Are you planning to get a new dog?
Do you simply love your girlfriend’s dog and want to get the same breed for yourself too?
Do you adore how sweet, loyal and playful they are? Or want to give a safe and secure home to a rescued dog?
A lot of thoughtful consideration needs to be put into this decision before you can actually go out and get a dog for your home. Let’s look at the key factors you should consider before getting a new dog:
Basic Care and Training
Your pet will be the new member of your household.
To make him feel loved and comfortable, you will need to align the household as per his requirements. What can you do to make him feel safe?
Consider all the toys and supplies you will need. You will need to set aside a specific time for training and playing with him.
Knowing more about the breed, his nature and dogs, in general, can help you to make suitable tweaks to make your dog adjust well to his new environment.
Being informed will help him have a smooth transition and give both of you a chance to establish a healthy bond immediately.
Family Roles
Having a pet comes with responsibility.
Getting a pet dog will bring with it additional responsibilities. You can speak to your family and get them to chip in to manage all the pet-related responsibilities.
Its entirely possible that just one person in the household wanted to have the dog, but still the other family members can take responsibility for certain tasks and do them consistently.
Plan and Budget
Having a person added into the family is very different from adding a pet. A new person may share the same food habits, clothing requirements and housing needs.
For a dog, everything will be personalized for his own needs. A kennel, a dog food bowl, dog food and chew toys are some of the additional things you will need to buy for your cute friend.
Planning ahead and careful budgeting can really help to schedule the costs of all planned food and accessories and the planned and unplanned visits to the vet.
You may even feel like taking training classes and need dog care if you go out of the state for work sometimes.
Your veterinarian or the local shelter can be useful resources for getting more information.
Your Living Space & Lifestyle
Many times, dogs are sent away to shelters due to the living conditions of their respective owners.
Though not very evident, living spaces and a person’s lifestyle can have a massive impact on the decision to get or maintain a dog.
Having adequate space is a bare necessity for having dogs so that he can lead an active life and keep good health.
It is essential for everyone in your living space or home to agree with your decision of having a pet.
Clarifying all the issues on time will ensure that you don’t have anything left later on.
Finding the Right Dog for Yourself
Which breed should I get?
Many people wish to keep the dog breed which they had when they were kids.
Though doable, this is more of a sentimental factor, and other considerations should be given importance too as the circumstances may not be the same.
You may have had a large house with a garden and now live in a studio apartment.
Earlier with a big family, a lot of people were around to take care of the dog, now you may need dog care due to your frequent work-related travel.
Dog’s breed, available living space, your activity levels and personality, all of these should help you decide the perfect furry friend to bring home.
You can consider local shelters and breeders as starting points for getting your new friend.
Consider adopting a pet or rescuing one and make your friend feel loved and secure in your cosy nest.
