So you have made your mind to bring home a new family member, a partner in all things good and bad.
But speaking from experience, before getting a dog, you should give a good hard look at the following question:
Why do you need a dog at your home?
If you can clearly answer this question to yourself and convince that;
You have enough gap in your life that can be filled with commitment, compassion, and financial aspect needed to raise a dog.
You are good to go.
If not, think again about this choice, and you’ll do good to both yourself and the dog.
If you are getting a dog for the wrong reasons, you may end up making the lives of both of you miserable.
Don’t buy a dog to cure your loneliness, or your kids won’t stop asking for a dog.
I assume that you know you that your responsibility will expand in a similar fashion of raising a kid; let’s get to choosing the right kind of dog for you.
How to choose the right kind of dog.
Choosing a dog based on your gut preference can make your pet-owning experience bitter.
There are a few crucial things you need to account for before making this big decision.
Here are a few questions that you should be able to answer:
– Do I want a pre-trained dog?
– Are you okay with a previously owned dog looking for a new family?
– is shedding an issue for you?
– do you or someone from your family have allergy issues?
– What are your travel schedules like? (no matter big or small)
– Would you be able to accommodate your dog in your travel plans?
– Do you want a big dog? Is your house size ample to accommodate new members?
– Can you handle the food cost of a big dog?
And this list can go one. The general rule of thumb is to imagine that you already have a dog at home and try to visualize what your life would be like.
If you feel that it can become a hassle and hinder your other priorities in life.
I’d recommend that you should not get a dog.
If you feel confident and excited about having a dog, follow me!
Where should you get your dog from?
Just like a soulmate, not just any dog breed is a good match for you.
Because every dog breed has different behavioral patterns, needs, and energy levels.
If any part of that does not resonate with you personality and lifestyle.
It’s going to be troublesome.
New or adopted?
Adopting a dog is an act of kindness that will increase your self-esteem and change the lives of these animals, whose eyes are always looking for love and compassion.
You’ll realize that when you visit the shelter, your emotions will take over your mind and will influence your decision.
You emotions will overwhelm you, and your mind become little biased towards what you see in the shelter.
Suddenly you would want to adopt every other dog that you see there.
But still, I advise rationalizing a bit before making your final decision. Because there is no turning back once you’ve made the decision.
Shortlist dogs that you think would be a good fit for you.
Get yourself acquainted with their history, behavior patterns.
Are they going through any trauma?
Was the dog found in the streets or the previous owner left the dog at the shelter?
Any medical condition or ongoing medications?
Watch out for following things:
– How does the do mingles with other dogs
– How does she respond to a touch
– Can you take a prop from her when she is playing with that?
The basic idea is to accumulate as much information about her past and behavior as possible.
Buying a dog from Breeder
If you want to work with a breeder to get the purebred you want, make sure that you choose the best Breeder in the area.
Not the kind of breeders who does breeding on the mass level to make some cash.
Some breeders have set up these puppy factories that practices the business with no ethics hard to believe cruelty.
The main idea is the find out that the Breeder works with ethics and cares about the puppies that he/she breeds.
The golden rule is to ask for 5-6 customer references and try to get in touch with them.
Prepare your house for the new member
Everyone who is a regular visitor to your home should be told about the new member.
Tell them about the rules on how they could interact with the dog.
Wikihow has this comprehensive article that teaches you about how to prepare your yard for a new dog.
And if you plan to take your dog in your car with you, you may want to read this fantastic article.
Buy Supplies
As soon as your dog arrives at your home. You would need the stuff to keep her entertained and take primary care of her.
Generally, the pet store owner would educate you on what you need to buy for your new fur kid. But sometimes they can become very salesy and try to sell you unnecessary stuff.
Here is an article that lists the essential supplies you need for a new dog.
https://www.rover.com/blog/the-dog-people-recommend-pet-essentials/
Conclusion
So that was it. One last thing I want to add is that think of this process as a marriage. Before tying knots, you would want to know everything about your partner.
Prepare yourself, your place, and the people around you for this new relationship.
You should be good to go.