6 things you need to do before bringing a dog into your life

It’s great that you’ve finally decided to bring a dog into your home. But, getting a dog cannot be an emotional decision. Hopefully you’ve thought through some of the changes you’ll have to make in your lifestyle to accommodate the needs of your new family member.

It might take months or weeks of planning to figure out the basics. So, you’ll need to know if you want to rescue a dog from a shelter or get a pure bred puppy. May be you’re living in a tiny apartment and the dog you plan on getting is big and needs ample space to roam about. You’ll need to plan a move to a bigger place or get a smaller dog. You’ll have to make sure that no one in your family suffers from any dog allergies. If you have a packed work schedule and your partner is just as busy—you’ll have to figure out who’s going to take the dog out for a daily walk.

Thinking about all these details implies that you’ll take care of your pooch once you bring it home and not drop it off at your parent’s house when the going gets tough. And worse, you won’t abandon your dog at a shelter cause you didn’t imagine what taking care of one would entail. Yes, getting a dog sounds a lot like marriage—cause in many ways it is one.

1. The breed of the dog matters—did you do your research?

If you are absolutely sure that bringing a dog home is the right decision for you—you need to decide which breed is the right fit. According to the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), pure breeds display some ‘hardwired’ characteristics that can help determine if your lifestyle matches that of the dog. Research on various breeds can help you decide the amount of time and energy you are willing to put into the relationship with your future canine companion.

For example, if you get a bulldog, you don’t need to worry about strenuous exercise routines and apartment living is good too. Bulldogs are small, lazy creatures that don’t demand much space and are happy dozing off in your lap. But, you still need to get them out once a day on moderate bouts of exercise—otherwise they can develop joint problems.

On the other hand, if you get a Siberian Husky, be sure you live in a house that has a fenced backyard cause they need plenty space. These dogs have an exploratory streak that can incite them to jump the fence and run away. So, make sure the fence is strong and tall. Husky’s also need lots of exercise in the open outdoors, which means you need to have lots of open time in your schedule.

2. A dog is a 15-year commitment. Are you ready for it?

If you plan to take it easy this summer, take a long break from work, and focus on your health—it makes sense to get a dog during this time of the year. But, you need to think long term and factor in how busy you are at any time of the year, for the next 15 years.

It may sound bleak to think about the negatives—but getting a dog home cannot be an impulse decision. You’ll need to think about what happens on the rare chance that the dog gets handicapped, develops a lifelong disease, which makes the animal more dependent on you, or where will the dog go if you move to another country?

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide in the U.S. every year. 3.3 million of these homeless animals are dogs. The reason why dogs reach shelters is cause animal control finds them abandoned in streets or cause their owners cannot care for them any longer. Thinking about these numbers will help you understand that getting a dog is not about you alone.

3. Can you really afford to keep a dog?

According to the ASPCA, the annual total first year cost of owning a dog is $1250. This includes food, medical exams, toys and treats, a dog license, a pet health insurance, and miscellaneous expenses. After the first year, the estimate is around $695.

But, these expenses are on the conservative side. They do not include the cost of keeping a dog sitter or walker. If you travel often, it does not include the fee of doggy daycare centers. Some people prefer traveling with their pooches and that’s fine—whether it’s by subway or airplane. But, the New York subway only allows dogs that can fit a bag and you need to pay extra to transport a dog by air.

Some workplaces in the U.S. have become dog friendly and encourage bringing your pet to office— but only once or twice a week. You could solve your problem by using technology to keep an eye on your dog or to give it treats—but these devices still cost money. Owning a dog can also restrict the choice of the apartment you plan to live in. Some buildings prohibit keeping any pets, while others have strict policies against aggressive breeds. Even if the apartment building allows dogs, you need to pay an extra pet fee.

4. The daily ins and outs of owning a dog

If you own a dog, you’ll have to plan your day around the dog. You might have to wake up in the morning, at least an hour before getting ready for work. You’ll take your dog out for a walk in the park. If you need to make sure your dog gets plenty exercise, you can do it now or take it out later. That means ditching social plans for the evening cause your dog needs you to be home.

If you are going to be out for the entire day, you probably have to schedule a dog walker or a dog sitter to come home. This is important cause your dog will need to get outside to relieve itself. If you take your dog out for a walk and he poops on the sidewalk, you need to pick up the poop. You also need to also make sure you have time to discipline your pet—so he/she doesn’t bark or bite anyone on the road.

