Is this the best
time to adopt a pet? To determine if you're indeed ready
for that commitment, there are some things to consider before
you bring a furry friend to your home:
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Moving to a new residence: Will the new
place be suitable for a pet? |
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Change in living arrangements: Will your new roommate
or significant other welcome the pet? |
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Pregnancy or new baby: Would it be too much to take
care of the baby and a pet? Do you have enough help? |
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Work hours: If your dog does not have a doggie door
to go outside, can you come home during the lunch break
to give him/her a potty-break? If not, can you afford
to hire a dog-walker or a doggie day-care center? |
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Financial concerns: Are you ready for vet bills, which
can be quite expensive if an unexpected illness or accident
takes place? How about training fees if the dog displays
a destructive behavior? |
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Frequent travel: Do you have someone to housesit and
take care of your pet? If not, can you afford to hire
pet-sitting services? |
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Limited leisure or free time: Are you always out and
about? You will now have to come home after work before
you take off for the evening. |
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Disagreement among family members about adopting a
pet: Are you sure that everybody in your household is
excited to have a pet? |
When it comes to selecting a dog, it helps to research
the traits by breed in order to find the right match. However,
just as we cannot stereotype people by race, you have to
remember that each dog is an individual and unique. If
your dog shows unexpected behaviors, trainers and behaviorists
are available to assist you with such concerns.
Puppies are cute, but a lot of work. Unless you are home
most of the day, or your family members have different
work schedule to cover each other's absence, a puppy would
not be a right choice for you. It is no different from
having a baby. Puppies require constant supervision and
patience.
Adult dogs may not appear as cute as puppies, but many
rescue dogs came from home environment, so they are already
potty-trained and know some basic commands. Nonetheless,
personality-evaluation by an expert is advisable.
In case the dog has excess baggage, trainers or behaviorists
can help bring him/her back in balance.
Also, unlike getting a puppy, what you see is what you
get -- no surprise in final size or coat type. Besides,
when you adopt a rescued dog, they will be so grateful
that they often become more loyal to you, and to see your
dog blossom with your love is indeed a precious experience.
Please read the How to
Adopt section which describes the process in detail.
Note: Some of the available animals on our website
are "courtesy posts," which we're posting merely to help
make the initial contact with the potential homes. So if
you see contact information in the animal's description
column, please call the person directly. We also hold no
responsibility for either the descriptions of the courtesy
posting or your communication with these people, as we
are only posting what were submitted to us.
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