Write a commentYou’ve been talking about it for a while, probably even been putting it off, but, the time has come to make a decision. Is this the year you will add a puppy or dog to your household?
Sitting down with all the stakeholders (aka spouse, children, caregivers, housemates) and answering the following questions can guide you in the right direction. We will provide more information concerning each question in future articles.
1. Who will be responsible for the well being of your new family member? Think daily exercise, training, and various other husbandry tasks.
2. What breed or mix breed fits your family’s life style best? Are you homebodies or are you always on the go?
3. When is the best time to actually add the puppy or dog to your family? Summer? Spring? Winter? Fall?
4. Where do the expenses associated with responsible pet ownership fit in your family budget? Initial costs to consider; will you purchase your dog from a breeder, adopt from a shelter, veterinary care, training etc.
5. Why do you want a dog? Seems obvious, but, there is a lot to living with a dog.
6. How much time do you have to take care of the puppy or dog and provide for its daily needs? Breed, temperament and age are good predictors of the time required beyond taking care of your dog’s basic daily needs.
Hope these questions help get the conversation started in your household. Living and sharing your life with a canine companion has many rewards. Taking the time to make the best decision for your family will help ensure everyone human and canine enjoy the experience.
For more information about choosing a dog try this link: http://www.animalplanet.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html
For more on training: http://dogsamongus.com/training-programs
