Are you thinking about welcoming a dog into your home? This can be a great addition to your family that will provide both fun and companionship for you as well as your children. However, there are some key points to think about before committing to this decision. By asking the right questions, you will be able to determine whether this is the right choice.
Are you thinking about welcoming a dog into your home? This can be a great addition to your family that will provide both fun and companionship for you as well as your children. However, there are some key points to think about before committing to this decision. By asking the right questions, you will be able to determine whether this is the right choice.
Should You Get A Rescue or A Puppy?
First, you need to think about whether you want to get a rescue or a puppy. There are benefits for both options. First, by getting a rescue, you will be helping a dog that needs a new home rather than supporting an oversupply of dog breeders. However, they may be more difficult to train and could have behavioral issues depending on what they have been through. Puppies are easier to train but there will also be the first few months where they aren’t active at all. They will also need a lot more care and attention.
Do You Have Enough Space?
You do need to think about whether you have enough space for the dog that you are considering bringing home. Some breeds require more space to run out. This doesn’t just mean that you need to pick between a large or small breed. Instead, you need to consider which breeds have more energy and which are happy to lounge around on the floor.
Do You Have Enough Time?
It’s worth thinking about the amount of time that you have for your pet pooch. Dogs are highly sociable animals and as such, they will expect to be around people for a lot of the day. If you leave them for too long, then it’s possible that dogs are going to develop issues with their behavior. They might also become depressed. If you don’t have a lot of time, you could be better off getting an animal like a cat instead. These are far more independent. As such, you won’t need to focus as much of your personal time on them specifically. Be aware that some dog breeds will also require more of your time. For instance, you might be looking at sites like https://chocolatelabradorretriever.ca/lab-puppies-for-sale/. Labs are highly energetic and will require a lot of time each day for exercise as well as play.
Can You Afford It?
Next, you need to check whether or not you can afford a dog. There are a lot of costs that are tied to bringing a dog home. For instance, you might want to think about the cost of feeding your pet pooch. They are always going to need a lot of food each month. There’s medical costs too and it’s possible that some dogs will get more expensive overtime. As such, you need to have a little wiggle room in your budget to compensate for this.
Have You Considered Insurance?
It’s worth thinking about the issue of insurance. If you are getting a puppy then there is some good news. Puppies are going to be cheaper to ensure that as they are less likely to have issues. However, as your dog gets older, they are more likely to experience health concerns. This is always going to mean that the insurance eats into more of your costs.
How Are You Planning To Train Your Dog?
Next, you should make sure that you are training your dog. Without the right amount of training, you are always going to struggle to keep control of your dog at times when it matters the most. You can train your dog yourself. Or, you might want to think about using a professional service. A pro service will make sure that you gain the right results and help you with some of the more difficult aspects that you could be facing.
Are Your Kids Ready?
You might also want to think about checking whether your kids are ready for this change to your home. If your kids are still little, then it’s important to make sure that you have the right safety options in place. For instance, you might want to make sure that you are investing in a stairgate to ensure that you can separate your child from the dog during critical times such as when they are eating. You will also need to think about the role that your child will be able to play in looking after the dog independently.
Are You Ready For The Responsibility?
Be aware that a dog will always come with a considerable amount of responsibility that is impossible to ignore or avoid. For instance, you will need to make sure that you are arranging plans if you are going away. Some dogs will be perfectly happy heading to a kennel for a couple of weeks. However, others are going to absolutely hate this possibility and will be far more comfortable being with someone that they already know. As such, you might want to check if you have a family member or friend who can look after them. Alternatively, you could consider exploring how to take your pup away with you. There’s lots of information on sites like https://www.hometogo.com/california/dog-friendly/ that will explain how to do this.
Will They Live Inside Or Outside?
Finally, you should think about whether a dog will live inside or outside. This is often going to depend on elements such as the climate where you live as well as the space that you have outside your home. Remember, if they are going to be living mainly outside, then they are still going to need some shelter. As such, you will have to think about investing in a dog kennel where they will be able to sleep as well as stay out of the sun or the rain.
We hope this helps you understand some of the key points that you should think about before you fully commit to getting a dog. In doing so, you can make sure that you are prepared for some of the key challenges and that there are no nasty surprises waiting for you after bringing a pet like this home.