Questions to ask yourself before getting a pup
By Scotty Valadao – Accredited Animal Behaviourist (Canine) (ABC of SA™)
Getting a pup could be one of the most rewarding things you ever do and is an exciting event for an individual or family. There is not much that can beat that adorable face that is always delighted to see us, and it often seems that no matter what we do or say to them, they look at us as if we are their favourite bone and ignore and forgive all the mistakes we make.
However, so often this is an emotional purchase and very little, or any, thought is put into the decision of buying a dog. We need to think ahead that a dog could have a life expectancy of well over a decade, may be too large for young children, has sharp teeth that could sink into soft human flesh and damage our families etc. Why do we not think about things like this and the points below? Simple, people are not educated to think in this manner! Owning a dog is a lifetime commitment, and not only do you, the potential owner, owe it to yourself to think it through thoroughly before you buy your pup, the prospective pup deserves the time and energy this involves.
The majority of dogs that end up in shelters are approximately 8-24 months of age. If owners had put more thought into the purchase, I personally believe that the shelters would not be as busy as they always are, and be faced with the horrific prospect of putting down countless unwanted dogs, all of whom only needed a caring and educated owner
Questions to ask yourself and your family
Are you sure you want a dog? Dogs are extremely time-consuming and do require a lot of attention and care. If you are unable too, or don’t want to invest the time a dog will need, then perhaps you need to look at getting another type of pet – one that is less high maintenance?
Is it to replace a dog that has passed? If the dog has passed recently, firstly let yourself grieve your loss. According to the late, Swiss-born psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, there are five stages of grief, and each individual will go through these at their own pace depending on their relationship and bond with the dog. There is no time frame to this process and different people will be ready to get another dog in their own good time. (Hi, also see if you can get a pic of an old dog at shelter, or what about bob??)
As you can never replace one child with another; neither can you replace a dog that has passed over with another dog. Often, people who have not gone through the grieving process will get a dog too soon and end up comparing it with the new edition. Dogs, as humans, are individuals, and comparing the current dog with one that they had before, even if the same breed, just doesn’t work, is unfair to the dog and often a bond is never formed.
What are your family’s expectations of the new puppy? It is a good idea to get the family to put together a list of what they want from the dog. If you have a husband who wants a large watch dog, a mother who wants something small for company, one child who wants an energetic dog to go running and playing with, another who wants a dog to cuddle up too, one who want to enter the dog in agility or the like, they will soon realize that they have a potential problem on their hands! This may sound rather unlikely, but unfortunately it happens all too often – people don’t talk! The first step in deciding what breed you want is for all members in the family to make a list of their expectations and the reasons they want a pup and then to sit down and discuss the various options and reach a compromise.
Are you thinking of getting a breed you have had before? If you have always had a particular breed, such as a Collie and now decide to get another one, have a look at how your own life may have changed since you last had a puppy - can you handle this type of dog at your current age, do you have a large enough garden for one, do you have the time for exercise etc.
If you have existing dogs, how will the new pup fit in? Situations where people already have two dogs and suddenly decide they want another happen on a daily basis, not always with a positive outcome. It may be a case of them being a caring person and adopting a dog that was found on the side of the road etc.
What is often not realized is that the addition of this new dog could very well upset the apple cart in their own pack and cause reactive behaviour. When you have an existing pack that co-habits happily, you owe it to the pack not to cause unnecessary eruptions. You would be far better off taking the pup to the local vet or rescue centre and do further research on the breed and gender you are considering before making the purchase.
I want a dog for protection If this is the reason for purchasing a pup, forget it. Dogs are animals that require attention and not watch dogs that spend all their time in the yard as security measures – rather invest in electric fencing or an alarm, or both!
Some of the reasons not to invest in a dog for protection - dogs are social animals and will be very unhappy living outside by themselves, and may well develop behaviour problems. A dog living outside can easily be poisoned. Thirdly, a dog that is not sufficiently looked after and made to feel that the family is part of its pack is more likely to look after itself and its own territory, not the family. A dog that is part of the family, is kept inside at night, is more likely to be a deterrent to a potential burglar by barking from inside the house, raising the alarm, rather than outside in the garden.
Dogs that are bought as watchdogs/protection dogs tend to be breeds that are perceived to be good for protection such as Rotti’s, Boerboel etc. Do you really want one of these dogs, untrained, mixing with your kids or visitors when outside, or heavens forbid dashing out the gate (by mistake of course) when somebody else is walking their little Maltese?
