Things To Consider When Getting A Pet Dog

Becoming a dog owner is a huge commitment, the type of commitment that a lot of people underestimate. We often see other people with their puppies and watchdogs on the TV acting impeccably and think that is how all dogs are with a little bit of training. But this often isn't the case.

There are a lot of things you need to do before you go ahead and bring a dog into your home. Otherwise, you could end up setting yourself (and the puppy) up to fail. Or worse, you could end up coming into contact with a Dog Bite & Animal Attack Lawyer. So here are a few things to get you started. But you really should do a lot more research before taking this big step.

Type Of Dog

There are so many different breeds of dog now, from teeny tiny Chihuahuas to Great Danes, and each of them has its own pros and cons. For example, if you only have a small apartment, it might make sense to avoid the larger breeds, if you're looking for a low energy dog, then a Springer Spaniel might not be the one for you. Basically, you really need to consider the character of your favorite breed of dog rather than the looks of it. Ultimately you will have to live with your puppy for 16+ years, and it's not something you should take lightly.  

Training

Training a dog isn't only safe and benefits everyone in the family, but it can be fun too! That said training can be very time consuming and needs to be done every single day. Toilet training a dog can take up to six months and even though there are a lot of methods that will have the pup holding their bladder for lengths of time, you need to consider what it will mean for you having to spend hours a day tidying up after a confused puppy. If you have that time to spare, then you're good to go! There are plenty of excellent puppy training books you can read before you even decide on whether to get a dog or not but remember you have to lower your expectations to start with. Recall training, toilet training and keeping your pup under control is one of the most important parts of dog ownership.

Time For Walks

Most dogs need a walk once a day at least, it's no good just having a large back garden, dogs really need a change of scenery to be able to feel exercised, and if you don't spend time walking your pup you might find that they find their own entertainment by destroying parts of your home. If you have your heart set on a puppy, you really have to consider setting your heart on long walks and enrichment of any kind you can manage.

Rescue or Breeder?

This is a touchy subject for many, but it goes without saying that there are far too many dogs handed into shelters every week all around the world. There are literally millions of dogs that were once sweet little puppies, dropped off to face an uncertain future. So if you can, it might be a lovely idea to rescue a dog. At least visit a shelter and see if one of the dogs there picks you! That is only the tip of the iceberg, but hopefully, you have a better idea of what rehoming a puppy or older dog may entail. If you're still seriously considering a dog for your family, then continue researching and preparing, owning a dog is a life-changing and beautiful thing.