Are You Ready For A Puppy?

  Posted on September 6, 2012  by Joy of Living  No comments

Are you really ready to bring a puppy home? It sounds great in theory, but before you take home the first puppy who melts your heart, there are some things you’ll need to consider carefully. Let’s take a look.

Puppies need your time, and lots of it. If you’re constantly rushing to get everything done, you may want to seriously reconsider the idea of taking home a puppy. They need your time to learn potty training, how to behave properly around other pets and people, and lots of your attention for playtime.

It’s a good idea to make sure everyone in the family agrees to accepting this new family member. This ensures the puppy comes into a completely welcoming home and that you don’t create any unwanted issues and tension between family members, and the puppy, too.

Puppies take a lot of work.  Are you ready to play even when you don’t feel like it, make vet trips, and trips to the store to buy pet food? Are you ready to handle emergency situations with your puppy? Are you ready to spend the hours and hours it takes to physically care for your puppy; training, bathing, brushing, feeding, and other care?

You’ll need money for food, bowls, toys, treats, bedding, crates, leashes, collars, grooming, shots, neutering or spaying, licenses, training or obedience classes, routine medical bills, unexpected vet bills, and more. Be prepared for this and honestly decide if you really can afford that furry friend.

Will you have any support to help you when you need a break from puppy care? Think about this before you take puppy home and you’ll save yourself a ton of stress. Support can come in many different forms; the neighbor down the road who walks your dog once in a while, the family member who’s willing to dog-sit when you go out of town, the friend who can offer puppy potty training advice and help.

If you’re not quite ready for a puppy, then waiting until the time is right is the proper thing to do. You and your potential puppy will be much better off. If the answers show you are ready, congratulations! It’s an exciting time as you venture into a whole new world of pet parenting!