ADOPTING A DOG
Are You Ready To Adopt A Dog?
There are many things to consider before adopting a Dog. Bringing a dog into your life can be a most rewarding experience. Dogs offer us love, loyalty and lifelong friendship, as well as endless joy with their antics. Adopting a dog is a serious responsibility and should be given the utmost consideration before being brought into your home as member of your family.
Probably the most important thing to consider is whether you would feel more comfortable with a puppy or a full grown animal. The age of your dog can be most important. Will you have the time or the patience to house train a few weeks old puppy? If you have limited time and would rather not deal with this sometimes difficult aspect of dog training, then perhaps more consideration should be given to acquiring an older dog. There are many lovable older dogs to be found at your local animal shelter. There you will discover dogs of all ages and breeds, and there should be no difficulty in finding the perfect companion. Of course, the advantage of buying a young pup is that you will bond much quicker and having trained it from weeks or months old will become familiar with it’s traits and character as it develops into adulthood.
Having enough time to devote to a dog is a very important consideration. Dogs need love and attention and it is certainly unfair and perhaps cruel to bring an animal into your home and never devote much of your time to it. It would be the same thing if you confined it to a crate all day even if you spent most of your day at home. Your dog will want to share your time and play with you. It is certainly a very rewarding thing to spend time in the yard with your pet romping around and playing a game of fetch the ball. A dog will provide you with unlimited love and devotion many times over in return for all the attention and time that you spend with it.
Consideration should also be given to what kind of qualities you are looking for in a dog. Dogs come in all shapes and sizes. Dogs have different temperaments and personalities, and there is certainly one to suit virtually any person. Thought must also be given to the size of your living space. Some small dogs are suited to apartment living, although consideration should be given to neighbors and get one that is not prone to barking. If you possess a large house and yard, you may decide on a large breed as ample space can be provided to run around and exercise in. There are so many variables in deciding what kind of dog you want. Is it a guard dog that you require? Perhaps a friendly family dog? A lap dog? A dog that will keep you company while you jog? Do your research and make a list of the qualities that appeal to you most.
Of course, your financial situation is another important consideration. Generally speaking, a dog does not require a great deal of money spent on it, but it does require some expenditure during the year. For instance, a dog needs a yearly physical examination at a veterinarian that includes vaccinations and heartworm protection. Invariably you will be required to pay a fee for buying or adopting a dog, so your budget will have to be considered. The price for a pure bred with a good pedigree will be considerable more than the price of a dog adopted at an animal shelter. It goes without saying that you will also need to purchase dog food, collars and leash. You may also want to have a crate on hand and a dog bed for your new pet. You can spend as little or as much as you like on accessories such as toys and bones to aid teething.
Do you want a pure bred with pedigree or a dog with a mixed ancestry? A pure bred animal will be more costly in the beginning, especially if you get one with champion bloodline. The advantage of buying a pure bred is that the dog will have excellent genes and should be in a fine state of health. Admittedly, some pure breeds will come from breeders who are not so careful with their bloodlines and will have genetic abnormalities. This will cost more in vet bills down the track. Mixed breeds are almost always less expensive, and generally are healthier as their bloodline and genes are mixed. You usually get the best of the different breeds that went into their make up. But at the end of the day both pure and mixed breeds make excellent pets.
Owning a dog entails a lot of commitment, but the benefits far outweigh the responsibilities involved. Dogs are wonderful companions; they love you unconditionally and will always be a loyal lifelong friend. All they ask of you is to open your heart to them. You will never regret it.
To learn more about the needs of a new dog and dog training in general and the real secrets to dog training a visit to Secrets to Dog Training will be well worthwhile. Remember a well trained dog is a happy dog. A happy dog has a happy master. SECRETS to DOG TRAINING
