- 7
Essential Tips For Picking a Family Dog
- by: JR Rich
You've decided that it's time
for your family to get that dog that everyone has been clamoring
for. Maybe you've done a little research - looked at a few web
sites - but you're still not sure.
Picking a family dog is an important
decision in the life of most every family. Every member has his
or her own visions of what the perfect dog should be. But, personal
preferences aside, there are 'reality-check' questions that must
be dealt with first.
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What sort of companion are you
looking for? What size is best? What breed?
Before you pack everyone into
the van and head over to the mall, ask yourself these 7 questions:
-- Time
Do you and your family actually
have the time necessary to care for a new puppy? If both adults
are working all day (and sometimes, well into the night), will
the dog be left alone for long stretches? Dogs are social animals
and, like many people, can get very lonely if left by themselves.
And, when dogs get lonely, they can get very destructive!
-- Location
Do you live in an apartment?
Or do you have a nice house in the suburbs? You don't want a
Mastiff if you live on the third floor in a one-bedroom "Efficiency"
apartment! Dogs need exercise and, the larger they are, the more
room they need. |
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-- Maintenance Costs
Can you afford it? When picking
a family dog, you have to consider what the animal will cost.
Not just the purchase price from the breeder but ALL the costs.
You'll have food (A large breed can eat five pounds of food per
day!), Vet bills, vaccinations, registration, dog crate, grooming,
insurance and more. Make sure that you're ready for these additional
costs.
-- Destruction Potential
This falls right in line with
maintenance costs - if your new puppy decides to become destructive,
replacement of clothes, shoes, furniture and carpets can get
very large indeed! To keep destruction to a minimum, seriously
consider that you will need to devote the time necessary to properly
train the puppy.
-- Which Breed
Large or small? Long-haired or
short? Frisky or calm? You'll want to pick a breed that's suitable
to your home size and your family's temperament. Large dogs need
lots of room and exercise. Small dogs are happy anywhere.
-- Where to Buy
Pet store, neighbor or professional
breeder? This one is easy! Always go to a professional breeder.
Pet stores are generally manned by hourly workers who couldn't
care less about their charges!
Getting a dog from your neighbor
or friend is probably unwise. You don't know about any vaccinations
the dog has had and diseases can be common in an unprofessional
household.
The professional breeder, on
the other hand, knows how to care for pups, knows how to properly
breed their dogs, and can point you in the right 'selection direction'!
Definitely go with a professional dog breeder!
-- Family Involvement
When picking a family dog, it
should go without saying - "Involve The Family!" Make
sure that everyone has a buy-in to the final decision.
Dole out responsibilities according
to each members' capabilities, desires and agreement. For example,
the son can take care of making sure the water dish is clean
and full. The daughter can measure out the daily food. Mom might
take on the bathing. Dad supervises (just kidding!)
When everyone has a part to play,
the daily maintenance routine will be a lot more fun!
This list is not "All-Encompassing"
by any means. There will be seemingly endless questions. However,
this 'quick-list' will get you started.
The most important point to remember
when picking a family dog is to get the entire family involved.
Have everyone 'buy-in' to the questions above - making sure that
the individual responsibilities are agreed to beforehand. A "Letter
of Agreement", signed by each family member will help everyone
remember the part(s) they agreed to play.
After all, this decision isn't
really about just choosing a dog - it's about adding a new member
to your family!
You have permission to publish
this article electronically or in print, as long as the resource
box at the end is included. A courtesy copy of your publication
(or link) would be greatly appreciated. (Please note: This article
has been written to help achieve favorable keyword rankings in
the search engines!)
JR Rich is the author and creator
of the popular puppy training website, "Puppy Training Made
Easy!" Learn the quickest and easiest methods the experts
use to make puppy training a breeze! Click Here Now => http://www.puppy-training-made-easy.com |
