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Adopting a New Pet
Choosing a new pet is an exciting time but there
are several things to consider, we'll concentrate
on dogs but most of the things discussed here
are relevant to many other animals. Also keep
in mind rescues are an excellent place to find
a new pet as well as giving an animal a second
chance for a loving home.
Before buying a dog you should be aware that
some breeds of dog have been known to live up
to 20 years and most breeds live between
8 and 12 years. With that in mind you must remember
to think about your pet and what will happen when:
you go on holidays, s/he gets sick, you want to
move, s/he isn't as obedient as you'd like/destroys
the couch. It's not always easy!
What Type Of Dog Will Suit Me (and what type
of dog will I suit)?
Think about the kind of lifestyle you have. Are
you a very active person, or do you prefer to
sit around the house a bit more? Are you willing
to have your new pet inside? How do you feel about
"fluff"? Do you live in a house, townhouse
or a unit and do you have a backyard? How big
is it and is there grass or is it mainly paved?
How high is your fence? Living in a small home
does not necessarily mean you cannot have
a larger breed. Greyhounds, contrary to what you
might think would usually rather spend most of
the day lounging around on a comfy couch.
How much are you willing to spend on food? How
much time are you willing to spend training, grooming
and exercising the dog? Is what you have in mind
appropriate for the breed of dog you want? You
will need to do some research (which can be FUN).
Kids
Is there, or are there likely to be children
in future? If there are children how old are they
and how mature? Children can be a big issue for
prospective owners, and there are additional considerations
if children are in the household.
Some breeds are good with older children while
others are considered to be very good with even
young children.
We do stress, however, children should never
be left unsupervised with dogs, too many accidents
can happen to both child and dog.
Children should be taught how to treat a dog:
hitting, kicking, screaming, poking, teasing etc
are not okay. Remember that dogs
are living beings, not toys. Even the most sedate
dog could eventually snap in response to this
kind of behaviour.
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