Are all members of the family ready for a new pup? If you are pregnant or considering a family, now may not be the time for a new pup as you will have your hands full with baby responsibilities and have very little free time for the pup. Also, if you have very young children, it would be better to wait till the child is older and more responsible. It is very difficult to watch a young child and pup 24/7 and ensure that the puppy’s ear/hair/tail etc are not pulled and to watch that the pup does not start to use the child as the newest chew toy!
You may desperately want a new pup but your spouse could be totally against it. Married life is difficult enough without adding in additional stress factors and what a way for a dog to come into a family – unwanted - dogs feel stress as well!
Can you make sure that your dog receives sufficient interaction with different people? Again, this may sound like a strange statement, but all too often I work with dogs that are afraid of men, children or different cultures, simply because they have not had enough interaction with them
Are you thinking about changing jobs, just changed, or are in line for promotion? This could mean that you may be busier at work than normal, may have to travel, and that your times may not be the same as they were before thus, making it more difficult to take a few days off to help the pup settle and to spend the time necessary with it.
Is this pup for you or your child? I have seen parents give into a child’s constant demands to get a puppy with the child promising to feed it, play with it, walk it etc – well – we all know what happens there the majority of the time, don’t we?
There is no set age to give a child a dog, but it is estimated that the child should be older that 7yrs of age – an age where the child starts to have the emotional maturity and understanding to work with a puppy, and even then I feel this age is far too young. If you are considering a pup for your child, then rather look at the child as an individual, rather than of a certain age and perhaps ask yourself some of the following questions to ascertain for yourself that the child is responsible enough before making a decision:-
o Does the child take the responsibility his/her given chores without too much trouble?
o Does your child have the time needed, given different school events, homework, sports regime, play groups, exams etc, to care for the pup on a daily basis?
o Is your child prepared to take the pup out in the middle of the night for toilet training?
If the parents are under the impression that the pup will teach the child responsibility - it just doesn’t work (on average), the person who ends up looking after the pup (often resentfully) is Mum who may already have a full time job and her hands full when she comes home with supper, homework etc. A pup is not a toy; it is a living, breathing animal that has needs which have to be met.
Another aspect to consider if the parent has decided to give the child, after due consideration, a puppy. The breed to be chosen then needs to be carefully considered. I once had a client who purchased a GSD for a 5 year little girl. All was fine till the pup reached about 5/6 months, then the child could simply not handle the dog and the dog ended up taking the girl for a walk. If, given the above, you have decided to go the route of buying the child a pup, then do wait until the school holidays so that the child has the time to toilet train the pup and accompany it to puppy school.
Are you going on holiday soon?This is an important question to consider as what will happen to the pup, and additionally that the owners will miss out on the crucial period of between 8 – 16 weeks. People do not always realize how much time is involved in looking after the pup initially and it may be better to get the pup when the person has time to spend at home with the pup. If the holiday is close to when they want to adopt a pup, the breeder (if worth their salt) will normally keep the puppy a bit longer, as long as it has been paid for, or and a better alternative, wait for a pup from the next letter.
I want a dog for company This happens a lot more than people realize and is often an emotional, spontaneous purchase from anywhere other than a reputable breeder. On occasion, people, after a death in the family, a divorce, couples unable to have children etc, will get a pup for company. What then happens when new friends enter their life or a new relationship starts? A dog is not a substitute for a child or another human being. Pups that are purchased for this reason are often exposed to anthropomorphism – where the dog is treated like a human. This is not what dogs are, they are dogs, not people, and treating a dog like this could well result in behaviour problems such as separation anxiety, reactive behaviour, demanding behaviour, over dependency etc. Also bear in mind that a dog needs canine interaction, not just human interaction. Failure to meet with this need may well result in a dog that is fearful or reactive to other dogs and develop other, unwanted behaviours. Then what happens when the person’s lifestyle changes and they get a new partner or new friends – the dogs place in their lives changes completely, often for the worse.
In cases such as these, often the breed is not carefully looked at and heartbreak could be the result. An example of this (and I have many!) is a 65 year old client that got a Rotti, both for company and security. As much as this man loved the dog, he just couldn’t control, or manage to exercise the dog. This dog ended up in a shelter as no home could be found. The reasons that dogs end up at shelters is so very varied and at the risk of repeating myself, if some thought and time had been spent examining the motives for buying a pup or dog, situations such as the above could have been avoided.
