Questions You Need To Ask Before Getting A Puppy -

Getting a puppy is a big commitment, so before doing so you need to think hard about whether a puppy is right for you. If you’re absolutely 100% sure that it is, then you need to move onto deciding which breed of puppy you should get. Only after you can answer the following questions should you seriously consider getting a new puppy.

So, onto the choosing a puppy quiz. Remember that even if you believe you can answer all these questions now, will that still be the same in 15 years time? The average dog lives for over 10 years and you need to be certain you can care for it throughout its entire lifetime.

1. Do I have time for a new puppy?

This is a big question and shouldn’t be answered lightly. All breeds of dogs can take up a large part of your time. They need exercising, feeding, health care and not to mention a large amount of love and attention. Getting a brand new puppy can be even more time consuming as it involves a lot of training.
Until you’ve had experience living with a dog this can be a difficult question to answer, but there are a few general guidelines you can follow.

• Aim to put aside at least an hour a day to exercise the dog no matter which breed you get. The dog might need even longer than that if it is a large energetic breed.
• When you first get the puppy you should be aiming to do around half an hour training a day (split up into shorter periods).
• Every so often your dog will need to be taken to the vet which can take an hour or more.
• You should also remember that when you’re not around your dog will miss you! There isn’t much point getting a dog if you can’t spend any real time with it after all, so make sure you have enough spare time during the day to spend with the dog.

Spending time having fun with your dog is the best reason of all to get a new puppy, so if you have a busy schedule you should think carefully about whether you can devote enough time to your new pet.

2. Is my house big enough for a dog?

This is often overlooked, but dogs take up a lot of space! If you already have a cramped house getting a dog is definitely not going to help the situation.

This is where the right breed choice comes into play. It’s obvious that bigger dogs need more room in the house to be able to stretch their legs, so if you have a smaller house a smaller breed would be best. Of course if your house is overcrowded already then you’ll need to consider whether it is fair on the dog to keep it cooped up – and whether your family will be able to cope!

 

3. Can I afford a dog?

Another big consideration is whether you can financially support a dog on top of all your other commitments. It’s easy to underestimate how much a dog really costs, so here are a few of the things you’ll need to pay for if you get a new puppy.

• Dog Food
• Health Care
• Training Classes
• Toys and Equipment (i.e. leads, bowls, crates etc)
• Grooming (if required for your dog)

These can add up to a lot of money over time, so you need to be 100% sure you have the money available to care for a dog before you commit.

4. What do I want from a dog?

This is something only you can answer, but you should consider it carefully as it will affect which breed you get. There are many questions that you need to answer yourself personally. For example, do you have young children so need a small dog? Are you living in a flat? Do you live in the city or near woodland? Have you had experience training a dog or do you need one that is intelligent and easier to train? Do you have to have a pure bred? Do you want a house dog? Do you want your dog for protection?

Getting a new puppy is a wonderful time as long as you make sure you are absolutely ready for a pet in your life. I think that the love, effort and care you put into a dog is more than worth the reward you get form building up a wonderful relationship with your pet. However if you aren’t 100% sure you can support a dog then it could spell disaster for both you and the puppy. Try to answer the above choosing a puppy quiz honestly so you can gauge how ready you are to get a new puppy.