Dogs are pet which are usually domesticated purposely owing to their friendly nature and protective abilities. A lot of people would love to keep dogs at their homes, offices, churches, farms, and every other necessary places, but the problem is, you as part of these people probably lack the knowledge of the essential things you must know before you adopt a dog or even think of owning one.
Dogs are no doubt beautiful and compatible with the human nature and they are mostly the greatest animal companion that looks out for the safety of man while also ensuring the security of his environment. Without dogs, man is possibly naive and porous. This is because, to further prove the usefulness of dogs, security forces especially the police use dogs to hunt for criminals. The detective abilities of dogs which can sense criminals from afar make them unique and highly useful.
Farmers also use dogs. Travellers too. All these very proactive responsibilities and positive roles of dogs would definitely make anyone want to adopt them and keep them close to the home.
But the question now is, what should you know in the bid to adopt dogs. There are quite a lot of things to be known and many of these are outlined below for your read as they entail comprehensive tips about dog adoption – thanks to the specialist, Eric Hsu:
Research and Planning
More often than not, the purchase of a pet is somewhat of an impulse buy. However, in order to be the best owner to your new pet that you can be, you need to sit down and weigh you the pros and cons of actually taking on your newest family member.
Do your research on both species and breed to make sure that the pet in question is a good fit for you. Make sure you understand what type of temperament your pet will exhibit. You will need to know the level of care and attention needed, as every species and/or breed is different in this respect. Finally, the average lifespan will indicate how long you can expect to have your pet and to meet its needs.
Family Compatibility
This is one area that many families completely forget about, or simply ignore. Where you live, and how much you are away from home are two very big factors to consider in choosing a pet. Say, for instance, you decide to get a large dog. Do you have a sizable fenced in yard, so that your new companion will have room to run and exercise? Or maybe you are away from home a lot due to school activities or work.
In this case, your better choice may be a cat, as they are lower maintenance than say perhaps a dog. Also, another area overlooked is that of when you decide to take a vacation. So you have a reliable source to call upon to perhaps babysit your pet? Cats can be pretty self-sufficient as long as they have water and food, but dogs are more in need of looking after on a day to day basis.
Calculated Cost
Like most things in the world today, there is also a cost to having a pet—any type of pet. You are responsible for keeping their shots up to date, for feeding them, or providing them a bed, and for taking them to the vet should they become sick.
With dogs, there may be extra expenses for grooming, and if you decide to have them spayed or neutered there will be an expense for the surgery. Make sure you understand that when you take on a pet that you are taking on the additional expenses required to the proper care of that pet.
Understand and Delegate Responsibilities
When discussing the possible addition of a pet to the household, make sure that each member of the family understands what their delegated responsibility will be in helping care for your new pet. Each member should be relied upon to do their duty so that all the work of caring for the new addition does not fall completely on one persons shoulders.
Delegate one individual for feeding, one for walking, and rotate for such things as bathing and brushing. Get the whole family involved, and make it a fun task for everyone.
Training Prospect
If you are not lucky enough to adopt a pet that is already housebroken, then you will need to consider setting time aside through your day to work at getting your new addition trained. Many find the best way to go is with pee pads.
Not only are they more convenient for you the owner, they allow your pet to have access for going more often, and be a source to catch possible accidents. If your pet has problems in the areas of behavior, you may want to consider a professional trainer to help them to learn right from wrong.
Maintenance Capacity
One very important thing to consider is the cost of vet bills. Whatever type of dog you adopt, they’re going to be a big responsibility financially. It’s vital to bear this in mind before deciding to adopt a dog.
Dogs may be free or cheap to adopt, but they’re high maintenance pets – and this can come with a hefty cost.
Your dog will cost money to feed and look after, but vet bills and pet medications are where your wallet will take the biggest hit. You can also look for a personalized pet ID tag to ensure your dog’s safety and easy identification.
To protect against this, many pet owners to take out insurance. Pet insurance should cover your dog’s injections and operations. They will need regular checkups at the vet, so it’s wise to make some calculations and work out how to budget for your dog before you get one.
The Unique Name
Finally, you will need to name your new pet. This can be fun, but then again stressful at times. Will you go with something simple? Something traditional? Or maybe something totally off the wall? Whatever you name you chose, imagine yourself yelling it hundreds of times throughout your life. Do you find you still like the name? Then you may have a winner.
