Is Your Family Ready For A Dog?

Dogs are adorable, and they can also give you the best possible welcome whenever you get home from work. That being said, there are so many things that you have to think about before you take the leap and invest in a dog of your own. It’s important to know that although there are many reasons for you to say yes to getting a dog, there are also a lot of reasons for you to say no, or at least not yet. If you want to find out more, then here are some tips that will help you to decide if now is the time for you to be expanding your family and welcoming a new pup into your household.

new puppy

Dogs have a Long Commitment Stage

When you agree to take on the responsibility of a dog, you have to remember that you are saying yes to looking after them for the rest of their life. Where are you going to be in the next 15 years? How are you going to look back on your life? Most importantly of all, are you ready to take a dog on all of your life journeys with you? At the end of the day, dogs are a part of the family, and you have to make sure that you are willing to treat them as such. If you are not quite sure if you can make this kind of commitment or if the thought scares you a bit, then now is the time for you to try and think about your decision for a little bit longer.

You Have an Unpredictable Schedule

Do you happen to work long hours all the time? What about staying out late? At the end of the day, dogs take a lot of time, and not many of them will be able to cope with being left for more than 8 hours a day. If you do have to leave your dog longer than this, then you will have to look into things such as doggy day-care or even having someone come to your home. This is yet another commitment that you have to think about, so be mindful of this and make sure that you always consider the welfare of the dog if you have a schedule that is very busy.

A Dog is an Investment

Even if you get a free puppy, you have to understand that you are making an investment. Dogs can cost hundreds every month and if you do not have this kind of wiggle room financially, then you need to make sure that you be careful when the time comes for you to bring a dog into your home. A lot of people think that they can easily cut back on money by not taking out insurance, but this is a huge mistake, and it is certainly one that you will want to avoid if possible. You need to make sure that you are always taking out some kind of insurance policy, even if it is a minimal one, that way if your dog happens to get injured or in an accident, you know that you are going to be completely covered and that you don’t need to worry about paying any out-of-pocket expenses.

Travel Plans

If you travel a lot for work or if you like to go on vacation and you know that they do not welcome dogs, then you need to try and hire a sitter, or you need to board your dog. Even if you are lucky enough to have a great service provider near you, you need to remember that it is not the same as having your dog home with you. It will cause them stress, and although this is fine for short periods of time, or one-off vacations, if you do this all the time, then you may find that you end up causing a lot of worry for your dog and this is the last thing you want. Make sure that you take note of your travel plans or your schedule before getting a dog as they will require a lot of your time.

Life Changes

If you can see some big life changes in the future, whether it is having a baby, getting married or even relocating, then you might want to put on the brakes a little. Adopting any dog is a major life change and if you do this when your life is already hectic, then you may find yourself struggling when it comes to balancing your responsibilities. If you are adopting a dog and you believe that you are in a good situation to do so, then make sure that you adopt a dog that is going to fit in with the lifestyle you have. If you have a very active lifestyle or if you have kids, then Labradors are a great choice. Find out more about them here: https://chocolatelabradorretriever.ca/.

Your Kids want a Dog

It’s great if your kids want a dog, but is your family really ready to take care of one? You have to remember that puppies are known for causing a lot of mess and they are also very active in the morning. Puppies rarely sleep through the night and any dog needs to be able to move around. If you have a fenced yard that allows you to just let your dog out whenever they need it, then this is great, but you have to make sure that you can commit to exercising them as well. If you don’t, then you may find that you end up struggling with their behavior in the future. Getting the kids on board is also important. If they are old enough, then try and get them involved with walking the dog. If they are younger, then try and get them to feed the dog, or give them fresh water daily. If you can do this, then you should find that everyone works together, and this can make your job easier.

Emergencies

Lastly, you have to think about what is going to happen in the event of an emergency. If you happen to break your leg, then who is going to walk the dog for you? Dramatic happenings, such as a change in your job or even schedule can have a drastic impact on your dog’s life, not to mention that you also need to have someone who you can trust to care for your dog too. If possible, now would be the time for you to make a pros and cons list for getting a dog, so you can plan out every situation. Sure, there are some situations that you cannot anticipate but if you can plan as much as possible now, then you should be able to make sure that your dog is never going to be neglected should your personal circumstances change.

So, getting a dog requires a great deal of thought and time. If you want to help yourself, then it is crucial that you do what you can to plan out how it is going to impact your family as well as finding out if there is anything that you can do to make your life easier in the long run. This could involve paying out for a dog trainer or getting a crate so you can aid with toilet training. Little things like this can go a long way if you are getting a dog for the very first time, so be mindful of that.