A dog will do his best to
please you and keep you smiling. He will curl up with you when you are
feeling down or need some serious relaxation. He won't hold your
mistakes against you or prejudge you for your looks, faults or lack of
know-how. He'll be your unconditional friend and will play ball with you
as long as you wish. He'll forgive you for all your mistakes, never
holding them against you later. Sleeping at your feet and loving to
please you, he will enjoy just spending time with you. He'll do his best
to protect you, because you will be his master.
However, a dog also relies
on you for everything—from his food, water, shelter, leadership,
exercise, grooming, to his training, veterinary care, companionship and
protection. Know what you are getting into. Are you prepared to spend
the next 10-15 years of your life taking care of your dog? That is about
how long your dog will live. Can you afford the added expense of a dog?
When you get a dog, it is a life-long commitment, and should not be
treated like a piece of furniture that you can just "get rid of" when
you get tired of it. After all, this dog will be part of your family.
Would you get rid of your children because you were tired of them
wetting their beds? Before you bring a dog into your home
think long and hard. Are you prepared for the responsibility? Do you
understand natural dog behaviour? Do you understand what makes a dog tick
and what it instinctively needs as a canine animal? Are you willing to
invest the time it takes? A dog's temperament is a direct result of the
owner’s ability to understand him and give him what he instinctively
needs as a canine animal.
The decision to get a dog
needs to be carefully thought out. Do you honestly have the time to take
care of a dog? Are you prepared to walk it every day? Are you prepared
to show the dog consistent leadership, putting your emotions aside and
seeing it as a canine? Are you prepared to train it? What kind of dog
should you get? Some people think a dog is a dog. I hear them say they
don't care what breed of dog they get. There are many different breeds
with many different needs. Honestly think about it and do your homework.
Think about your family as it is right now, and how it will be in the
future.
Every family has its own
needs, schedule, personality, medical problems, space and time
limitations. If you take a good hard look at your family's situation,
you can match a dog that will fit into your lives nicely and not just
make things more awkward and difficult.
Is anyone in your family
allergic to dog hair? Are you bothered by hair on everything from your
clothes to your toast? Some breeds are heavy shedders, while others
hardly shed at all. Do you have children? Are you going to have children
in the next 10-15 years? Do you have friends who visit your home who
have children? Are you prepared to learn how to teach your child how to
display leadership toward the dog? Do you mind holes being dug in your
yard? Some dogs like to dig if they hear something moving underground,
while others are less likely to dig.
Do you mind if your dog has a
tendency to wander away from home, or would you rather have a dog that
would be more likely to stick close to home? Some hunting breeds will
roam if they catch a scent of another animal; it is in their nature,
while others have a strong instinct to stick close to home.
Get the point? All dogs are
different, and all families are different. Find a dog that fits well
into your family, so you and your dog can live in harmony.
