Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE Getting A Dog - Part 1
Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE Getting A Dog - Part 1
This is a great video to watch before getting a dog; I cover 5 things to think about before getting a dog.
🔻 KEY POINTS
0:47 Head or Heart
2:17 Resources
4:02 Age of Dog
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🔻 TRANSCRIPT
To begin with, I should ask myself what is driving me; Am I motivated by my head or my heart? Let's be honest about that and have a clear analysis to determine if the dream is compatible with what will become my reality for the next 10 to 15 years.
Assuming I'm not living alone, I'll need to interview the members of my family to know if everyone wants, or at least is open, to being part of the project to welcome a dog into our home. This, of course, is just to keep the harmony intact. Perhaps my kids have been trying to convince me for so long that now I'm beginning to think of getting a dog. If that's the case, then I should think again, being very aware that no matter how many promises have been made, the truth is that only the adults will be responsible in the end for both the dog and the kids.
Another detail, and it's not a small one, is that dogs have and will lose hair no matter what season we're in, and they also bring dust (and mud) into the house. It's a wise choice for me to find out if anyone is allergic rather than figuring this out afterwards. If these three points are checked, then let's go on to the next question.
Do I have the resources? These resources are money, time and physical energy. Speaking of money, the cost of a dog isn’t cheap and includes: food!, accessories (like beds, a crate, a safe transport box, toys, brushes), equipment (like leashes, harnesses, collars, medals, and maybe a GPS too), grooming for some of them, a dog walker if I’m working long hours, and doggy-care or a pension if I’m unable to bring him or her with me on my vacation. To this, I also need to add medical and healthcare costs, which means visits to the vet, vaccines, special pills to prevent worms, fleas, ticks, infections several times a year, and other bills and medicines in case of unplanned events. Here in Switzerland, I also have to add him or her to my liability insurance and pay a small, annual tax for public things like off-leash dog parks, doggy bags, and awareness about dogs in general.
From a time perspective, as dogs are intelligent and social, they need us for walks, guidance, teaching, care, and interactions with others and their environment to develop nicely. This is, and will be, the menu of a life, even during bad times, rainy days, and cold nights. Am I really ready and fit for all this? If the answer is yes, then bravo, you’ve earned a treat, and we can move on to question #3.
Should I get a puppy, adult or senior dog? We’re all fans of cute little puppies, including me! But what does it really mean to have a baby dog at home? Well, it’s about starting from scratch, and minimizing our mistakes! Yes, at this young age, human responsibilities will be to provide a lot of care and kind guidance. First, to potty-train (staying nearby, cleaning up, taking the puppy outside, numerous times during the day and the night). Then, to help gain confidence in most common situations in life, I’ll need to have the puppy discover their environment, learn the good doggy-manners, learn how to behave well with other species too, and get to like moments alone, to wait, to give, to come back, etc. - at home and if traveling with me! Don’t worry though, all this can be accomplished using modern, scientifically-proven training or clicker training methods.
Moving on now to adult dogs. They often already know the basics. Depending on their past, they will be very thankful to get a loving family. And, if needed, I know that anyone (including dogs!) can learn at any age and I also know that I can contact a behaviorist to help me and my dog in case of troubles, which might be things like fear, barking, walking on a leash together, etc.
If I feel like all this might be too complicated for me (my long list of conditions) or if I’m living a slower life already, then adopting a senior dog might very well be a good fit for everyone.
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