use a stable ... even if not bonded. However ...
buy a packy or other pet at the stable. Feed it. Use it if you wish but stable it afterward - always! About seven days after you buy it, feeding it will give a message that it has bonded with you. At that point the pet (packy or other) will follow you when you recall or SJ and not just thru gates.
My tactic is to buy the animal and feed it ... then stable it. I'll come back in a week RL time, get it and feed for the bond. Other than that, I don't use it until it has bonded.