Oh, no! You were only coming “to look†at the puppies, but now his little paws are pressed against the cage bars, and his sweet brown eyes are pleading with you. He poked his little wet nose into your palm, and – well, you can’t just walk away. He’s so cute, and he needs you… right? It all depends.
The decision you make will affect you and the pooch for the next ten to twenty years, so it’s important that if you find yourself in this situation (like we all have), you know how to make the right choice. The first and most important step is to figure out whether you are really ready to care for a dog.
It can be incredibly hard to resist bringing home a new dog when you’re face to face with an adorable fluff ball that’s looking for a home. But consider this information from New Jersey’s Office of Animal Welfare: over 12 million dogs and cats are euthanized in pounds and shelters every year, and that’s not counting pets that are simply abandoned to fend for themselves.
It’s easy to think that those pet owners are cruel and insensitive, and that you’d never do that to a pet. But believe me, many are people just like you and me – and they’ve made a big, fat mistake by a) not taking a rational look at whether they have the ability to care for a dog, b) not doing the research to find the right dog to match their lifestyles, and c) not remembering that dogs, like kids, need to be taught proper behavior.
So take some time to think over these questions:
1. Can you afford the expenses that come along with dog care? This includes the basics, such as quality food, veterinary care, grooming costs, county registration, and the normal list of supplies. Also, consider possible additional expenses, such as emergency medical care, obedience training courses, and boarding costs during vacations.
2. Do you have enough time to play with, exercise, train, and otherwise care for your dog? Fifteen minutes a day is not enough. Expect to spend at least an hour with him every day. And if you get a puppy, you’ll need to spend even more time with him to raise him properly.
3. Do you have enough room for a dog? You’ll need a decent yard or a nearby park for play and exercise. You’ll also need room in your house for his crate.
4. If you move, will you be able to bring the dog with you? You should plan on keeping the dog throughout his lifespan, regardless of any life changes.
5. Are you able to train your dog to avoid behavior problems? Even beginning dog owners should know the basic potty training and obedience training techniques ahead of time to help guide their new buddy down the right path.
6. Are you prepared to deal with the mistakes your new pet will make? Our dogs just want to please us, but they don’t always get it right. They might drink from the toilet, dig a hole in the yard, chew up a shoe, or accidentally piddle on the carpet. This is part of being a pet owner, so be ready for it.
7. If you have other pets, will they mesh well with a new dog? If you’ve already got a difficult pet that doesn’t play well with others, adding another dog to the mix may just make things worse.
8. Do your allergies allow you comfortably have a dog in your home? There’s no such thing as a 100% hypoallergenic and dander-free breed of dog, so you may want to consider another type of pet if you are moderately to severely allergic.
If you answered no to even one of these questions, you are probably not ready for a dog. The last thing you want to do is to adopt a dog or puppy that you’ll be tempted to take back to the shelter in a few months. Do the right thing! Get yourself and your home prepared before you take that little fuzz-bucket home.