So, You Are Thinking Of Getting A Dog....

Taking care of a dog is a BIG responsibility. Dogs are totally dependent on their masters their entire lives so there are a lot of things to consider. Here are some things to think about before getting a dog:

Commitment
Owning a dog is a life-long commitment. Most dogs can live to about 10 or more years so you will have to be able to provide the following for that amount of time:

Time
Dogs are social animals and really need for you to spend lots of time with them. Dogs also need to be trained, walked and played with. They need to be taken to the vet for check ups and if there is something wrong with them, they have to be nursed back to health. They need to be fed. They need you to clean up after them when they poop or pee. Dogs need you to bathe them and groom them. Grooming includes, brushing, clipping fur, clipping nails, cleaning ears and eyes. For breeds that shed, you will have to keep sweeping or vacuuming. Dogs and specially puppies may need to be taken to training or obedience classes. Puppies need to be socialized as well so that they are used to other people, kids and other doggies. You will also need to spend some time doing research in order to be able to make a good decision regarding what breed of dog will best suit your lifestyle and personality.

Resources
Dogs cost money. They need it for food, health care, dental care, grooming, training, petsitting, parasite prevention, etc. And of course, unless someone gives you a dog for free, you will have to pay for the dog itself. Here is a list of stuff my Mommie had to pay for when she adopted me:

• Me
• Dog food
• Dog treats and biscuits
• Vet visit
• Vaccinations
• Heartworm test
• Medication for fleas and heartworm
• Dental cleaning
• Dog toys
• Dog bed
• Dog house
• Leash
• Collar
• Harness
• Id tag
• City license
• Water and food bowls
• Professional grooming
• Brushes
• Shampoo
• Towel
• Ear cleaner
• Tear stain remover
• Nail clipper
• Stuff to pick up my poop
• Training pee pads
• Cleaning supplies
• Pet sitter
• Pet Boarding
• Baby gates
• Lint Remover

Other dogs may also need training classes, obedience classes, anti-barking devices, dog doors, clothes, shoes, carry bags, pet insurance, neutering/spaying, play pens, deworming, etc. And visits to the vet can become really expensive specially if your dog is sick or injured. Plus, as Mom has discovered, she is somehow compelled to keep buying stuff for me whenever she is at the store so that she has something to give me when she gets home. Haha!

Accommodations
Some dogs are fine living in an apartment. Others need to have a backyard where they can exercise. Dogs need either a park or yard to poop or pee in unless you don’t mind him doing so inside your home. If that is not the case, be ready to take the dog out for walks to relieve himself. The yard should be fenced in to make sure the dog cannot get out and that nobody can come in to hurt the dog or dognap it. If your dog is a barker, be prepared to figure out a way to keep your neighbors from complaining or, in extreme cases, harming your dog.

Appropriate Personality
You should be willing to let the dog invade your space. This will mean you will not have total control of your home and stuff. Dogs may mess up your home, scratch or chew on your house, furniture and other belongings, poop and pee on things. Be prepared to find dog fur on all your belongings. Even your food. Specially if your dog sheds like me. Also, dogs do not think the same way humans do. And dogs cannot talk to you to tell you what they are thinking or what they want. You will need to have a lot of patience to deal with dogs. Sometimes it will be hard especially since you are unable to explain your actions to a dog or to explain to them why you want them to do certain things. You will need to have patience to train a dog. Dogs learn through repetition and consistency. You will need to have patience in order to deal with any behavioral problems that the dog may have. You will also need to be flexible. Dogs may not follow your schedule so be prepared to get around that. You will also need to be the type of person who will not give up at the first sign of trouble. It is also a good idea not to be too much of a worrier otherwise all you will do is worry. You will worry if your dog is alone, if he is sick, if he is not eating, if he is scratching, etc.

Appropriate Lifestyle
Dogs need to have companionship. It will be very difficult if you travel a lot or have to leave the dog on its own for long periods of time. This may lead to behavioral issues that you will have to deal with later on. Also you will have to make arrangements for someone to take care of the dog while you are gone. Petsitting and pet boarding expenses can really add up! You will also need to think about the future. Since this is a really long relationship, you will need to take some stuff into consideration like taking care of babies or elderly family members, marriage, divorce, job uncertainties, etc.

Appropriate Household
Owning a dog not just affects you but everyone else in your household. The people who live with you should be willing to accommodate a dog. Hopefully they will be willing to help out specially if you are sick or away. A dog learns by consistency and repetition so if others in the household will not follow the rules, the dog will not be able to learn what you are teaching him.

