People often buy dogs on impulse not considering the cost of care nor the amount of time it takes to properly raise a dog. They then find themselves unprepared to live with the rambunctious puppy they’ve purchased, and unable to care for the adult dog the puppy becomes.
Due to the lack of planning and foresight, and sometimes because of the owner’s fading interest, the dog becomes more and more neglected, may become abandoned, or sometimes becomes sentenced to a life in miserable confinement.
Sometimes, a lack of owner preparation and education can cause the dog to develop behavior problems due to a failure to address socialization and training needs.
You’re being here, indicates to me that you don’t want things to go that way. You want to be an informed and responsible future dog owner, you want to avoid failing your future dog in this way even if this means that you will hold off on acquiring that puppy or that new dog for now. And I am here to help you make an informed and responsible decision on this matter.
Consider below a list of important things to think about BEFORE getting a puppy or dog:
Your Budget
Properly taking care of a dog costs money. Do you have a steady income and enough money in your monthly budget to allocate to dog expenditures? If you are still dependent on your parents for money, consider who will be shouldering your dog’s expenses and discuss with them if they are as committed as you to providing complete care to a pet.
Some of the things you will need to account for in your budget are listed below:
Dog food and supplements
If you are thinking of scrimping on dog food, be aware that feeding unhealthy cheaper brands can predispose your dog to future chronic illnesses that will incur expensive veterinary costs anyway. Premium dog food, or better yet, a balanced home-prepared diet may be more expensive but they are the healthier option and a worthwhile investment in your pet’s health and for disease prevention.
Supplementation is not always required, especially if your dog food is of premium quality. But some dogs with chronic conditions will benefit from taking a few vitamins or other health supplements to boost their immune system and other bodily functions. This again may add another few hundred pesos to your monthly budget.
Grooming
Some dogs will require more grooming than others. Low maintenance, short-coated dogs can be maintained on a weekly bath, but long-haired breeds and dogs with full coats will require grooming by a professional every month or two.
Grooming costs will vary depending on the size of the dog. If you plan on keeping a long-haired or full-coated dog, doing the grooming yourself may not be a good idea if you have had no experience or training doing this. You may seriously injure your dog due to improper use of grooming equipment.
Veterinary Care
Vet visits will be costly in the first 2-6 months of a puppy’s life. In general, your puppy will need deworming and vaccinations every 2-3 weeks until he is about 4 months old.
Disease prevention through vaccinations is much more affordable than treatment of a preventable viral disease, therefore, invest in prophylaxes for your puppy to spare him or her from getting sick and to save you from spending so much more on disease treatment.
Once the puppy shots are done, your dog will require less frequent visits provided he is healthy. At the very least, quarterly to bi-annual vet visits for routine check-ups are what I recommend. You should also be prepared, in case of illness or emergencies, to spend money for a proper consultation with a veterinarian followed by treatment and medication.
Boarding / Pet Sitting / Daycare
If you need to leave your dog in someone else’s care due to work or school or if you expect to travel occasionally, then also figure in expected boarding, pet sitting and daycare costs, especially if there are no family members available, willing or capable to help you out at home.
Boarding and day care will cost much more if you have a larger dog or if you need to pay for special needs services.
Training
Providing mental and physical enrichment, through structured training and recreation under the guidance of a dog training professional may significantly improve the general health and well-being of your dog. Furthermore, certain breeds and individual dogs have specific physical requirements and will require focused training and activities to prevent them from developing problem behaviors.
Pet Accessories
Grooming your dog, sheltering your dog, and providing your dog with training and recreation will all require equipment and accessories. Cheaper products will save you a few pesos but they probably will not last very long and may be unsafe. Expect to spend more if you are looking for safety, quality, and durability in pet accessories. Do-it-yourself solutions are also available if you have some crafting skills, but always remember to use materials that are non-hazardous for your dog.
Your Time and Energy
Consider if your work, school or family activities will allow you to spend time with your dog. Younger dogs, especially, will require much exercise, supervision and training during their early years with you. If you currently enjoy plenty of free time after work: come home to dinner, then fall into bed without a care for anything, be prepared to have your schedule completely rearranged when a dog enters your life.
Here are just a few things that will eat into your schedule once you get a dog:
Food Prep and Feeding
If you feed your dog a commercial dog food out of a food bowl, your life will be pretty simple and you won’t need much time for food prep and feeding. But dogs do better when fed from interactive toys such as Kongs that challenge the dog’s problem-solving skills. Depending on the stuffing you want to give your dog, Kong preparation and cleaning will take considerably more time out of your routine. And so will preparing home-made food that is nutritionally balanced, but it is definitely worth the benefits to your dog’s health.
Potty training requires strict maintenance of a potty schedule to prevent accidents from happening in the wrong places. This may require you to get out of bed at odd hours. Potty training can take a few days to a few weeks, to months even, depending on whether or not your puppy already has a good foundation in potty training from the breeder.
