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Before Picking Up Considerations Dog Adopting Dog Buddy/Rescue Dog Rivalry Dog Shelters All Categories

Find A Dog!...Considerations Find A Dog!Considerations Do you think you are ready for a puppy or dog? Going forward with adopting a dog is a very big decision. Dogs require an investment of time, love and money and may also require a commitment of well over fifteen years. Owning a dog should be a very rewarding experience. A complete and honest evaluation of your current (and future) lifestyle should be made decision before you get a dog (or any pet). Things to Consider: The fact that you are considering a rescue verses a pet store dog is a great and wonderful thing! It is the caring thing to do. Before you proceed with the adoption process, please consider the following: Why do you want a dog? - If you want to get a dog because the dog is so cute, everyone you know is getting one or has one, or the kids have been begging for one, you may be making a big mistake. You want a healthy relationship with the dog. Did you know that the dog may live 10-15 years? Do you realize this dog will depend on you and need care from you very single day during that time? Be absolutely certain you are getting a dog for the right reasons. Do you have time for a dog? - It doesn't matter if you are busy, tired, sick, or inconvenienced, dogs need and depend on you for their survival. Many dogs end up in a rescue home or are abandoned because their previous masters or owners did not take the commitment seriously. Can you afford a dog? - Dogs are not cheap. Dogs require quality food, periodic veterinary visits, grooming, may need medications, depending on your state, a state license, may need training classes, require various toys, treats, and other unforeseen expenditures that can add up. If your puppy gets sick or is injured, you can be looking at thousands of dollars in veterinary expenses. Some owners get dog insurance. You may want to consider adding dog health insurance to your annual expenses. Are you prepared at home? - Digging in the yard and your garden - Flea infestations - Medical emergencies - Scratched-up furniture. Don't forget your doors - Ticks - Urinating or defecating because not yet housetrained - Veterinary visits Where do you live? - Apartments: Some apartments and rental properties prohibit dogs and other animals. Check your lease agreement and be certain you are allowed to have pets. - Neighborhoods: Some neighborhoods prohibit dogs. Some have lease laws. Some even have barking laws. Is it a good time in your life? - Small Children: Do you have small children less than six years old? An adopted dog may be too old and not trained to deal with young crying screaming children. Think of the maturity level of your children. Are they able to treat the new family addition appropriately? - Divorce: Not recommended! - Getting Married: Not recommended unless you already have a home. But consider all the things you need to accomplish in order to get that home to your liking. A dog may get in the way. Does your spouse like dogs? - Moving: Nope! - New Job: Maybe wait until you are absolutely certain what your new hours will be. Dogs don't do well when left alone for long periods of time. They get lonely and can become destructive when not able to get quality attention and exercise. - Death: Waiting for a month or more may be wise. See what changes will take place in your life first. Will you be visiting family more and not able to bring Sophie with you?" - Physical Condition: Are you physically able to care for the dog? Most dogs need a lot of exercise. - Travel or serve in the military: Absolutely not recommended unless there is a caring person who will be home. - Vacations: Do you like to go on vacations? If so, who will care for your pet while you are gone? Did you research? - Do you know the size of dog you want?" For each breed (or combination): - Allergies: Do you or any of your children have allergies? - Medical issues: What kind of health can you expect with the breed you are considering? - Temperament (personality): Personality and activity level? Each dog breed has its own standard personality. Good with small children and families? - Living requirements: Able to live okay in an apartment or requires a large home with good yard running space - Grooming needs: How often does the dog need a brushing to stay healthy? Twice a week, weekly, monthly... - Life Span: How long can you expect the dog to live? Many dogs live a long time. - Training: How much time do you need to devote in training the dog. Dogs vary in level of intelligence and ability to pay attention. This will affect training time and patience. All of this should be taken into consideration. Who will be responsible for care and love? - Remember, dogs depend on their people for just about everything. You need to be able to provide the things they require every day for the rest of the dog's life. Don't underestimate this! It is a big responsibility. Rescue dogs have already been given up once. It is the responsibility of the rescue shelter to place the dogs in a safe, loving home. This is a lot to think about, but