Getting your first dog is a major commitment, not something to take on lightly. Whether you’ve always wanted a dog or are just coming around to realizing that you’d like to adopt a furry friend, you have some considerations to make before you jump right in.
There are several questions you should ask yourself before you bring home a new dog. Here are a few of them:
Is My Living Space Compatible with a Dog?
When you get a dog, your home becomes its home as well. You have to make sure your space works with the needs of a dog. If you rent an apartment or condo, does your landlord allow dogs? If you have a roommate, are they going to be OK with having a dog around? And if you own a home, do you have enough space or a large enough yard to accommodate a dog?
Do You Have the Time?
Some pets are fairly independent, but certainly not dogs, especially early on. Your dog is depending on you to spend time with it each day. That means you’ll need to have time for twice-daily walks, feedings, enrichment activity, and to give it all the attention it needs. It also means you can’t be away from home too much or too often unless you have some sort of daycare or dogsitter.
Are You Financially Equipped For this Responsibility?
Even if you adopt or rescue a dog for a very low or no price, there are still major expenses involved with such a pet. You’ll need a consistent supply of food, a bed, a crate, toys, perhaps some obedience training, and veterinary visits. All of this can add up over time.
What Breed Do You Want?
There are quite a few breeds out there and which kind you choose will have a major impact on the factors we’ve already discussed such as cost and space. Consider which breed you’ve enjoyed interacting with in the past and which would work best for your current lifestyle.
One such breed you might consider is a miniature dachshund puppy. At Doc’s Miniature Dachshunds, we breed miniature dachshund puppies at our Mount Vernon, IL headquarters and sell them to loving owners from all over the place. Give us a call today at 660-341-3877 if you want to learn more about our service.
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