Are you or a family member thinking about getting a new dog or puppy? Will this be your first pet or do you have others at home? Do you have any children at home? Are they old enough to help out with the new family addition or are you adopting a new dog while your children are very young so that way your kids will grow up with the new puppy? These are just a few of the very beginning questions that you need to start asking yourself before you or your family proceed with the adoption. Getting a new dog and bringing him or her into your home is a huge decision that will take the support of everyone in the family. It’s not like shopping for a new toy, your bringing a whole new member into the family! Because this is such a big deal here are some questions you and everyone else in your family should ask before you go to pick up that cuddly new puppy and sign the adoption papers.
Big dog or little dog? Do you live in a small city rise apartment or do you own a large home on a nice sizable piece of land? Even if it has always been your dream to own a beautiful German Sheppard, it just wouldn’t be fare to the dog to adopt him if you live in a one bedroom apartment and you cant give him the opportunity to run and stretch that he deserves. So, make sure you are realistic about where you live and how often you will be able to let your dog run and play. This will be a big determination of what size and temperament of dog you adopt.
Do you have young children at home or do you live by yourself? If you have many people in your home; specifically children, your going to want to pick out a breed of dog that is very patient, loving, and can handle a lot of commotion. A Labrador for example is known to love being in a family atmosphere and can handle a lot of children running around and screaming without being phased. But a Dalmatian is known not to naturally get along with children very naturally and would take quite a bit more training to make him feel comfortable around a large family.
How often is there someone at the house? This will be a big determination on how young of a dog and how well trained of a dog you should get. If you live by yourself and work long hours it just wouldn’t be fare to the dog to adopt a tiny brand new puppy if you don’t have time to teach him what he can and cannot play with and how to housebreak him. Or, if you have to have that new puppy are you financially able to provide him with a well certified training program to teach him the things that maybe you don’t have the time to teach him? Maybe it/s the complete opposite and there are always people coming in and out of the house. In that case you want to make sure everyone in the family is ready for the adoption of the new pet and willing to pull their share in helping with the feeding, cleaning, and taking care of the new adoption.
Weight out what it will cost to take care of the dog for a year. A lot of Humane Societies will ask you to roughly figure out about how much you think you will end up paying in a years time, so it’s good to come prepared to show that you have thought adequately about this. Remember, although many dogs are spayed or neutered and have a lot of their shots there are still other costs to take into consideration. Not only do you need to factor in food, but lots of cities will have you pay a dog fee, you need to take your dog on annual checkups, and don’t forget grooming and toys!
As a new pet owner, you might be overwhelmed by several things. Hence, it is advisable that before adopting a dog, make sure to do your research first and educate yourself on how to properly take good care of a pet. You can [google_bot_show][/google_bot_show]use this link for more information.
So before you head off to get that new puppy get everyone in your family together, sit down, and discus what you each believe your new roles will be with helping out with the new addition and what expectations everyone has. Believe me, you dog will thank you.