it is much better to think about it before you adopt. Please don't adopt a dog for the wrong reasons or without being prepared to care for them for their entire lifetime. If you adopt or otherwise get a dog and later realize you are not up to the task and return the dog at a shelter, this dog is now older and probably confused making the dog more difficult to find a loving family who is willing to take it, especially when there are usually other, younger dogs to choose from. If any of these are currently affecting your life, perhaps waiting six months or longer before you make your decision to adopt your dog. These are all common reasons why people bring in and surrender their dogs to shelters. Having a stable, settled lifestyle is best for dogs and a happy well-rounded dog is best for you! Remember: A dog can bring family years of joy, companionship and love for many years as long as it is given love and affection. For us pet lovers, as soon as we enter that shelter, we suddenly find ourselves overwhelmed by the desire to adopt right then. We look at those cute faces, whimpering sounds and we are overcome by desire and guilt. “I should adopt this pet because he/she needs a home and if no one does, he/she may be euthanized.”" Thousands of dogs, cats and other animals are euthanized every year. The number is staggering BUT you need to consider what is right for you. The sad statistic is that many purchased and adopted pets eventually are forgotten or neglected by their owners. Some pet owners conclude too late - that caring for a pet is too much of a responsibility. Please don’t become this statistic. Adopting a pet is a huge responsibility. Adopting a pet WILL change your lifestyle. Most pets will be COMPLETELY dependent on you for their survival, their entire life. Consider this ongoing responsibility to last many years depending on type of pet, breed, and the love and veterinary care you provide. Most pets at a shelter will be a mixed breed. For the majority of us, this is just fine. Often mixed breeds make better pets than purebreds. When you do decide to get your pet, please adopt. Avoid pet stores and those horrible on-line sites who will ship your dog the next day! see 10 Commandments - Separation Anxiety Part 1 Dog Adopting Considerations Your current or future puppy should look at you as the "pack" leader. The more fun and rewarding activities you allow him to experience the better his life will be. A well-trained, well-socialized puppy should become a great dog, one to be proud of and one who will be at your side for life! Housetraining: One of the first things you will want to train your pet is to not relieve himself inside the home unless you have a designated area for him to do so. Puppies usually need to eliminate more than older dogs so the sooner you teach him the better. Training a puppy is usually easier than training a dog but this will still take time and patience. Take your puppy outside often. When your puppy eliminates, let him know he did something great! Pet him, say, "good puppy, good puppy!" and lavish him with praise maybe even a treat! Keep in mind; you WILL be cleaning up messes in the house until your puppy learns what, when and where to go. Socialization: Allow him to socialize with other animals and people if possible. The more positive experiences he has with people of all ages and other animals such as cats, the more likely he will accept them during his life. Take your puppy to a park and, if possible and safe, allow him to be petted by strangers who will approach. Mental Stimulation: Keep you puppy active! Give him things to do. This can be as simple as playing with a toy or a little more complicated like fetching a Frisbee. Allow him an easy way to look out the window and watch the world when inside. - Dog parks - Long walks Give lots of love: Always talk kindly to your puppy. Pet him and rub his tummy. Maybe snuggle up while watching television or reading a book. Dogs need lots of love and your kindness. A happy and healthy pet contributes to your own health and happiness. The articles here are constructed to help aide you in making informative decisions concerning your puppy and dog and your family. The intentions of these articles are to help give you choices on how to find your puppy, topics of discussions with family members before the decision to get a dog is set in stone, how to prepare your home for him, how to care for him throughout his life and how to spend quality, enjoyable time with him. Any medical advice or health information should never take the place of your veterinarian. If your dog is not feeling well or there is something wrong, don’t wait! Make a doctor’s appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. We welcome any suggestions to our articles. Our contributors are working hard to bring you the most up-to-date quality information. Are you emotionally and financially ready for a puppy? Getting a dog. Find A Dog! Considerations Dog related information, articles and descriptive, educational videosincluding related are you emotionally and financially ready for a puppy? getting a dog. videos when possible

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