Dogs are a huge commitment and one should never rush into buying one without thinking through the idea carefully, as they will certainly change the way in which you live your life, and you may find that your new dog may not fit in with your lifestyle.
Dogs are very sociable animals and want to be around their humans to receive lots of love and attention, as well as be walked outside the home often. Before buying a dog, you should think very carefully about the decision and consider all of the below factors.
Will A Dog Fit In With Your Routine?
Do you work full time? Do you work away? Who will look after your dog while you aren’t home? These are some questions that you will need to consider.
You can’t expect to leave your dog at home on its own for hours at a time everyday, this will undoubtedly take a toll on your dog overtime, especially if they aren’t walking, or taken outside of the house every so often during the day. Miniature Friends, a dog blog, has said that this could result in depression and feeling of loneliness over time, and wouldn’t be fair on your dog, they may then result in damaging your home to keep themselves occupied, like chewing carpet and furniture.
Large dog breeds will require more exercise than smaller dog breeds, so this is something to bear in mind, as big dogs like a Boxer or German Shepherd wouldn’t cope with being in a confined space for long periods. But you need to think very carefully about your routine before introducing a dog to your home.
Do You Have Children?
Some dogs are very sociable around children, but if you have a young child, you may need to consider which type of breed you bring home with you. A smaller dog breed may be more suitable for your circumstances, such as a Dachshund, Chihuahua, Shih Tzu, Maltese dog or a Pomeranian.
How Do Your Family Feel About Dogs?
Do you family like dogs? How would they feel to be in the presence of a dog? Who will look after your dog at Christmas, will they come to family gatherings with you? All things considered, you need to make sure that your family is happy to be around your new dog. If not, this can cause complications when you want to go and spend time with them, or if they have another dog that doesn’t get along with your new dog, this can be troublesome.
Healthcare
Dogs don’t come cheap and you will need to look after their health throughout their life, this means taking them to a vet when they have any issues. Are you financially stable enough to provide for your dog and to pay any medical bills that may arise? Are you ok with taking up pet insurance? This is another area that will need to be carefully considered, as the cost of food and healthcare can really ramp up over time.
That’s everything you need to consider before buying a dog, if you aren’t worried about any of the above points, then you could be ready to introduce a dog to your home. Congratulations!
