Planning to be a First Time Dog Owner? Read this!

 

Being a first-time dog owner isn’t easy. It comes with a lot of responsibility and work. But don’t be fooled by that statement. What you get in return is way more worth than you could ever imagine! I grew up with 2 German Shepherds so dogs have a very special place in my heart. And the day my son was born, somewhere I knew I wanted him to grow up with a dog as well. The companionship, that unconditional love that you get from a dog is beyond imagination. And especially when you are a single child, the meaning of that support and love quadruples.

This article is to educate families who plan to own a dog for the first time. I have often seen that people get a dog and then later realize it is not their cup of tea. Eventually the dog is put out for adoption after a few months. Most of the times it happens because families don’t envision what responsibility comes with a dog. They don’t do enough research before they get a dog and then it becomes a disaster for both the family and the pet. I will break this article into sections, so it is easy to read and understand.

Researching on a lot of different things before getting a dog is the first step that any family should undertake. Trust me it is not a decision you make in a week. It can take several months of research. Let us look at some of the things you need to research upon before you get a dog.

1.       Selecting the breed:

Several factors to consider are:

·       What breed and size do you prefer?

·       What type of home do you stay in? For example, if you stay in a condo or a small townhome, getting a dog like German Shepherd which requires a lot of exercise might not be a good idea. As opposed to that if you have a large, fenced backyard, it makes perfect sense.

·       Do you want a hypoallergenic dog who doesn’t shed much?

·       Do you want a dog that doesn’t drool?

·       Can you walk your dog everyday for a good 45 to 60 minutes? Or do you prefer a couch potato?

·       Do you have children at home? If yes, what age?

·       Are you ready to own a dog breed that requires regular brushing and maintenance of their coat?

These and so many other factors that need to be taken into consideration just to decide what breed of dog you want to get. Many websites allow you to take a quiz and then come up with top 3 breeds that suits you well. You can take 4 or 5 different quizzes and then see which breed shows up in most of the quizzes. That probably might be your best choice. Also, talking to friends and family who already own a dog and getting their opinion can be helpful as well. Once you lock upon a breed, do research on “breed specific” dog maintenance to see if you can commit to those responsibilities as a dog owner.

2.       Associated Cost:

One of the major factors that many people fail to consider is the factor of COST. A dog comes with a cost associated with it in terms of money. Some of the things that you need to spend money on are:

·       Cost to get a dog (If you are buying a puppy from a breeder, based on the breeder, breed and other factors, you will pay a price to get the puppy). In general price can vary from $200 to $3500.

·       Dog health insurance. Like humans, it is best to get a health insurance for dogs (Both preventive care and illness/accident insurance). Dog insurance from a reputed company can run anywhere from $25 to $100 per month based on coverage you choose.

·       Routine visits to Vets (especially during first one year) for vaccinations, worm control treatment etc. It is best to call a Vet place and find out what is the average cost for vaccinations and preventive care for a puppy.

·       Dog basic needs such as crate, playpen, dog food, dog toys, harness/collar, leash etc.

·       If your dog needs regular grooming, the cost of grooming also needs to be taken into consideration. Grooming can cost anywhere from $50 to $125 and your dog might need it every 2 or 3 months based on the breed and size.  

·       Dog sitters: If you want to go on a vacation and you want your dog to stay at a dog sitter’s place for a few days, you will need to consider paying the dog sitter anywhere between $30 to a $100 per day for taking care of your dog. Even on an everyday basis, if both you and your spouse have to go to work for 8 hours, you’ll need someone to come to your home and feed and walk the dog. Again, if you have friends and family that are willing to help, awesome! But sometimes when no one is available, a pet walker will come, feed and walk your pet for 30 minutes for a fee (Usually $12 an hour). Other option is to drop your dog at a dog day care. All of these options surely cost money.

 

3.       Responsibilities:

So, you decide on what breed you want to get. Now you need to research on what responsibilities come with that dog. Some responsibilities like puppy training, house training is common for all dogs. But other responsibilities can be specific to what dog breed you plan to get. For example, many Doodles such as Goldendoodle, Labradoodle require regular grooming and brushing. I would say they need to be brushed almost every other day in order to avoid matting of their hair. You need to ask if you can commit to such responsibilities without fail on a daily basis. 

Along with breed specific responsibilities, there are many other common responsibilities that come with a dog. Some of them are:

·       House Training: Any puppy needs to be trained to go out and take care of their potty and pepe business. House training a puppy needs some serious commitment during the initial days. A two-month-old puppy can’t hold its bladder for longer than 2 hours, which means you will have to make sure your puppy needs to be taken outside at least every two hours. How to house train a puppy is an entirely different world so I will not dive into details, but it can take a good 4 to 5 months before your puppy is fully house trained. And more importantly, all house members should be on the same page when it comes to disciplining and encouraging the puppy to get house trained. While all of that is happening, remember there will be accidents around the home. As dog owners you need to be calm and patient until your puppy is completely house trained. Some people punish their puppies for an accident or even hit them! PLEASE never ever do such a thing. That little fellow is learning through his initial tough phase along with giving infinite love to you. Last thing you want is hurt or punish the puppy or even an adult dog at any stage of their life. It is MISERABLE and INSANE when I hear people hit their dogs. Such people should never be allowed to become dog owners. PERIOD!

 

·       Crate Training: Puppies have a habit of chewing things or even picking things and putting them straight into their mouth. Letting a puppy roam around the entire house can sometimes be extremely unsafe. Imagine the puppy swallows a Q-tip or a bunch of your kid’s Legos! That will have you drive straight to emergency! Restricting the puppy’s mobilization area through either a playpen, crate or baby gate is extremely important for both the safety of your puppy and your house (Imagine your puppy getting on top of an expensive couch and ripping it off with its puppy teeth!). Just like house training, crate training is an entirely different topic of discussion so I will let you ‘all research more on that.

 

·       Socialization: Puppies need to be socialized with both humans and dogs for a healthy mental hygiene. Puppies who don’t socialize with other dogs and humans can have very severe mental issues that can lead to destructive nature or even fear for other humans or dogs. As dog owners it is extremely important that we commit time to socialize our puppies. Having your puppy attend an age-appropriate dog socialization meetup, calling friends and family over so your puppy can meet other people and many other activities are needed in order to introduce your puppy to its new world. This requires commitment in terms of both time, effort and money. It is best to enroll your puppy in a puppy training and socialization class that will help build your puppy’s confidence and also help you to train your puppy for obedience and basic commands.

 

Along with some of these basic responsibilities, walking your dog every day, playing with it, training it for basic obedience and spending quality time with it becomes an integrated part of your life. You can’t just get a dog and let it live outside without spending any time with it. We as dog owners need to realize that as soon as we get a dog, the dog becomes a part of the family.   

On an ending note, just remember that raising any little one takes lots of efforts. Be it your own kid or a little puppy. But once you get past that tough phase and the little puppy grows up, then you really enjoy that beautiful time and bond with your dog. After a tiring day when you come home, your dog is ready to welcome you with a wagging tail and lots and lots of licks and kisses. Trust me that is the BEST feeling in this entire world. The whole world may turn against you, but your dog will always stay besides you no matter what! Hope this article helps you in making an informed decision whether getting a dog is a right choice for you. And if you ever decide to get one, then all the best to you and welcome to the “Dog Owner’s” world! Finally, here is a picture of our 5-month-old Labradoodle puppy, “Leo”! He means the world to us!

Thanks for reading through this. Please reach out to me at pnbhosale@gmail.com if you have any questions. Happy to assist!