I want a dog like Lassie. Pictures/movies/adverts such as Lassie, A Hundred and One Dalmatians, Jock of the Bushveld, Rin Tin Tin and the numerous adverts featuring dogs etc, results in people wanting to get a dog ‘just like that dog on TV’. What they don’t realize is that the dog in the picture has been extensively trained to perform the particular behaviours. Not only that, many of these behaviours are ‘chained/linked’ together to form a sequence and are not something the dog would do naturally.
Unfortunately, with dogs that are the current ‘flavour of the month’ you will find that there is a lot of backyard or unethical breeders who will take advantage of the current rage and breed from inferior stock. This once again often ends up with dogs in rescue centres, or worse.
Another point here is ‘famous’ people appearing on TV with their dogs in tow. Over the last few years small dogs, such as Paris Hilton’s Chihuahua, have become the rage with pre teens and teenagers. So often all these adolescents think the dog is for is to carry them around under their arms, or heavens forbid in a bag, with no thought as to the rest of the time.
Are you thinking about getting a pup for a boyfriend/girlfriend etc? This is also a situation where pups very often end up at Rescue Shelters. If the person really does want a pup, then rather give them a cheque towards the purchase together with a good book such as Dr. Ian Dunbar ‘Before and After Getting a Puppy’ and a list of reputable breeders.
Is the pup going to be left alone all day? If so, this is just not fair to the pup. Apart from the fact that a pup needs to eat 3/4 times a dog for a substantial period, dogs are very social animals and being left alone all day can result in a dog becoming stressed.
This stress very often results in behaviour problems. There are ways to solve this situation such as a dog-sitter or taking your pup to dog day care. In a case such as this, will the owner have the time or inclination to give the pup the attention it needs and deserves, play with it, take it for walks etc after a long day at work?
Are you thinking about downsizing your home? There are more and more situations like this occurring and I get at least 2 e-mails per day of dogs looking for new homes due to both relocation and downsizing.
Previously, down sizing happened as people were approaching or reached retirement, but with the economic and security climate nowadays, downsizing occurs much more frequently. The new home may have a garden that is pocket sized and totally unsuitable, or that the complex does not allow pets or only allows certain breeds.
This is not to say that you can’t keep a dog in a small area – you can. I had my 58kg Rotti staying with us in a double story house in Portugal with only a veranda for his outside needs. Needless to say he was walked three times per day and was perfectly happy. This is a common situation in the UK and I also believe in certain parts of the USA.
Are you living in a Townhouse or Flat? If so, you will firstly have to make sure that dogs are allowed and also what breeds, weights or sizes are allowed, there are often restrictions. If you are in a flat, is there an appropriate area near by to take the dog out to cater for its elimination needs, and what arrangements have been made for the dog to eliminate inside when you are out?
Are you considering emigrating? Emigration is something that is on the rise. Even if the prospective owner may only be considering the move two years from now when their child finishes matric or similar, a decision of what to do with the dog still needs to be taken into consideration. The number of people looking for homes for their pets has risen astronomically over the past few years as I mentioned before, there are daily e-mails doing the rounds about dogs looking for homes. We just have to realize that the majority of these dogs will not be homed – then what happens to them??
You have decided to go ahead with the purchase of a new pup, now ask yourself and your family some more questions
Can you afford to buy a dog from a reputable breeder? These dogs will cost a lot more than those found in other places, with good reason.
Who will exercise the dog? As we all know, a dog needs regular exercise, not just from the physical point of view but for mental stimulation as well.
Who will be responsible for washing and grooming the dog? In the event that they will not be taking the dog to a parlour, whose responsibility will it be?
If the dog is a breed that requires grooming at a parlour, can you afford it? This should be taken into account when looking for a breed and enquiries at parlours should be made as to how much it costs and how often the pup will need to go.
Who is going to be at home to look after and supervise the puppy?You can’t just leave a puppy unsupervised when it first comes home. Somebody has to supervise same.
Who will take charge of house/toilet training? To ensure that your dog learns where to eliminate requires dedication and consistency.
Whose job will it be to feed the dog? A puppy requires feeding 3 to 4 times a day and when matures, twice a day.
