There are many people who want to adopt a dog but aren’t sure if they are ready to take this big step. In fact, adopting a pet requires responsibility, commitment, and financial resources, and you also have to take into consideration a lot of other factors that could come into play. Unfortunately, many individuals abandon their pets after a few years because they can’t take care of them at some point, and the rate of pups that end up in animal shelters is still increasing.
Before bringing your pet home, you must think about your future as well, and just ask, “What would you do if you had a baby?”. Most of the time, families who are going to have a baby will abandon their pets. It’s not enough to just ask yourself if you are ready to adopt a pet because you will be too excited to do this and the answer will be yes; instead, you have to analyze all the factors that could arise in the short and long run.
To help you better understand this situation and make sure that you will keep in mind what you have to do to be a good parent for a dog, here are some tips from animal experts. Read on for more info!
You are up to date with all the essential info
According to animal experts, before you ask yourself if you are ready to be a dog parent, one of the most important things that you have to make sure that you are up to date with all the essential information about your canine’s breed, diet, potential diseases, maintenance costs, veterinary costs, mandatory vaccinations, and so on. Also, you can ask other people how they handle situations, what they do when a potential problem arises, and what exactly it means to take care of a puppy.
In conclusion, as I already mentioned above, it is your responsibility to gather as much information as possible and ask people around you and the specialists about your pup’s breed and how to take care of them properly.
Your schedule allows you to always be there
If your job involves staying at the office all day long or you usually have a busy schedule, then you should think twice if you want to adopt a dog. However, if you don’t have time to spend with them, especially when they are young, and you live in an apartment, make sure that you have another family member who can keep them company. If you live in an apartment, it means that you are surrounded by neighbors, and they might be disturbed because dogs are highly active and talkative when they are young. Plus, they need a lot of exercise to sleep at night.
That being said, you need to spend time with them and play with them to consume their energy. You have to socialize with them and train them properly as well. Canines are similar to kids, which means that they need all your time, love, and attention. You should keep in mind that they need regular vet checkups and walks to meet their needs.
If you are going to take this big step of bringing home a new pet because you think you have enough time for them, it’s important to think about your future as well. What if you have to change jobs and spend more time there? You should analyze every potential event that could occur in the long run.
You are able to wake up early and often
As I said before, every pup, regardless of their breed, needs daily walks to meet their needs, not only in the morning, but also in the evening. According to animal experts, dogs should generally go outdoors every three or four hours, especially when they are puppies and during the process of training.
If you aren’t ready to get up often and early, you risk stressing your dog. Daily walks are essential to them, as they have to meet their needs and consume their energy, and if you deprive them of this habit, they will become anxious and stressed, and stress can adversely affect their overall health.
Nevertheless, you should talk to your vet about this, especially if you want to adopt a puppy, as they can’t go out when they are young and don’t have certain vaccines.
You’ve secured your house
According to animal experts, another important thing that you have to consider when bringing home a new, pure, and innocent soul is to make sure that your house is puppy-proofed. Check it twice, and try to act like a dog to notice where and what could be a potential danger to them. For instance, try to put away all the shoes, goods, papers, and other things that your dog can chew. You should also try to cover the wires and outlets properly and, of course, make the trash can inaccessible.
However, this rule applies even to older canines. As long as you want to bring a pet home, whether we are talking about dogs, cats, birds, or other types of pets, it is your responsibility to keep them safe and remove every potential danger from your house. You should remember that animals are as curious as kids.
You are open to learning
Even if you have done a lot of research, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t continue to learn more about their behavior and how to understand their language. In fact, the way some dogs react to certain things does not mean that it will also apply to your dog. Just like humans, they are different and have different personality traits.
So, in this case, the process of socialization is the most important instrument that can help you get to know your dog better. This is the step that will show you how your pup reacts when they see and meet other animals and strangers, as well as when they are overwhelmed, uncomfortable, happy, and so on.
During this process, you will teach them how to act and react to different things, and on the other hand, you will also learn how to avoid some mistakes that you make without realizing it, such as forcing them to become friends with other dogs when you are in the park.
You are ready to clean up after them
Before adopting a pet, it’s essential to know that you have to clean up after your pup, and you need to do this even if it’s your house, garden, park, or other outdoor places. Dog parents have to deal with all kinds of icky fluids, such as feces, vomit, urine, and saliva. Of course, you have to clean up even after they pooped, even though you are outdoors.
In some countries, you may be punished by law if you don’t clean up after your pet when you are in public spaces. So, all you have to do is prepare yourself by stocking poop bags, wipes, and carpet cleaners.
You are financially prepared
Taking care of a dog involves some costs because they need healthy foods, toys, regular vet checkups, vaccines, treatments, grooming sessions, and so on. Unfortunately, these maintenance costs do not decrease as they age either. However, you should only adopt a pet if you are financially prepared, otherwise, you will end up abandoning your beloved furry friend or they will have poor health conditions.
In addition, you should also consider that they need to be spayed or neutered by the time you decide to take them home, and this procedure is usually quite expensive.
If you want to buy a set of toys for your pup, this one is a good start.
You should also read: Your Dog CAN Eat These 10 Human Foods Safely With You
