It's that time of year again! Puppy season! Seems like you can't open a newspaper or walk down the street without seeing ads, flyers and signs for Puppies 4 Sale.
There are all kinds of reasons to get a dog or puppy (or cat or bunny or fish...) but not all longings for a pet should result in getting a pet. After all, a pet is a living creature too. Getting a dog so you can have someone to greet you when you get home is wonderful, but not fair to the dog if you're at work 10 hours a day.
A couple things to think about BEFORE getting a dog are Time, Money, and Appropriateness.
Time. Be honest. Do you have time for a dog? A lot of people don't. If you're at work or in school most of the day, what's your dog to do? Sit home in a crate? Chew up your furniture? If you're away from home a lot I beg you to consider an older dog, a cat, a bunny or pocket pet. So many dogs run into trouble and become "terrors" simply because they don't have a suitable output for their energy. Puppies and younger dogs need lots of exercise, running, tugging, playing. A walk around the block is not sufficient exercise for anything but the most sedate senior dog!
If you ARE away most of the day, you still have some dog friendly options. Doggie Daycare is a popular choice that is great for your dog! He'll be able to play all day while you're at work. A Dog Walker is a good idea, especially for young dogs, puppies and seniors, who probably won't be able to "hold it" for more than a couple hours, let alone the 8-11 hours most working folks are away from home each day. You can hire a professional, or ask a friend or neighbor.
Money. Pets are EXPENSIVE! Beyond the purchase price, you need to consider the monthly costs of a good quality food, treats, grooming, toys, daycare/walker, flea/tick/heartworm preventive...the yearly cost of vaccines, vet visits, licensing...and the occasional costs of boarding, training, spay/neutering, major vet work like dentals or "unexpected" surgeries. Before getting a dog, call around to local vets and get an idea of what annual vet visits, neutering and parasite prevention will cost. Call local groomers and find out what grooming or nail trims will cost and how often it should be done for the type of dog you're looking for. Stop by the feed store and check prices on high quality foods. Seems like a lot? Having a pet is a huge responsibility! And it's not acceptable to provide sub standard care to a pet because you didn't think ahead beyond the purchase costs.
Appropriateness. I'm not actually sure that's a word. But think about if it's actually appropriate for you to get a dog. Do you really have the time/money/dedication for a dog? Are you willing to scoop poop at 3 in the morning when your puppy woke up and needed to go out? Are you able to socialize and train a dog so he fits into his own society as well as ours? If you're getting a dog for your kids, are you willing to do ALL the work once the novelty wears off? Or when they go to college? Dogs live for at least 10 years. Are you willing to take on another family member for 15 years? Do you have space for a dog? Would you be willing to fence the yard, get rid of white carpet and not mind your furniture getting chewed and covered with hair? Yup, having a pet is like having children. Sure it's easy to crate them for a couple hours when you go out to dinner, but what about vacations? Will he be welcome at Christmas dinner at the in laws? Maybe, maybe not.
There are a lot of things to consider when deciding to get a pet. Please take some time to think about what getting a dog really means. Then think about it next week. The week after. It's worth it. Getting a dog might not be the right thing for you to do now. Maybe it's the perfect thing! Taking the time to get all the facts and learn as much as you can before getting your new friend will make it easier (and better!) for you and your dog!
Haiku learning about dog ownership.
It took A LOT of talking before I could convince my husband to let me get Haiku. Could we afford it? Did we have the time to take care of a puppy? I wanted a Cavalier, could we find one without common Cav problems? I'm lucky. We get a nice discount and pet insurance from his work, and Haiku has always been able to come with me to my work. That, in fact, is the only reason he relented. Because we wouldn't have to crate a puppy the 8-10 hours each day we'd be away from home. In the almost 2 years we've had Haiku, I've learned a lot about having a dog! It's not always as easy or convenient as I'd hope. The first week we had her, she wouldn't sleep through the night, so neither did I, I was awake with the puppy. We're missing out on some trips we'd like to take because boarding her is too expensive sometimes. Our carpet has suffered, and so has some of our books (Haiku likes to chew.)
I admit I was annoyed at how stubborn Ethan was about letting me get a dog. But all the talking, fact finding and decision making BEFORE getting her was much easier than if we had to do it after getting her. So take your time. Think about what you're doing and how it will impact your life. Remember dogs aren't stuffed animals, but real, energetic, flesh and blood creatures!
Coming soon are some tips for finding a dog and what kind of dog to look for!