Can you afford to give your dog good quality dog food? Good quality dog food, sold at vets and up-market pet shops, is, for obvious reasons, much more expensive than brands bought elsewhere. However, what people do not always reason is that this expense results in lower vet bills due to better health, longer life, less or no ‘ rear end smells’ (flatulence) and much less dog poop in the garden. When feeding a good quality food you will actually end up feeding your dog less quantity.
Are there sufficient funds to cover the veterinary fees for inoculations, de-worming, sterilization, medical problems etc? Your local vet will be able to give you the estimated cost for keeping a dog per annum. Also what needs to be taken into account is the licences, the micro chips, shampoo, deworming, flea and tic products etc. If you decide on a canine medical aid, you will need to find out the cost of this as well. Where will the dog sleep? Do you have an area where the pup can sleep safely?
If you are going to crate train, can you afford the crate? The price of crates has increased a lot over the last 5 years. A crate is a wonderful investment. Not only does it help to have pups easily and quickly toilet trained, a pup can be taught to spend time in its crate chewing which will save the furniture from sharp little teeth and it teaches the dog to settle down. A crate is never a place of punishment or where a pup/dog is locked up in. It is a place of safety.
What will the equipment cost? Collar and leads, blankets and kennels, bowls, beds, toys, etc cost?
What is the cost of puppy socialization and who will take the puppy? All pups should be exposed to a good puppy socialization class. I do not consider this a cost, rather an investment! As these normally occur on a Saturday morning or afternoon, who is going to give up that time to take the pup and to do the exercises that are taught and the additional socializing?
What is the cost of further obedience training and who will take the dog? Although this is not an absolute necessity, especially if the dog is well socialized within the family and on walks and this is maintained on a regular basis, it should be taken into account and a good idea to consider.
Will the dog be boarded if you go on holiday, or perhaps the services of a house sitter are obtained, what are the costs of this? All of these options cost money. It is also possible to take your dogs with you; a crate is excellent for this.
I am not trying to put off people getting dogs. In my opinion, I feel that every family should have at least one dog, but being realistic about what to expect and what it can cost is something every potential dog owner should think about rather than ‘emotional purchasing’ of a cute pup.
If you raise a pup properly, you will create a happy, well behaved member of your family that will bring you years of joy – if you don’t; you are facing the possibility of re-homing or even having the dog euthanized.
However, so often this is an emotional purchase and very little, or any, thought is put into the decision of buying a dog. We need to think ahead that a dog could have a life expectancy of well over a decade, may be too large for young children, has sharp teeth that could sink into soft human flesh and damage our families etc. Why do we not think about things like this and the points below? Simple, people are not educated to think in this manner! Owning a dog is a lifetime commitment, and not only do you, the potential owner, owe it to yourself to think it through thoroughly before you buy your pup, the prospective pup deserves the time and energy this involves.
The majority of dogs that end up in shelters are approximately 8-24 months of age. If owners had put more thought into the purchase, I personally believe that the shelters would not be as busy as they always are, and be faced with the horrific prospect of putting down countless unwanted dogs, all of whom only needed a caring and educated owner
Questions to ask yourself and your family
Are you sure you want a dog? Dogs are extremely time-consuming and do require a lot of attention and care. If you are unable too, or don’t want to invest the time a dog will need, then perhaps you need to look at getting another type of pet – one that is less high maintenance?
Is it to replace a dog that has passed? If the dog has passed recently, firstly let yourself grieve your loss. According to the late, Swiss-born psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, there are five stages of grief, and each individual will go through these at their own pace depending on their relationship and bond with the dog. There is no time frame to this process and different people will be ready to get another dog in their own good time. (Hi, also see if you can get a pic of an old dog at shelter, or what about bob??)
As you can never replace one child with another; neither can you replace a dog that has passed over with another dog. Often, people who have not gone through the grieving process will get a dog too soon and end up comparing it with the new edition. Dogs, as humans, are individuals, and comparing the current dog with one that they had before, even if the same breed, just doesn’t work, is unfair to the dog and often a bond is never formed.
What are your family’s expectations of the new puppy? It is a good idea to get the family to put together a list of what they want from the dog. If you have a husband who wants a large watch dog, a mother who wants something small for company, one child who wants an energetic dog to go running and playing with, another who wants a dog to cuddle up too, one who want to enter the dog in agility or the like, they will soon realize that they have a potential problem on their hands! This may sound rather unlikely, but unfortunately it happens all too often – people don’t talk! The first step in deciding what breed you want is for all members in the family to make a list of their expectations and the reasons they want a pup and then to sit down and discuss the various options and reach a compromise.