Planning the dog’s meals and making sure you provide nutritious food at regular intervals according to a timetable is healthy practice. Giving the dog water and cleaning the food and water bowl regularly will keep infection at bay. Making sure your dog sleeps at the right time, at a designated spot, will also help your dog get disciplined.

According to veterinarian Lelan Olsen, different breeds have different needs, but poor hygiene can cause serious illness and costly bills. You’ll need to bathe your dog often but not every day using a pet shampoo. Regular dental care will keep decay, plaque, and tartar away. On a monthly basis, you’ll need to get your dog checked for fleas and ticks. Other areas that can easily develop infection are eyes, ears, and nails. If you own an Alaskan Malamute or a Barbet, you’ll need to groom your furry friend regularly. That means making an appointment for it or doing it on your own.

If you work from home, running to and fro work and office, just to make sure your dog is well cared for, is probably not your concern. But, working still demands your full attention. You’ll do fine with a grown up dog that’s trained and has a schedule that matches yours. But, if you just bought a pup—training the animal is going to demand lots of work to establish some ground rules. If you can’t do it by yourself, you’ll have to go for weekly training classes with your puppy.

5. Are you planning on buying a puppy or rescuing a fully-grown dog?

Some people want a pure breed and want to make sure they get a puppy. It’s important to them that the dog looks a certain way and exhibits behavior that they can handle. Watching the puppy grow up and help train the animal is something they don’t want to miss out on.

According to DoSomething.org (a non-profit for actionable social change driven by youth), approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats that never find homes or shelters are killed per year. For some people, therefore, rescuing a dog is important.

No decision is right or wrong. You have to figure out what’s right for you. Getting a puppy home will mean investing a lot of time, effort, and money into making sure he/she grows up in a safe, attentive environment. Getting an adult rescue dog from a shelter will mean he’ll need time to get close to you and to feel safe in his new home.

If the dog has a history of abuse, he/she may display anxiety around strangers and might also display aggressive behavior toward you. Some dogs that have served in the military also display Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) just like humans do. According to veterinarian Walter F. Burghardt Jr., up to 10 percent of 650 military dogs sent to Iraq and Afghanistan developed the dog version of PTSD.

However, adopting from a shelter means you’ll get a dog at less than half the price than you normally pay for a pure breed. Before choosing a specific dog, you’ll also get to spend time interacting with many dogs in the shelter, which may allow you to stumble upon a breed that you never thought about.

The rescue dog will also come up-to-date with vaccinations and will be neutered. If you are a nervous first time owner, who wants to rescue a dog, you can try fostering one. Since shelters don’t have enough space of their own—they rely on foster homes to allow dogs to grow up in a safe environment before they find permanent homes.

6. Puppy-proofing your house and last-minute things-to-do

Once you’ve figured out all the details and know exactly which dog you are going for and why, you still need to get a few essentials out of the way, before you bring the dog home. You’ll need to go to a pet store and acquire supplies that include a leash, collar and ID tags, bed, food, toys and treats, water and food bowls, and a crate with a gate to limit your dog’s movement around the apartment.

You’ll now need to puppy-proof your entire house. Start by assuming that your puppy is going to put everything in his/her reach into its mouth. A good way to do this is by lying on the ground and carefully scanning places under sofas and beds for anything the puppy can reach. Poisonous chemicals such as cleaning supplies, electric wires, breakables, and all your work stuff—need to be stowed away or put in places that your puppy cannot access.

If you are getting a pure breed home, appointments to get your dog all the necessary vaccinations need to be made beforehand. Everyone in your family needs to know how they are going to train the dog and who’s going to take responsibility for what. There’s got to be a designated place where the puppy’s going to sleep and another designated place where it’s going to poop.

In order to transport the dog home for the first time, you can use a car. But make sure a friend or family member can sit with the puppy in the backseat, holding the animal safely in the lap along the way. The puppy can also be secured using a dog crate. Make sure you drive the car slowly and stop the car at regular intervals so that the puppy doesn’t get carsick.

You should also give the puppy small amounts of water to drink along the way. Once you get home, take the puppy on a house tour so that it gets familiar with what home feels like. Make sure the dog’s homecoming involves few people and that your kids keep safe distance from the puppy for the time being. Your puppy will need peace and quiet to acclimatize.

Giving a dog a happy and healthy home is an awesome thing to do. Congratulations on taking the first step. If you’ve taken the trouble to read through this article, you are already making the effort to adapt your lifestyle to suit the needs of your future family pooch. And like most things in life, even though you can’t plan for many surprises—you’re now prepared for a few bumps along the way.