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So you are considering getting a puppy? Has your child been begging for a four legged furry friend for months now? Are you lonely and looking for companionship? Needing a guard dog to protect you and your family? Or do you just want to add some spice and flavor to your life? A canine can fit these qualifications perfectly. BUT, are you ready for the responsibilities that go along with filling these needs? A dog is a wonderful pet, but don't just run out and get one, do some homework. Find out what responsibilities you take on with pet ownership. I have tried to put together a list that will help you to decide if a puppy is the right pet choice for you. List below are some realities that you will encounter when owning a puppy.
1. Why: Examine why you want to add a puppy to your family. Is the goal a playmate for your child or a guard dog for your home? Determining your goal for the dog will help you figure out what breed would work best to fulfill your need.
- Long term commitment: Most dogs live 8-15+ years. Are you willing to have the responsibilities of owning a pet for the next decade plus of your life?
- Family: Consider how bringing a puppy into the home will affect family members and other pets you may own. Is everyone willing to pitch in and help? Training must be consistent with each family member to be affective.
- Living space: consider what type of dog will best fit into your living space. The bigger the breed the more room they need to run and live in. How big will the puppy grow? How much exercise will it need? Am I able to walk the dog daily?
- Changes in daily routine: Puppies are social animals and need time with people, training, and socialization. Puppies that are exposed to a variety of people, places, things, and animals adapt better to changes as adult dogs. They have to be taught what not to chew on, how to interact with family members, and the rules of the house. Plan to set aside 2 20-30 minutes sessions daily with your puppy including walking, playing, and obedience training.
- Time and energy: Training, socializing, and loving a dog takes a great deal of time. If you are not home all day long, a puppy may not be the right choice for you. A puppy requires frequent trips outside to potty during the day. You will need to change your daily routine to teach the puppy good manners and socialization skills. Who will let the puppy out to potty while you are gone to work or shopping or on vacation? How often does a puppy need to go outside to potty depends on its age:
- 2-4 months – 2-3 hours
- 5-6 months – 4 hours
- 6-12 months – 5-6 hours
- 12 months plus – max of 8 hours
- Cost: There is a large financial responsibility in owning and caring for a puppy properly. After the initial cost of purchasing the dog, you must consider the cost of toys, food, training classes, equipment, and veterinarian bills. What will you do if the puppy breaks a leg, gets diabetes and needs daily insulin, or gets sick? Will you neuter or spay your puppy. Some breeds are more costly to purchase than others and some breeds are more prone to health problems or grooming requirements than others.
- Patience: Training a puppy takes a ton of patience. They are just babies. Potty training takes time. There will be many accidents in the house. (As I am sitting here typing this, our 3 month old Cooper a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, just urinate on the floor right next to the chair I am sitting in – AGAIN!!) You will teach the puppies the same techniques over and over and over until they finally sink in! Puppies need to be supervised at all times, just like a toddler would. If you are unable to supervise them, crates make great play-pins. Be prepared to lose a few items as the puppy may destroy them through chewing.
- Death: Dogs do not live as long as humans. Death of a beloved pet has been one of the hardest things that my family has had to deal with in terms of owning a pet. People, especially children, become very attached to dogs. Consider in advance how this may affect your family. Bigger dogs tend to live shorter lives. Smaller dogs tend to live longer lives.
10. PUPPIES NEED LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!!
Puppies tend to:
- Bark a lot
- Cause sleepless nights of howling, crying, and needing to go outside to potty
- Need food, water, and treats for training and good behavior
- Tons of carpet cleaning with potting in the house
- Love to tear up trash and dig up plants
- Need cleaning up after at home and on walks when they potty
- Drool
- Get sick just like humans do and need medical care
- Need immunizations
- Need medication to prevent heartworms, fleas, ticks, and rabies.
- Still need to go potty when it is pouring down rain or 3 degrees below zero outside
- Play hard
- Sleep hard
- Need daily exercise
- Need daily grooming
- Need a pet sitter or boarding when you are away
- Need obedience training
- Can bother neighbors
- Can run away
- Can get flees, ticks, and worms
- Can get hurt, hit by cars, shocked by chewing on electrical cords, poisoned by chemicals or chocolate or house hold plants
- Can't understand what you are saying read your mind
- Dog items need washed, repaired, or replaced
- Dogs themselves need washed
- Need things that cost money such as leashes, food, vet bills, and toys
- Chew, bite, and scratch
- Need money and time to repair or replace damaged property of yours or others
- Jump on people
- Get lonely by themselves
- Shed their fur all over your house and car
- Chew up furniture, shoes, toys, table legs, anything they can get their teeth on
- Cause allergies for family members and friends
- Need patience, time, families, money
- NEED LOVE
Discouraged? I am just being honest. You need to have all the facts and be very educated so that you know what you are getting yourself into. All of these things have happened in our home at some point in time while owning a puppy. As they become adult dogs, with proper training, some of the behavior issues will disappear. A cute little puppy only stays cute and small for a few months. But they are adult dogs for the rest of their lives. Getting a dog is a huge responsibility. Do your homework. Know what you are getting into before adopting a puppy. If this seems like too much, you may want to consider adopting an older dog that has already been trained.
I am proud to say that my adult dogs have turned out to be beautiful, well behaved canines. I did spend countless hours training, nurturing, and caring for my "kids". Having a dog is the same type of responsibility as having a child. The only difference is that it is not against the law to leave a puppy at home, alone, and in a crate!!!
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