Are you thinking of getting a breed you have had before? If you have always had a particular breed, such as a Collie and now decide to get another one, have a look at how your own life may have changed since you last had a puppy - can you handle this type of dog at your current age, do you have a large enough garden for one, do you have the time for exercise etc.
If you have existing dogs, how will the new pup fit in? Situations where people already have two dogs and suddenly decide they want another happen on a daily basis, not always with a positive outcome. It may be a case of them being a caring person and adopting a dog that was found on the side of the road etc.
What is often not realized is that the addition of this new dog could very well upset the apple cart in their own pack and cause reactive behaviour. When you have an existing pack that co-habits happily, you owe it to the pack not to cause unnecessary eruptions. You would be far better off taking the pup to the local vet or rescue centre and do further research on the breed and gender you are considering before making the purchase.
I want a dog for protection If this is the reason for purchasing a pup, forget it. Dogs are animals that require attention and not watch dogs that spend all their time in the yard as security measures – rather invest in electric fencing or an alarm, or both!
Some of the reasons not to invest in a dog for protection - dogs are social animals and will be very unhappy living outside by themselves, and may well develop behaviour problems. A dog living outside can easily be poisoned. Thirdly, a dog that is not sufficiently looked after and made to feel that the family is part of its pack is more likely to look after itself and its own territory, not the family. A dog that is part of the family, is kept inside at night, is more likely to be a deterrent to a potential burglar by barking from inside the house, raising the alarm, rather than outside in the garden.
Dogs that are bought as watchdogs/protection dogs tend to be breeds that are perceived to be good for protection such as Rotti’s, Boerboel etc. Do you really want one of these dogs, untrained, mixing with your kids or visitors when outside, or heavens forbid dashing out the gate (by mistake of course) when somebody else is walking their little Maltese?
Are all members of the family ready for a new pup? If you are pregnant or considering a family, now may not be the time for a new pup as you will have your hands full with baby responsibilities and have very little free time for the pup. Also, if you have very young children, it would be better to wait till the child is older and more responsible. It is very difficult to watch a young child and pup 24/7 and ensure that the puppy’s ear/hair/tail etc are not pulled and to watch that the pup does not start to use the child as the newest chew toy!
You may desperately want a new pup but your spouse could be totally against it. Married life is difficult enough without adding in additional stress factors and what a way for a dog to come into a family – unwanted - dogs feel stress as well!
Can you make sure that your dog receives sufficient interaction with different people? Again, this may sound like a strange statement, but all too often I work with dogs that are afraid of men, children or different cultures, simply because they have not had enough interaction with them
Are you thinking about changing jobs, just changed, or are in line for promotion? This could mean that you may be busier at work than normal, may have to travel, and that your times may not be the same as they were before thus, making it more difficult to take a few days off to help the pup settle and to spend the time necessary with it.
Is this pup for you or your child? I have seen parents give into a child’s constant demands to get a puppy with the child promising to feed it, play with it, walk it etc – well – we all know what happens there the majority of the time, don’t we?
There is no set age to give a child a dog, but it is estimated that the child should be older that 7yrs of age – an age where the child starts to have the emotional maturity and understanding to work with a puppy, and even then I feel this age is far too young. If you are considering a pup for your child, then rather look at the child as an individual, rather than of a certain age and perhaps ask yourself some of the following questions to ascertain for yourself that the child is responsible enough before making a decision:-
o Does the child take the responsibility his/her given chores without too much trouble?
o Does your child have the time needed, given different school events, homework, sports regime, play groups, exams etc, to care for the pup on a daily basis?
o Is your child prepared to take the pup out in the middle of the night for toilet training?
If the parents are under the impression that the pup will teach the child responsibility - it just doesn’t work (on average), the person who ends up looking after the pup (often resentfully) is Mum who may already have a full time job and her hands full when she comes home with supper, homework etc. A pup is not a toy; it is a living, breathing animal that has needs which have to be met.