Cleaning
Little puppies can make really big and frequent messes. Aside from poop and pee puddles, you will also be cleaning crates, confinement areas, feeding bowls and other accessories that need regular washing. Count yourself fortunate if you have someone to do the cleaning for you, but I believe that it should primarily be the responsibility of the dog’s owner to clean up after their pet.
Training and Recreation
Whether or not your dog is a puppy or an adult, you need to put time in to teaching him some home manners and at least a little basic obedience. You will also need to exercise him through walks or play to keep him mentally and physically stimulated. I recommend at least 30-45 minute walks daily or even twice daily if possible, especially for young and energetic dogs. Training shouldn’t take more than a few minutes per session, but sessions should happen frequently throughout the day.
Grooming
On top of professional grooming, you will have to bathe your dog at least once or twice a week. Brushing his teeth is effective only if done at least 3 or more times in a week. Ear cleaning and nail trimming may also be on your To-Do list.
Your Space
If you live in an apartment or condo make sure it is pet-friendly. Some apartments will allow pets but restrict some breeds or sizes. Be sure to check what pet care rules and regulations are implemented by the building management. The same should be considered if you rent a house. For apartment-dwellers living in multi-storey buildings, consider if any balconies or rooftops are safe for your would-be pet or if you are allowed to install fencing or gates to secure access to them. In your living space, be it an apartment or a house, consider where your puppy will sleep, where he would poop and pee and if there are nearby places where you can safely walk or exercise him.
Your Family and Household Members
Consider carefully if everyone is comfortable having a dog around the house? Or if they aren’t, how will you ensure that the dog doesn’t bother them? Does anybody have any phobias? Allergies? Some illnesses or disabilities have needs that may clash with the needs of a dog. Who will be responsible for the needs of the dog. Is the dog going to be a shared responsibility or is the person who got the dog the only one responsible for him/her?
While getting a pet for companionship may be a personal decision, unless you live alone, you cannot overlook what the effect of a pet would be on everyone who shares your home with you. Be considerate.
Consider your other pets, too! Many animals will not take kindly to another animal coming to share their living space. Some old and under-socialized pets may find this particularly stressful, while others may adapt to a new furry family member with ease. Try to see things from your current pet’s point of view and possibly consult with a trainer or behavior consultant who already knows your pet to see if they think getting another pet is advisable.
When planning for a new dog, also take resident pets into consideration, whatever species they may be.
Your Future Plans
If you plan to travel soon, if you are going abroad for work or school in the near future, now is not the best time for you to get a dog. Dogs are a life-long commitment, they cannot be discarded on a whim. A dog can live up to 10-15 years or longer depending on the breed and the quality of life. Certainly, you might think of leaving your dog with a family member if travel or moving away suddenly becomes an option in your future, and this might work out well for some pets. But also consider the emotional stress this will put on your dog with whom you have bonded.
Aside from travel, you may be thinking of moving in with someone, getting married or having kids. Changes in your family structure may have an impact on what happens to your dog. At worst, you may have to re-home him due to circumstances beyond your control.
Examine your life direction to avoid that your dog become an unwitting casualty.
EXERCISE:
Think of people who you might interview about what it’s like to own a dog. Ask important questions like how much it costs, and how much time and effort goes into being a dog owner.
To honestly evaluate your ability to take care of a dog, talk to people who you know to be responsible pet owners – those that take their pet to the vet regularly, feed them properly, have them groomed regularly, and that provide their dogs with adequate recreation. Look for people that have dogs of the breed or size that you are interested in. Ask them important questions like if they could give you an estimate of their monthly to yearly budget for dog care and how much time they spend with their dog. Then ask yourself if that is something to which you can commit. After all, you want to enjoy your dog and not feel like he or she is a burden in your life.
Think about and write down the following:
- The budget you can allocate for the care of a potential pet
- Your daily schedule as it is currently, without a dog to care for. Then think about fitting the care of a dog into your schedule.
- Where you would house your potential dog, and where you would take him for walks, play and other exercise
- Consider how other members in the household will feel about a dog in their home.
- Think about your long term plans for the next 15-20 years. Are you going to school? Are you starting a family? Are you planning to move to another country? If you make big life changes, how will your dog be affected?
Take a few more days to think about whether or not you can truly commit to the responsibility of having a dog. Bring everything into consideration, discuss your plans to get a dog with your family.
You may end up realizing that you are not prepared to take on the role of dog owner just yet, and that’s ok. Be responsible enough to recognize that perhaps now is not the right time for such a huge commitment.
Complete your self-assessment honestly and thoroughly. You are making a decision that will impact not only your life, but also the life of the dog that you may potentially end up getting.
If your honest self-assessment has revealed to you that you are truly and without a doubt prepared for dog ownership, in my next blog post, we will set out to find the dog that is right for you.