Do you feel as though you are ready to get a dog? If so then you may be excited to browse all of the breeds that you have to choose from. Either way, even though you might be excited to get a dog, you do still need to ask yourself some of these questions. If you don’t then you may find that you end up not being able to make the best decision and that your family ends up not getting what they are looking for. If you want some help then take a look below to find out what you need to give some thought to.
You have done your Research
If you are wondering if you are ready for a dog or not then the first thing you need to do is get educated. This is one of the most important things you can do. Talk to people who might have gone through the process of rescuing a dog before and make sure that you talk to owners who have the same dog breed as you. If you can give some thought to dog care and if you can look at the dogs that you have owned in the past then this will help you to come to the right decision. Fortunately, there is no such thing as being over-prepared here, so try and gather all of the information you can and come to a conclusion about whether or not adding a dog is the right thing to do.
You Have Time on Your Side
If you have a rigid schedule then you may not want to get a dog. You need to make time for your new dog and you should also allocate time to training them. Vet visits are important, and so are plenty of walks. Even if the weather isn’t cooperating or when you don’t feel like going out, you still need to make the effort. A person is only ready to be a dog owner when they have done a lot of research and when they have the time and energy to welcome a dog. If you are not ready to do your research or if you want to plunge into dog ownership then this is a clear sign that you aren’t ready to make the commitment.
You Are Up Early
Dogs like to get up early, it’s just how it is. If you have time on your hands then this is great, but you have to be willing to get up early in the morning so you can take your dog out. If you bring home a puppy then they will have to go out every two or three hours until they become house-trained. If you are not willing to do this or if you can’t deal with getting up in the middle of the night then this is a clear sign that you need to make a change to your thought process of getting a dog as you might not be ready.
Puppy-Proofing
If you have your eyes on a puppy then you have to make sure that your home is puppy-proofed. You need to make sure that it is okay from top-to-bottom. Anything that your puppy might chew on, has to go. Exposed wires need to be dealt with and you need to make sure that any garbage is inaccessible too. If it’s not then this is a clear sign that you need to work on areas such as this. Using baby gates to narrow down the area where the dog might be wandering is a good idea and it can make your life a lot easier. If you can, prepare your home as if you are bringing home a puppy, even if you are bringing home an older dog. Invest in some toys and treats that you can stuff, and buy plenty of bones. If you can do this then you will soon notice that your home becomes a lot safer for you and your new dog.
You have Had the Talk
A big indicator of whether or not you are ready to own a dog is if you feel as though you can juggle everything. You need to be honest with yourself and you also need to make sure that you are ready to become a responsible pet parent. Think about your family, your job and any other life commitments you may have. Are you ready to own a dog? If not or if you don’t feel as though you can give your undivided attention then this is a clear indicator that you are not ready to welcome a furry friend into your life. If you want a good dog that is going to be loyal, easy to train and most of all, family-friendly then one thing you can do is look into getting a chocolate lab.
You are Willing to Learn
By learning to understand a dog’s body language, you will then be able to tell when they are feeling overwhelmed and when they are in discomfort. This will help you to avoid a number of mistakes. If you can be as open as possible and make sure that you are willing to learn about your dog in general. If you can pay attention and if you can do away with the fact that you don’t know everything, even if you have owned a dog before then this will help you out a lot.
You are Ready for Mud
Dog parenting means dealing with a range of fluids. Whether it is sick or drool, you will probably be dealing with a lot of it. If you happen to have a very mischievous pup then you may find that you end up dealing with more than you think. If you can, you need to prepare for this and you also need to stock up on wipes, because if you don’t then you may find that you end up struggling to deal with the issues they have and this is something that just doesn’t need to happen.
You have Some Cash
From dog food to dog toys and even vet bills, it’s safe to say that having a dog will come with its fair share of expenses. If you want to do something about this then make sure that you do what you can to make sure that they have had their first round of shots before they leave the breeder. You also need to inquire about the things that you may need to pay for now so you can make sure that you don’t end up getting yourself in a sticky situation before your dog ownership has even begun.
You have Sat Down with Family
You do need to make sure that everyone in your home is on board with welcoming the dog and that you have a plan for how everyone is going to have responsibilities. Talk to your children about the role that they are going to have in caring for the new dog and make sure that you have a schedule in place when it comes to walks. If you can do this, along with playtime and if you can do this in conjunction with your family’s calendar then you will soon find that it becomes easier for you to get the result you want out of dog ownership. You may also find that it becomes easier for you to lessen the responsibilities that you are under as well. Having support is the key to giving your dog a long and happy life.