Another aspect to consider if the parent has decided to give the child, after due consideration, a puppy. The breed to be chosen then needs to be carefully considered. I once had a client who purchased a GSD for a 5 year little girl. All was fine till the pup reached about 5/6 months, then the child could simply not handle the dog and the dog ended up taking the girl for a walk. If, given the above, you have decided to go the route of buying the child a pup, then do wait until the school holidays so that the child has the time to toilet train the pup and accompany it to puppy school.
Are you going on holiday soon?This is an important question to consider as what will happen to the pup, and additionally that the owners will miss out on the crucial period of between 8 – 16 weeks. People do not always realize how much time is involved in looking after the pup initially and it may be better to get the pup when the person has time to spend at home with the pup. If the holiday is close to when they want to adopt a pup, the breeder (if worth their salt) will normally keep the puppy a bit longer, as long as it has been paid for, or and a better alternative, wait for a pup from the next letter.
I want a dog for company This happens a lot more than people realize and is often an emotional, spontaneous purchase from anywhere other than a reputable breeder. On occasion, people, after a death in the family, a divorce, couples unable to have children etc, will get a pup for company. What then happens when new friends enter their life or a new relationship starts? A dog is not a substitute for a child or another human being. Pups that are purchased for this reason are often exposed to anthropomorphism – where the dog is treated like a human. This is not what dogs are, they are dogs, not people, and treating a dog like this could well result in behaviour problems such as separation anxiety, reactive behaviour, demanding behaviour, over dependency etc. Also bear in mind that a dog needs canine interaction, not just human interaction. Failure to meet with this need may well result in a dog that is fearful or reactive to other dogs and develop other, unwanted behaviours. Then what happens when the person’s lifestyle changes and they get a new partner or new friends – the dogs place in their lives changes completely, often for the worse.
In cases such as these, often the breed is not carefully looked at and heartbreak could be the result. An example of this (and I have many!) is a 65 year old client that got a Rotti, both for company and security. As much as this man loved the dog, he just couldn’t control, or manage to exercise the dog. This dog ended up in a shelter as no home could be found. The reasons that dogs end up at shelters is so very varied and at the risk of repeating myself, if some thought and time had been spent examining the motives for buying a pup or dog, situations such as the above could have been avoided.
I want a dog like Lassie. Pictures/movies/adverts such as Lassie, A Hundred and One Dalmatians, Jock of the Bushveld, Rin Tin Tin and the numerous adverts featuring dogs etc, results in people wanting to get a dog ‘just like that dog on TV’. What they don’t realize is that the dog in the picture has been extensively trained to perform the particular behaviours. Not only that, many of these behaviours are ‘chained/linked’ together to form a sequence and are not something the dog would do naturally.
Unfortunately, with dogs that are the current ‘flavour of the month’ you will find that there is a lot of backyard or unethical breeders who will take advantage of the current rage and breed from inferior stock. This once again often ends up with dogs in rescue centres, or worse.
Another point here is ‘famous’ people appearing on TV with their dogs in tow. Over the last few years small dogs, such as Paris Hilton’s Chihuahua, have become the rage with pre teens and teenagers. So often all these adolescents think the dog is for is to carry them around under their arms, or heavens forbid in a bag, with no thought as to the rest of the time.
Are you thinking about getting a pup for a boyfriend/girlfriend etc? This is also a situation where pups very often end up at Rescue Shelters. If the person really does want a pup, then rather give them a cheque towards the purchase together with a good book such as Dr. Ian Dunbar ‘Before and After Getting a Puppy’ and a list of reputable breeders.
Is the pup going to be left alone all day? If so, this is just not fair to the pup. Apart from the fact that a pup needs to eat 3/4 times a dog for a substantial period, dogs are very social animals and being left alone all day can result in a dog becoming stressed.
This stress very often results in behaviour problems. There are ways to solve this situation such as a dog-sitter or taking your pup to dog day care. In a case such as this, will the owner have the time or inclination to give the pup the attention it needs and deserves, play with it, take it for walks etc after a long day at work?
Are you thinking about downsizing your home? There are more and more situations like this occurring and I get at least 2 e-mails per day of dogs looking for new homes due to both relocation and downsizing.
Previously, down sizing happened as people were approaching or reached retirement, but with the economic and security climate nowadays, downsizing occurs much more frequently. The new home may have a garden that is pocket sized and totally unsuitable, or that the complex does not allow pets or only allows certain breeds.
This is not to say that you can’t keep a dog in a small area – you can. I had my 58kg Rotti staying with us in a double story house in Portugal with only a veranda for his outside needs. Needless to say he was walked three times per day and was perfectly happy. This is a common situation in the UK and I also believe in certain parts of the USA.
