Will your pet be your little angel, or a devil-dog?
Do your homework and
choose carefully to find
the right fit!
I unfortunately have heard too many stories of people who bought
a dog on impulse, and asked me for advice as to how to make their dog behave.
My first bit of advice towards the impulse buyer is: Don’t do that!
Unfortunately, too
many pets and too many children are brought into the world
on impulse, to parents and owners who are unprepared. Now
I don’t mean “but I’ve never had a baby/dog before!” kind
of preparedness of the heart - I’m talking about the preparedness
of the head.
When I saw my first Australian Shepherd, it was (unfortunately)
at a pet-store. I fell instantly in love with this adorable
fluffy and playful puppy, and got out my wallet, went to the
cash register, and purchased... a book about Australian
Shepherds. I think this was probably the smartest thing I (or
anyone else) could have done in a similar situation. I read
that book cover-to-cover, and started my search of Australian
Shepherds.
A few month later after the idea had been stewing for a while, I met one litter
and the mom, and again went home empty-handed with a new experience
with a grown Aussie, and the “glow of anticipation” at the thought
of owning one of these wonderful dogs. I also went home
$5 poorer with a newfound admiration for the destructive power of a puppy,
as they’d chewed my flip-flops beyond recognition in the half-hour that
I played with them.
A puppy will grow up quickly into a dog. And a dog (or puppy)
is just like planning for children — you’re probably going
to have them under your care for up to (or beyond) 18 years!
Puppies, like children, need to go to the doctor. Every year.
Sometimes more! They need vaccinations, check-ups, licenses, teeth-cleanings, food,
toys, and (like children) may destroy your own toys in the process
of growing! “Why can’t I have nice things!?” My parents would yell after
we broke or scratched the one remaining unchildified thing in
the house... Well, it’s the same with a dog. There’s no guarantee
it’ll ever out-grow the peeing, crying and chewing phase - you
just hope through the proper guidance, they will!
But the (yearly and monthly) money adds up! And it ain’t
cheap to keep a dog happy and healthy. And it’s even more expensive
if (heaven-forbid) they end up unhealthy. (And the chances of this,
of course, can also increase depending on how well you’ve been
taking care of their medical needs, and how old they are). And
then of course, there are all the unpredictables like cancer, accidents,
near-death-by-chocolate...
Then there’s the whole, "Who’s going to take care of fluffy?"
issue. You (the adult) are going to be the primary care-giver
of your dog. I don’t care if it’s a child’s pet, or he is
the "child" (like in my case), you’re accepting responsibility
over another living being. Do you have the necessary means of
exercising your pet? Are you willing to pick up
his poop? Do you have a steady income and housing so that
he can be well taken care of?
Further considerations:
- Even if your present residence allows dogs, be aware that
it is nearly impossible to find dog-friendly apartments
and housing in the "non-luxury" market. So if you’re
in college, or in your 20’s, you may want to think twice about
getting a dog.
- Are family members or friends allergic to dogs?
- What will you do with your dog when you need to go
somewhere overnight that he can’t? (And this will happen.)
These things are only a tip of the iceberg to consider when considering buying a puppy or a dog. It’s a decision that will affect both of your lives forever, so don’t impulse buy! You both deserve more love and respect than that.
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