! Holy c**p. Take your poor pup home. Stop trying to force it to do what YOU want it to do.
This really cheered me up. Pets are such a treasure and absolutely deserve unconditional love and respect
BP please don't cut this list down! we need all 136 of these pictures, it's important
Just click on the words '136 images' and the rest will load.
Load More Replies...The past few days have been emotionally straining for me and this has made me smile from ear to ear. I never knew how much I needed pictures of pets and their firsts!! Made my day!!
Sorry things have been stressful. I'm sending you well-wishes! 🌞💐🐾
Load More Replies...This really cheered me up. Pets are such a treasure and absolutely deserve unconditional love and respect
BP please don't cut this list down! we need all 136 of these pictures, it's important
Just click on the words '136 images' and the rest will load.
Load More Replies...The past few days have been emotionally straining for me and this has made me smile from ear to ear. I never knew how much I needed pictures of pets and their firsts!! Made my day!!
Sorry things have been stressful. I'm sending you well-wishes! 🌞💐🐾
Load More Replies...