Are you living in a Townhouse or Flat? If so, you will firstly have to make sure that dogs are allowed and also what breeds, weights or sizes are allowed, there are often restrictions. If you are in a flat, is there an appropriate area near by to take the dog out to cater for its elimination needs, and what arrangements have been made for the dog to eliminate inside when you are out?
Are you considering emigrating? Emigration is something that is on the rise. Even if the prospective owner may only be considering the move two years from now when their child finishes matric or similar, a decision of what to do with the dog still needs to be taken into consideration. The number of people looking for homes for their pets has risen astronomically over the past few years as I mentioned before, there are daily e-mails doing the rounds about dogs looking for homes. We just have to realize that the majority of these dogs will not be homed – then what happens to them??
You have decided to go ahead with the purchase of a new pup, now ask yourself and your family some more questions
Can you afford to buy a dog from a reputable breeder? These dogs will cost a lot more than those found in other places, with good reason.
Who will exercise the dog? As we all know, a dog needs regular exercise, not just from the physical point of view but for mental stimulation as well.
Who will be responsible for washing and grooming the dog? In the event that they will not be taking the dog to a parlour, whose responsibility will it be?
If the dog is a breed that requires grooming at a parlour, can you afford it? This should be taken into account when looking for a breed and enquiries at parlours should be made as to how much it costs and how often the pup will need to go.
Who is going to be at home to look after and supervise the puppy?You can’t just leave a puppy unsupervised when it first comes home. Somebody has to supervise same.
Who will take charge of house/toilet training? To ensure that your dog learns where to eliminate requires dedication and consistency.
Whose job will it be to feed the dog? A puppy requires feeding 3 to 4 times a day and when matures, twice a day.
Can you afford to give your dog good quality dog food? Good quality dog food, sold at vets and up-market pet shops, is, for obvious reasons, much more expensive than brands bought elsewhere. However, what people do not always reason is that this expense results in lower vet bills due to better health, longer life, less or no ‘ rear end smells’ (flatulence) and much less dog poop in the garden. When feeding a good quality food you will actually end up feeding your dog less quantity.
Are there sufficient funds to cover the veterinary fees for inoculations, de-worming, sterilization, medical problems etc? Your local vet will be able to give you the estimated cost for keeping a dog per annum. Also what needs to be taken into account is the licences, the micro chips, shampoo, deworming, flea and tic products etc. If you decide on a canine medical aid, you will need to find out the cost of this as well. Where will the dog sleep? Do you have an area where the pup can sleep safely?
If you are going to crate train, can you afford the crate? The price of crates has increased a lot over the last 5 years. A crate is a wonderful investment. Not only does it help to have pups easily and quickly toilet trained, a pup can be taught to spend time in its crate chewing which will save the furniture from sharp little teeth and it teaches the dog to settle down. A crate is never a place of punishment or where a pup/dog is locked up in. It is a place of safety.
What will the equipment cost? Collar and leads, blankets and kennels, bowls, beds, toys, etc cost?
What is the cost of puppy socialization and who will take the puppy? All pups should be exposed to a good puppy socialization class. I do not consider this a cost, rather an investment! As these normally occur on a Saturday morning or afternoon, who is going to give up that time to take the pup and to do the exercises that are taught and the additional socializing?
What is the cost of further obedience training and who will take the dog? Although this is not an absolute necessity, especially if the dog is well socialized within the family and on walks and this is maintained on a regular basis, it should be taken into account and a good idea to consider.
Will the dog be boarded if you go on holiday, or perhaps the services of a house sitter are obtained, what are the costs of this? All of these options cost money. It is also possible to take your dogs with you; a crate is excellent for this.
I am not trying to put off people getting dogs. In my opinion, I feel that every family should have at least one dog, but being realistic about what to expect and what it can cost is something every potential dog owner should think about rather than ‘emotional purchasing’ of a cute pup.
If you raise a pup properly, you will create a happy, well behaved member of your family that will bring you years of joy – if you don’t; you are facing the possibility of re-homing or even having the dog euthanized.
This article is copyrighted and remains the property of the author. Individuals are welcome to print or copy same for their own use in furthering their knowledge of dogs. However, no reproductions or alterations/variations are allowed without the express written consent of the author.
