Essential Steps to Take Before Bringing a Dog into Your Life

Did you know, that 7 in 10 Gen Z adults, would rather have dogs than kids ? Let's be honest, dogs tend to be a little easier. To start off with, you can leave them alone in the house for a few hours whilst you do your chores, but that does not mean that it's completely easy and that you shouldn't do some preparation work before taking home that adorable puppy ! Day after day, you hear stories of families or individuals having to give up their dogs due to reasons that could have fairly easily been avoided, if the necessary research and introspection had been done. The goal of this blog posts is to reduce the chances of abandoned and heartbroken dogs. To keep it simple, you need two majorly important steps.

Firstly, a Reality Check

The first thing I'd advise you to do, is to ask yourself a few simple questions :

• Do you have enough time in your day to dedicate to at least feeding and walking your dog ? (amount of time specifically depending on the dog)

• Are you a big traveler ? If you're more away than not and you do not plan on taking your dog with you, I'd suggest to give it a pass. If you fairly often travel, I'd suggest to consider the costs involved for either taking the dog with you, or paying for services to look after your dog whilst you are away.

• Are you financially stable enough for the added costs ? Dogs need vaccinations, vet visits, dog food, possibly medication, equipment, training etc. which all adds up if you are on a tight budget.

• Are you actually able to have a dog in your home ? If you share your home with other people such as family, you need to make sure that everyone is onboard, and that no issues can potentially arise in the future. If you rent your home, you need to make sure that the landlord allows it...or that you are ready to be kicked out.

Secondly, Research the Dog You are Getting

Yes, really ! Whether you are adopting or buying a dog, you need to do some research before taking the big leap into unconditional forever love. Not only do breeds tend to have certain characteristics that might not be a good match for you, but your lifestyle and home also need to be a good match for your dog. Some important pointers to go through below :

• Getting a particular breed because you think they look beautiful ? As people often say for selecting your lifetime partner, beauty attracts the eye, but is not what makes you stay. Per example, Border Collies are claimed to be the smartest dogs, and they look stunning, but people fail to realize the amount of dedication and time that they require due to their working nature, and can end up giving them up because they cannot keep up. You must avoid this situation at all cost, so research the breed before you commit.

• Do you lead an active lifestyle, or do you prefer sitting on the couch watching TV ? As a continuation of the previous point, different breeds have different characteristics, and hence different needs that require different levels of attention and exercise. If you get a 'working' dog, such as a German Shepherd or an Australian Shepherd, you need to put them to work in some way or another to keep them happy (or they will find a job themselves that you will not be too happy about), which means you need lots of outdoor time and time dedicated for training. On the other hand, if you prefer to spend most of your time just chilling, you'd be better off getting a French Bulldog or a Pug, that would be very happy to just chill with you all day long.

• Have small kids in the family or plan to have kids of your own ? Make sure that the breed you are getting is at least kid tolerant to avoid nasty situations in the future. Take the Weimaraner as an example, these dogs are bred to hunt big game, which can possibly look similar to children below the age of 12. This could become a problem, especially if they are not getting enough exercise and attention.
  

• Already have pets in the family ? Although it's normal to require some settling in when introducing a new furry member to the family, some dog breeds prefer to be by themselves, so settling in could be especially hard in that case, if not impossible. As per example, Chihuahuas tend to form a bond with one family member and hence are not very happy with having to share that love with another dog or pet. Similarly, breeds like the Australian Cattle Dog have a huge prey-drive, and they tend to chase smaller animals like cats.
  

• Do you or anyone living in your house have any allergies ? Some people are allergic to all dogs, others are only allergic to some. Don't ask me how it works, but it's possible. There are also dogs that are hypoallergenic, that are ideal for people who are allergic to dog hair, as these types of dogs do not shed any hair, such as the Spanish Water Dog. With that being said, it's good to understand where the allergy stems from, because if it's not the hair itself that's the problem, the person might still be allergic.

• If not allergic, are you tolerant to dog hair ? Most dogs shed a LOT of hair. The amount of hair can depend on the seasons, but it's definitely a point worth considering. Do not be deceived by short haired dogs. Although short haired dogs might require less grooming time, sometimes they even shed more hair than long haired dogs, so make sure that you are ready to brush, clean and buy a dog hair remover for clothes. If you are not ready to deal with all of that, fear not, there is still the right dog for you, such as the Australian Terrier, that does not shed any hair.
  

• Is your area climate ideal for your dog ? If you live in an area that has temperatures soaring to 40 degrees +, you should probably avoid dogs that were intended to endure the ice cold temperatures of the antarctic, such as the Siberian Husky.

If you are planning on adopting a mixed breed dog, you might be feeling a little bit left out at the moment, but fear not ! There are different things you can do depending on whether :

1. You are getting a puppy. First thing you can try to do to determine the characteristics is to spend some time with the parents, and ask the owners what they are like. As the old saying goes, "The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree." If the parents are completely unknown, you can take a guess on the mix of breeds involved based on their looks, and maybe ask a veterinarian for a second opinion. One thing that is almost always predictable is that big paws = future big breeds. In general, mixed breeds tend to have more of a moderate temperament, as they have not been bred for a specific purpose like a purebred dog, and they also tend to have less health issues due the genetic diversity.
   

2. You are getting an adult dog. If you are getting an adult dog, they probably already have grown certain habits and characteristics, so there's less guess work. That is not to say that an adult dog with difficult characteristics or habits should not be considered. With the right love, attention, and training, they will learn a new way of living, contrary to the bad conditions and tough love that they were potentially given in the past. But you need to make sure that the environment is right and that you are ready to dedicate your time, energy and potentially money for that. You might find that behind that presently reactive dog, you will find the most loyal, loving and appreciative dog you've ever had. My boyfriend still says to this day (after we got our own Spanish Water Dog), that the best dog he's every had was the one his mum got from them from the shelter, that was abandoned and approximately 2 years old already. They had a connection like no other.

Thirdly, a Puppy, or an Adult dog ?

If you've gotten this far, you might be wondering, should I get a puppy, or an adult dog. This depends on various factors, and there are pros and cons either or.

1. Although a puppy is super cute, it also tends to require more time in general for socialization and potty training. The more time you spend with them and dedicate for training, the less behavioral issues headaches you will face in the future. Puppies sometimes also spend the first few nights or weeks crying as they miss their litter. However, their habits will mostly be formed based on your input and training, which can make it a safer option if for example you have kids in the house.

2. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, an Adult dog would usually have already formed certain habits, and in certain cases you will need to be a little bit more cautious until you get to know the dog very well. For example, some dogs simply do not get well with other dogs, whilst others will get protective over their food bowl, and a sweet dog can turn aggressive when approached whilst eating. Most bad habits should be addressable with appropriate training, and if required, the help of expert trainers, but you need to ensure you are willing to put in the necessary time, effort, and money required for that.

Conclusion

Even though getting or adopting a dog is a beautiful and rewarding experience , there are plenty of things to be considered to avoid heart break when difficulties are potentially faced. So do not rush. Do your due diligence before you choose your paw buddy, and remember, dogs tend to live for at least 10 years ! So if you're not in it for the long run, don't ! If you are still having doubts, you can also ask other dog owners in your area for first hand experience of similar breeds in the WagsUnite app. Alternatively, if you just love dogs but getting one does not match your lifestyle in the moment, you can always instead opt to just meetup with dogs and dog owners in your area through the WagsUnite hangout feature!