Taking a puppy into your family is a life-changing decision – it requires, to put it mildly, a lot of planning and changes in your lifestyle. If you are not sure if now is the right time to bring a dog into your home, here are some indicators that will help you clarify the situation:
1. You are financially stable
Although you cannot estimate the joy and impressions you will get from owning a dog, you must be prepared for the expected and unforeseen expenses. Think about things like pet insurance, food costs, purchasing costs, and care costs. Study how much these expenses cost in your area and see if these expenses are included in your monthly budget.
2. Have you ever owned or kept a dog.
In most processes, having a certain experience greatly simplifies their implementation – owning a dog is no exception. Raising a dog (or if you’ve ever had a dog) will help you determine how to adjust your schedule when you have a pet in your house. In addition, you may even have supplies that you can use for your new dog.
3. You Have Conducted A Study Of The Breed You Want.
Like humans, dogs come in different shapes, sizes and personalities. Owning a German Shepherd is very different from owning a miniature poodle. Sites like the American Kennel Club can help you choose the breeds that best suit your lifestyle. Also, be sure to think about the health-issue and health-issue common in the breed you are looking for, so that you can plan preventive treatment, as well as an appropriate insurance policy for pets.
4. your other pets can take care of the puppy.
Not all pets will put up with the fact that a restless puppy rushes into the house – some dogs and cats prefer to be the only pet in the house. When you take your dog to a dog park, pay attention to its behavior – does it stay with other people for the most part? Older dogs? Younger dogs? If they seem to completely avoid puppies and young dogs, it is unlikely that they will get along well with one of them in the house. In the matter of cats, ask a friend to bring your puppy and observe your cat’s reaction. While it’s true that cats can get used to dogs over time, you might want to think again if their reaction is particularly negative.
5. You know that this is not an impulsive purchase.
As with online shopping, you should take the time to think about the feasibility of your purchase. If you suddenly get puppy fever while playing with a friend’s new puppy, take a moment to take a step back and think about whether you can really afford to bring a pet into your life, both financially and temporarily. Dogs are really a commitment – they can live for more than 10 years, sometimes even almost 20 years.
While you’re still deciding whether to get a dog or not, make a list of what you need to prepare to welcome a dog into your life-if you can accomplish everything on this list, you’ll be more confident that you’re ready for a dog.
6. You have discussed this with your roommates and other important people.
If you have a partner or other people you live with, suddenly bringing a puppy home from nowhere is not the best idea. When you are not around, it is likely that part of the responsibility for caring for your dog will fall on your partner or roommates. So be sure to discuss this before the hand can help you avoid any situation where your dog is left unattended for long periods of time. If your roommates or loved one doesn’t want to take care of your pet at all, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t have a puppy – there are services like Rover where you can hire someone to take care of your dog when you’re not able to take care of her. do it.
7. you have already tested the strength of the house.
This is very similar to checking the children in the house. Put away shoes or any low-height items that you don’t want to chew. Also, make sure your puppy doesn’t have any exposed electrical wires or outlets that can be accessed. If there are areas that you don’t want your pet to enter, you can use baby barriers to block those areas.
8. you have enough patience to train a dog.
Having a puppy is not always the sun and the Rainbow, no matter how cute they may be. There will almost certainly be times when your puppy has an accident at home, chews something he shouldn’t, or behaves badly. Being prepared for such situations means that you will be able to handle them with grace and keep your dog on the path to being a well-behaved dog.
