This coronavirus pandemic has made everyone and their mom want a dog like never before! This is still a good thing, but people need to consider the needs of their dog before getting a dog. You can have life restart after cornavirus and then throw the dog out like it is trash. I hate that I have to say this and that people do not plan for things ahead of time like they should. Also to consider, There is a certain cost to a dog from food that they need to medical care just like our own can be expensive. I have worked at Petmart so long that people are always complaining about the cost of their dog. Just like everything else it costs money. That is just a fact. Prepare you budget accordingly. Even doing price research before you get your dog.
Dogs need exercise!
Dogs have been used by humans either for hunting or farming. With the modern age a lot of people do not have to live on a farm, or work to get their food from the land. The dogs were bred to have energy for a milenia do they WILL have it. When you think of a dog you think “Man’s best friend”. In reality what you want is just an animal to sit there and look cute without needing anything at all. This is harmful to the dog because this thinking does not allow for the dogs needs. All dogs have a need to exerscise. Also, if you do not have a regular schedule with your work you may not want a dog because dogs need a regular schedule for structure. There are a lot of problems that can come from an irregular schedule. It would be like if you had a friend and they called you at all the wrong times. The best thing for you and your friend is to pick a time that works best for the both of you.
Here is a demo schedule that you can base your own off of.
Wake up
Feed your dog (if it is a puppy)
Exercise/Potty training for puppies
Either/or
Feeding your dog (if it is an adult)
Nap time
*THEN THE SCHEDULE WILL REPEAT
When the dog has just woken up from a nap they will NOT behave. They are ready to work and they are looking for something to do ***Including jumping and barking***. So make schedules in your work to address these and you will not have a problem. They do not have to be at the EXACT same time. They just have to be in the same order.
Pure Bred verses Rescue
This is a hard thing to talk about but I do want to go over it. The benefits to purebred dogs is just like when you walk into a Walmart or a McDonalds. You know what you are going to get. What attributes, what health concerns everything. Also with a purbred if you are paying 2000$ or more for a purbred dog, MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR PAPERS! I cannot stress this enough, and I wish there was more regulation on the breeding of dogs to begin with. That would be it’s own article. At this point if you breed the wrong purbreds together ignoring bloodlines that have gone for generations you will have an unhealthy dog. That would just be a tragedy.
Same with designer dogs: Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, cockapoos, and more. People spend WAY too much on designer dogs, just as much as purbreds. Designer dogs were developed to be hypoallergenic to humans. Depending on the human it could be fine, but you have to still consider the needs of that designer dog. They still need grooming and sometimes even MORE exercise that would NOT work for someone who is not as active.
Rescues are the ones near and dear ro my heart. Many people do not spay and neuter their dogs for various reasons. Rescues are the one that are dumped and left behind for no one to take care of. They can be some of the best dogs especially if their socilization is good. That is the biggest issues with recues are they may not have had the same oppurtunites as purbreds or designer dogs. I have only had rescue dogs because they are cheaper, and they are a part of a higher goal. That is to give a every dog a home no matter where they come from. They also have a lot of less health issues on average because the genetics are not so tightly controlled.
Having a dog can be the best experience of your life. The “Man’s best friend” is true in the sense that you have a relationship with this dog that will be tighter then that of your own family. With that relationship comes responsibilty. Please take the challenges with your dog as a chance to better yourself as a person instead of just blaming the dog who has no control of their situation. It will be the best experience of your life.
Pawvana 