When you want to adopt a dog, you probably have a fairy tale image of how nice it will be to have a pet in the house. Dogs are not always easy, and they require more work than cats. Before you ever adopt a dog, you should look at all five tips below. You determine if you even need a dog at all, how to handle the dog, and how to help the dog thrive. If you cannot manage these five tips, you may want to wait to get your puppy.
1. Are You A Cat Person?
You should not get a dog if you are a cat person. Cats are easy, and they often take care of themselves. Plus, cats do not need constant attention. Dogs need constant attention, and they must be trained like a child. You need to get the dog to go to bed at the same time every night, and you must keep the dog on a strict schedule.
Moreover, you need to walk the dog so that they can go to the bathroom, and you need to get them to exercise. If you are a cat person, you may want to stop before you even go to the shelter.
2. Can Your Kids Handle The Dog?
When you have kids, you might have these grand illusions of your kids taking care of the dog. Yes, your kids can do some things to take care of the dog, but they cannot do everything. For this reason, you must make sure that you have a plan for managing your pets. You do some things, and your kids do some things. If you trust your kids to take care of everything, you will be bitterly disappointed.
3. Do You Need The Dog For Self-Defense?
One of the best reasons for a single woman to get a dog is self-defense. However, you need to know that you can handle the dog. Many tiny women get very big dogs, and they are actually too small to handle a big dog. You can get a dog that is a manageable size, but that dog is still capable of mauling your attacker if needed. Plus, a moderately-sized dog can bark loud enough to scare an intruder.
4. Do You Have Dogs Or Cats Already?
Cats are very territorial, and they should be introduced to dogs slowly. If you get a cat … Read the rest