As the holidays are coming closer and closer, you might want to keep in mind how to take care of a dog if you are planning to get a dog for your family. As a past dog owner, this is my list of five things to keep in mind before getting a dog. Now you will just have to keep in mind that this list will contain the thrills of having a dog, but it will also have the hard things that you might have to go through as well.
1. QUALITY TIME WITH THEM
Dogs are very social animals and are always looking for attention, mainly as a young pup, and so with that you will need to keep in mind that they might want to be with you 24/7. This means you might have to get them a little play buddy, but if you don’t want to or can’t get one for your dog, you will have to become the little play buddy for them. They need to know that you care for them and that they are loved.
2. MOLDING TO YOUR LIFESTYLES
They have to learn how to mold to your family’s style, but that also means that you have to mold to the idea of having an extra living thing in your family. Now I am not saying that it will be super easy or even really hard, but in my opinion, you might just have to roll with anything that comes your way with this new little furball.
3. PUTTING THEM FIRST
As a new dog owner, you will have to keep them in mind for everything. For example, your friends or family want to go out and have fun, but know that you have a new pet that needs to come first. Situations like these become important, and in the end, you might find that staying home will be better for your new dog. While this may impact your social life for a while, you need to put your new dog’s needs first.
4. EXPENSES
In getting a new dog, you will have to keep in mind the expenses that go along with being a pet owner. Many new dogs will have to have shots that need to be given at a certain time in their life. With those comes expenses. Additionally, you will have more expenses like dog food, vet visits, dog grooming and much more. Just be prepared for the big expenses. That’s all I need to say for that — SAVE
5. RESPONSIBILITY
With having this new dog, it does come with responsibility. You need to get them to their vet appointments on time. You need to feed them every day and give them fresh water and make sure they stay active. But with all of these things, you get an amazing friend for you and your family. You also get a protector at the same time and a furry friend to go to when you need to talk to someone who won’t judge. With this dog, you get a new best friend. Yes, it might come with struggles, but it is definitely worth it.
These are my five reminders on what to keep in mind when getting a dog. As a past dog owner, I wish I had someone to tell my parents these things before getting a dog for our family. These insights came to me from having a dog, so I hope these will help you be emotionally and physically prepared for having a dog. For me, I definitely learned a lot from my mistakes, so by keeping the above advice in mind, hopefully you don’t make the mistakes I did as a new dog owner.
