Facts to Know First Before You Get a Dog
Dogs can be there for you when you are down. They can keep you company when you are alone. Even give out a protective bark to let you know danger could be near. Though they are cute and cuddly in the beginning dogs grow up and can sometimes be a bit of a chore. So before you consider buying a dog just keep a few things in mind.
Housing
Depending on where you live and if you’re renting, finding a residence that accepts pets can be a difficult search at times. Unfortunately, past mistakes from previous bad pet owners can make things difficult for good pet owners when it comes to looking for a rental that accepts pets. The perfect place for you may not allow Fido to come with you. But when you do find that pet friendly abode, just realize that you will probably have to pay an extra monthly fee for them.
Training Days
You could have THE smartest dog in the world. They may even pick up your commands quick but there will still be a certain amount of training involved. Sounds easy enough but this part of owning a dog can be quite testing. Depending on your dog's ability to pick up on what you're trying to get across, it may take a long time for your them to be broken in. Getting them to be potty trained or no longer chewing on furniture may be something you have to cope with for a while before they eventually "get it". It may take months of picking up poop and pee or replacing chewed furniture before they learn it's wrong. You have to have a certain amount of tolerance to cope with it. In the beginning, you will be faced with plenty of frustrating and stressful moments but you have to dedicate your time and patience to get your desired affect, lots and lots of patience. Hang in there, just when you think they'll never get it, they get it. And the lesson doesn't stop there. You have continue with it so they continue to know right from wrong throughout their little furry lives.
Medical Expenses
Every now and then your pet will need medical attention. It’s better to come to that realization now instead of later. Medical expenses can include costs for annual vaccination shots, allergies, tumor removals, arthritis medications, surgeries and who knows what else. As we all know, pets can't speak nor tell us what is wrong with them. Trying to figure it out could be a costly trial and error. Going through this can be stressful to deal with because in the process of figuring out what's wrong with them you might have to watch them suffer until the problem is solved. Not to wish any harm to the little one, but you never know what situations could arise. Majority of veterinary hospitals don’t have a payment plan. You pay upfront and those veterinary bills can be quite a shock to the budget. If you do find yourself with a pet that is starting to accrue medical expenses you might consider pet insurance. Hmmm....is that another expense I hear?
Potty Breaks
If you don’t have a backyard for your pet to use the bathroom in, there’s always the challenge of taking your dog out for a potty break. It can sometimes end up being a monotonous chore that you wish you didn’t have to do. It at times becomes bothersome when you have to interrupt what you're doing in order to take them for a walk. Sleeping in ceases to exist. And in weather conditions like rain or those snow filled winter months, it can be tough to make yourself get out with them but when they gotta go, they gotta go. Perhaps you can try to teach your dog how to use the toilet and then make millions from teaching your technique. Then you never having to worry about the expenses of owning a dog again. Problem solved!
Traveling
When traveling out of town or out of the country, keeping your pooch in a kennel can add to your traveling budget if you don’t have anyone to take care of them. Not to mention, finding a place to kennel your dog can be a daunting search. Just like with your children, you want them to have the best care. Expenses for this can run over $250 if your vacation stay is a week or more. There’s also the worry. Dropping off your pet is almost as stressful as a parent dropping off their child on their first day of kindergarten. You’re leaving it up to total strangers to take care of them and you can’t help but worry. Even if you do decide to skip the long goodbyes and choose to have your pet fly with you while traveling don't forget to look into the price tag on flying your them. Believe it or not, It'll be almost the cost of your flight, depending on what carrier you use.
Death
No doubt about it, this of all the things listed can be the hardest and most emotional to get through. More than likely, they will die before you. Watching them go through the phases as they near the end of their days, can be overwhelming to say the least. Though you can extend your dog's life with good care and diet this step in their life is inevitable. Whether you are a child or an adult it is difficult to handle the death of a pet given the type of bond that can come with having a dog.They become a family member and it's never easy losing a loved one.
Having a dog can bring plenty of happiness and joy in the home. Hopefully these things to consider haven't completely driven you away from getting one. Training and expenses for food and vaccinations are automatically considered when thinking of owning a dog. But other costs and fees can go along with it. Being an owner can be emotionally draining and financially depleting in the long run. As long as you are aware of some of these facts you can go about making an informative decision on purchasing your new pet.
