Are you a responsible dog owner?
Adopting a new dog or puppy is a huge commitment. It takes a long time to properly feed, train, play and care for a new dog. New puppies don’t always sleep for the first few nights, and you may have to get out of bed several times to take the puppy out for potty training. If the pup is fairly young, he will require smaller meals more often throughout the day.
Older dogs that are already potty trained may also require additional training in this department. Going from one “pack” to a new “pack” can be a stressful ordeal for them and certain behavioral habits may need to be “untrained”.
Dogs need a great deal of socialization. This means that you must expose your dog to all kinds of sights and sounds in your home environment. You must meet children, men and other animals. Amateur dog shows are a great way to introduce your dog to a variety of other breeds and to interact and socialize with strangers, both human and canine. If none of this seems too much to fit into your daily schedule, then you’re probably ready to have a dog in your life.
Are your facilities adequate?
A well-fenced yard is an absolute MUST for anyone with a dog. First of all, this is for the safety of the dog. Dogs that are allowed to roam free are in danger. Any stray can enter the dog’s territory and dogs alone can wreak havoc in traffic and even get hit by cars. Dogs running loose are not to blame; the owner is legally responsible.
It is also the owner’s responsibility to “clean up” their dog’s waste. It may not be a pleasant task, but it is certainly not difficult, however, some dog owners go to great lengths to “apologize“Of this simple task, however, they are outraged if they stepped on something that someone else could not clean.
If a dog is left outdoors, a suitable kennel or shelter should be provided with clean water always available. Depending on the climate, proper heating or cooling should be of paramount importance. If you don’t have a large yard or live in an apartment, you’ll need to make time to give your dog adequate exercise.
Find the right breed for you.
If you’ve decided you’re ready for a dog, you probably have a few breeds in mind. It is very important to learn about these breeds before making a final decision. A breed that you find very attractive physically may not have a temperament that suits your personality or lifestyle. If you live in an apartment, you probably don’t want to have breeds that require a lot of regular exercise like Greyhounds, Collies, or Alsatians. It is often the people who buy on impulse without intimate knowledge of the breed, who then decide that the dog has to go.
Take the time to read books about breeds that interest you and talk to knowledgeable breeders and owners. Go to a few dog shows and ask a lot of questions. Visit the breeders and spend time with the adult dogs of the breed. Often the puppy is charming and cute, but the adult may not be at all what you had imagined.
can you afford a dog
Make sure you know the costs involved with the particular breed you want. All dogs require food, that goes without saying and the bigger the dog, the more food it will consume. What new owners often misjudge is the true cost of veterinary expenses.
Annual vaccinations are just the tip of the iceberg. There is also regular flea treatment and deworming every 4 months which, while not considered essential by some dog owners, preventing a problem is often much easier than treating something more serious and cheaper.
Some breeds, particularly long-haired dogs, have special grooming needs. It’s not fair to the dog to allow its fur to become matted and clogged with dirt, and it’s not fair to other members of the family either. Many dog owners are blissfully unaware that some dog diseases can be passed on and transmitted by humans, putting the most vulnerable such as young children and pregnant women at particular risk.
Your responsibility to your dog in old age
Just as humans are living longer, so are our pets, and veterinarians are seeing and treating an increasing number of geriatric diseases. Muscular and arthritic conditions are quite common; these can also occur in overweight dogs and cause complications such as canine diabetes.
If you are lucky enough to have a dog that lives to old age, chances are you will one day be faced with having to make a humane decision.
This is one of the hardest things you will ever have to do..
You should be able to think about what is best for your dog, not what hurts the least. It hurts deeply to hold your dearest friend in your arms and watch him leave you, but it is selfish and wrong to allow the same dear friend to suffer. If you can’t bring yourself to be there, at least make sure someone is there to help ease your end in the kindest way.