MomsTribute
To adopt or not to adopt? That is the question! Puppy or shelter dog? Old or young? What breed or a mix of breeds to get? Adding an animal to your home is a big commitment, and it is definitely not something you want to jump up into without prior research and education. You must be ready for the full life commitment of an animal. These are living creatures, and it is only fair to adopt them into your life if you plan to treat them as a family member. If you cannot make them a priority for the duration of their life, I suggest you get a house plant instead.
Animals cost money. They need proper medical care, quality food, and veterinary-approved toys and bedding. If you are not able to make the financial commitment, don’t bother adding an animal to your home. What will you do when you need to leave town? Is your animal coming with you or will you need to find other arrangements? Boarding facilities are not cheap, and leaving your animal at home for a teenager to feed isn’t fair to your dog.
Children will often badger their parents to get them a pet, but once the animal is adopted, it becomes one more responsibility for the parents. Do you have the time for this? Animals need attention, exercise, and love. And what about trips? What will you do when you need to leave town? Is your animal coming with you or will you need to find other arrangements? Are you willing to focus family vacations on a destination your animal would enjoy, too?
Another topic you must consider prior to adding an animal into your home is how you plan to address behavioral issues. Some animals are genetically prone for anxiety. However, the vast majority of behavioral issues stem from owners’ lack of proper puppy-rearing. Young dogs need socialization. Lacking proper interactions with other dogs on a regular basis at a young age will lead to problem behaviors as adults. Don’t fail your animal. Nip problem behaviors early by consulting with your veterinarian and any behaviorists they recommend. Are you willing to go the distance to provide the proper care for them? Would you be willing to pay for a behaviorist and take the necessary steps to correct the behavior? Or are you the type to return the dog to the shelter? If you are the latter, you suck. Maybe a chia pet is better suited for the home.
Animals are… animals. They like to chew up things. If you are the type of person that prefers a spic-n-span home, you must not take out your frustrations on your dog when they chew up your favorite shoes or dig at the front door.
Many people think that getting a puppy is the way to go. There are many breeders, but they are not all great. Some are backyard breeding establishments, and the animals come with medical issues and behavior disorders. Breeders are an interesting breed themselves, and most make crummy recommendations for the animals they farm out to uneducated homes. For some reason, people tend to listen to their breeders over the veterinarians, and proper care goes sideways when this happens. If your veterinarian recommends spaying or neutering at a young age, please listen to them. They know way more about animals than any dog pimp.
Shelter adoptions can be very rewarding. By adopting an older dog, you reap one major benefit of bypassing the frustrating puppy stages. Puppyhood requires a ton of patience, bathroom accidents, and lots of chewed up items in the home. Adult dogs need a loving home, and some of the best animals are those who found their forever home after a shelter adoption. Most adult dogs are housebroken or can be easily housebroken, and any personality issues are on full display from the onset. If you are fortunate to adopt a dog from a foster-situation, that’s even better. Foster parents want their dogs to find the best home possible, so they tend to be very candid about the animal’s preferences and personalities. Some dogs do not like children or tend to chase after cats, and these are important pieces of information. Each time a dog gets returned to a shelter, their chances of future adoption become more and more slim.
There is a home for just about any animal. Some dogs have noise phobias and thrive in a single-human household away from the noises of a big city. Some are from a blood line of working dogs, and they need open space and a job. Forcing one of these breeds into a small home with long hours being left alone will lead to destruction and mental instability and anxiety for the animal. If you adopt an older arthritic dog, consider how many stairs you have in your home. And if you are unsteady on your feet, adopting a large energetic dog is never a good idea unless you like eating concrete.
If you’ve read this far and you are still itching to bring a dog into your life, and you can make a full-fledged commitment to give your everything to this new addition, go for it!
Lucky for us, dogs come in all sorts of sizes and personalities. Like anything in life, a little bit of research goes a long way. Know your dog breeds. Know your own lifestyle. Be realistic. Choose your dogs wisely. Or don’t choose them at all. Dogs deserve an awesome home. The question is: Are you good enough for them?
Laura D
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