Making sure you have all these and being prepared, will make owning a dog much easier and more enjoyable. Some dogs may require more care than others but it is important to be aware of what owning a dog entails and be willing to deal with it prior to getting one. A lot of dogs are abandoned or given up because the owner was not prepared for taking care of it or was blinded by the dog’s cuteness to think things through. Dogs that were not trained or socialized properly could develop problems like excessive barking or biting.

In my case, Mommie was able to provide everything right off the bat. Well, except for some personality stuff. She did have to work on her patience and the need to keep her house clean and having her schedule met at first but she has since adjusted quite nicely. She believes I am worth it to make those changes. She still needs to work on her worrying though, but that just shows she really cares.

Where To Get A Dog?

We recommend adopting. You can adopt a dog or puppy from the pound or shelter or get one from a rescue organization. Do not be afraid of adopting. Lots of good doggies are up for adoption for reasons like: they were lost, had to be given up because of family moving away or getting a new baby, their owner died, etc... Not all dogs in the shelter or pound are there because of bad behavior. Plus, they will have a vet look over them and all their shots updated already. It is also so sad to see the number of dogs that end up in shelters. And it is especially tragic when they are put to sleep if no one wants them. So if you are able to, just adopt one of these dogs so that they too can find a happy home.

If you do not wish to adopt, you can get a puppy from a breeder. Make sure they are a reputable breeder. Dog clubs are a good way to find resources to find reputable breeders. Reputable breeders will want to put the puppy's needs first. They will be well-informed about their breed and will have them housed in a clean environment. They will also check for hereditary defects. Reputable breeders would typically offer some sort of guarantee in case the puppy does not work out. And even after several years, if for some reason, you can no longer care for your dog, you can go to them to see if they will want the dog back.

Do not get a puppy from pet stores. It is not advisable because the the quality of dogs from a pet store is not good. They may have come from places like puppy mills that just produce puppies for the sake of making money. They deal more on quantity rather than quality so the health care received by the dogs is most likely subpar. There might be hereditary health problems associated with this kind of irresponsible breeding as well. This can cost you a lot in medical bills later on.

Don't be afraid to ask questions about the dog you will be getting. A reliable source should not hesitate to answer any questions you may have regarding the parentage, temperament, health of the dog, etc.

Adult Dog vs Puppy

There are some advantages to getting an adult dog and some advantages to getting a puppy. A puppy is verrrrry cute. Some adults doggies are cute, too. If you get an adult dog, you will already know how big the dog will be and know what the dog will end up looking like. If you get a puppy, you will know only when they grow up. Also, an adult dog will already show you how their personality is and you will be able to benefit from all the good training he could have received up to this point. There is a chance the dog will already be housetrained and is past the chewing-on-everything stage. Of course if the dog has had bad training or habits up til now, you will still have to deal with it. A puppy will develop a personality as they grow up so you will have to wait and see. Puppies will generally need more of your time because they need more care. Plus they are more hyper than adult dogs. Adult dogs are more independent coz they have been around longer.

Taking Your Dog Out In Public

When taking your doggie out in public, keep your dog on a leash at all times. Except if the area specifically says dogs can be off-leash. This is for the safety of both your dog and other people. And if your dog is off-leash, you should always be there to supervise.

Not all people are dog people. Even if your dog is friendly, people may still be afraid if they are approached by a strange dog. They may react in different ways. Some may stay still, some may run and others might actually kick your dog or throw something to keep him away. Also, people can be allergic so you will need to keep that in mind.

Even the most friendly and socialized of doggies might have their bad mood days so always make sure to monitor him when people approach to pet him. Specially kids. Some dogs do not take to kids well. And not all kids know how to treat dogs well. And some may be too naive to know that they should be wary of strange dogs and will just rush up to pet them. The same goes for other doggies or animals.

When taking your dog out in public, make sure you are able to control him. There are lots of stimulation in the outside world that he may not be used to and this may cause him to act outside of his normal behavior. If your dog is always nice to you it does not generally mean he will treat other animals or people that same way. Also, since you will be in a public place, be mindful that other people would like to enjoy their time outside as well. A constantly barking dog will annoy people.

Things like people, kids, other doggies or other animals may prompt your dog to run across streets to get to them. This is very dangerous so to keep him from getting hit by a car always keep him on a leash.

Always bring a poop bag and some wipes in case your dog decides to poop along the way. Nobody likes to see a pile of poop when they are out enjoying their day.

When another dog catches your doggie's eye and you want to approach, you can ask the owner if it is ok for your dog to say hi to his dog. Or you can ask if his dog is friendly. If the owner says yes then you can approach and have them sniff and say hello to each other. A few sniffs should be ok. Do not overstay your welcome. Also keep the leash loose. Tight leashes may signify aggression.