Nov 09 2009
Adopting a Puppy - 7 Things You’d Better Ask Yourself
Puppies are adorable. They are easy to fall in love with. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize the huge responsibility that comes with adopting a puppy. Oftentimes, especially around the holidays, kids beg their parents for cute puppies as gifts.
What parent can say no to their kid when they’re begging for a cute little puppy. . So what usually happens 2 months down the road? The puppy ends up abandoned or put in a shelter. Avoid these 7 biggest mistakes if you’re thinking about adopting a puppy.
Is Your Lifestyle Compatible With Your Puppy?
First things first, when adopting a puppy is considering your lifestyle. Are you hardly home? Are you single, married? How old are your kids? How mature are your children? How old are you? Are you ever home?
If you’re someone that’s seldom home, that doesn’t necessarily preclude you from adopting a puppy. What it does mean is that you’ll have to hire a pet sitter.
Someone that will play with the puppy and take her out for frequent walks. An important aspect of puppy adoption is breed. Every breed has distinct characteristics.
Would you prefer a female or a male puppy? Another question to ask yourself is what is your motive for adopting a puppy? Were you lonely? Is it because your kids think she’s cute and cuddly? Those are bad reasons for adopting a puppy! There’s lots more to think about than how cute and cuddly the puppy is.
Do You Have the Time and Patience For Adopting a Puppy
Puppies are like little kids and they have needs just like little kids. Adopting a puppy is a mega responsibility. It takes lots of love and tons of patience. When training a puppy there’s no room for impatience at all. When training a puppy there’s bound to be accidents. For instance, when crate training or housebreaking your dog, she may poop on the floor.
If you’re ill tempered with your dog, then I strongly suggest you do not adopt a dog or any pet for that matter, go see a therapist instead. In addition to patience, you’ll have to teach him to socialize with other dogs.
Do you work long hours? Are you the type that likes to come home from work, close your door and not be bothered? It’s better to be honest with yourself about who you really are. No sense making the puppy suffer because you didn’t self reflect before going to the dog pound or breeder.
Can You Provide the Mental and Physical Stimulation a Puppy Needs
This goes back to whether you have the time and patience that goes along with adopting a puppy. Just like kids need to socialize with their peers beginning in nursery and kindergarten, so do puppies. This kind of socialization will provide mental and physical stimulation.
During around 8-11 weeks, dogs like to try and dominate each other, as a test of their power. Roughing each other up for them is considered great exercise and fun! Also, are you athletic yourself? Can you see yourself going to the park and playing frisbee with your adopted puppy? Are you lazy? Again, to thine own self be true!
Have You Owned a Dog Before
I remember when I first thought about adopting a puppy. I didn’t think it through thoroughly. So I went to North Shore Animal League and got my first puppy. She was 11 weeks old. I thought adopting a puppy was going to be easy sailing. Not. First of all, there’s the vet bills, which are quite expensive.
Then, I had to learn that dogs, like people, have personalities. You have to know the breed you’re getting so that you can understand their temperment and decide if it’s a match for your personality. Luckily for me, Lily was the perfect match.
Still, that didn’t solve the dog training problems I had.
Is Your Home or Apartment Big Enough
If you live in a tiny studio and you have a hyperactive dog or a large breed dog, this will not be conducive to your relationship. Again, having a dog is like being in a relationship! Each person needs their space.
To Mix or Not to Mix?
Okay. I have issues with people labeling mixed breeds as “mutts.” As if somehow “purebred” dogs are better quality dogs. Not so! Still, supposedly they say if you get a pure breed, you’re less likely to have problems. Nonsense.
What I will say is that a “pure breed” puppy will have both mental and physical traits that are unique to its particular breed. Whereas, if you have a mixed breed, you’re unlikely to know which character traits it will have.
Like people, if raised in a healthy environment, this will affect their personality. Where does the puppy come from? You need to know the answer to this as well.
Where Does the Puppy Come from
Last, but not least, where are you adopting a puppy from? Are you getting her from a shelter? Are you getting her from a breeder? Again, some people think adopting a puppy from a breeder is better than adopting one from a shelter.
But some breeders are inept. They also may train them to have poor habits. Some breeders keep disgusting, unsanitary conditions.
On the other hand, lots of shelter dogs are very healthy and well adjusted. They may have come from homes that were loving and well trained. The only reason why they ended up in a shelter was perhaps because they weren’t able to afford the pet anymore, or, they could have moved to a place where pets weren’t allowed.
In sum, think twice before you make these 7 big mistakes!
