General Pet is your source for advice and information for a happy and healthy pet.
Author: JR Rich Article source: http://www.articlecity.com/. Used with author's permission.
You've decided that it's time for your family to get that
dog that everyone has been clamoring for. Maybe you've done
a little research - looked at a few web sites - but you're
still not sure.
Picking a family dog is an important decision in the life of
most every family. Every member has his or her own visions
of what the Perfect Dog should be. But, personal preferences
aside, there are 'reality-check' questions that must be
dealt with first.
What sort of companion are you looking for? What size is
best? What breed?
Before you pack everyone into the van and head over to the
mall, ask yourself these 7 questions:
-- Time
Do you and your family actually have the time necessary to
care for a new puppy? If both adults are working all day
(and sometimes, well into the night), will the dog be left
alone for long stretches? Dogs are social animals and, like
many people, can get very lonely if left by themselves. And,
when dogs get lonely, they can get very destructive!
-- Location
Do you live in an apartment? Or do you have a nice house in
the suburbs? You don't want a Mastiff if you live on the
third floor in a one-bedroom "Efficiency" apartment! Dogs
need exercise and, the larger they are, the more room they
need.
-- Maintenance Costs
Can you afford it? When picking a family dog, you have to
consider what the animal will cost. Not just the purchase
price from the breeder but ALL the costs. You'll have food
(A large breed can eat five pounds of food per day!), Vet
bills, vaccinations, registration, dog crate, grooming,
insurance and more. Make sure that you're ready for these
additional costs.
-- Destruction Potential
This falls right in line with maintenance costs - if your
new puppy decides to become destructive, replacement of
clothes, shoes, furniture and carpets can get very large
indeed! To keep destruction to a minimum, seriously consider
that you will need to devote the time necessary to
properly train the puppy.
-- Which Breed
Large or small? Long-haired or short? Frisky or calm? You'll
want to pick a breed that's suitable to your home size and
your family's temperament. Large dogs need lots of room and
exercise. Small dogs are happy anywhere.
-- Where to Buy
Pet store, neighbor or professional breeder? This one is
easy! Always go to a professional breeder. Pet stores are
generally manned by hourly workers who couldn't care less
about their charges!
Getting a dog from your neighbor or friend is probably
unwise. You don't know about any vaccinations the dog has
had and diseases can be common in an unprofessional
household.
The professional breeder, on the other hand, knows how to
care for pups, knows how to properly breed their dogs, and
can point you in the right 'selection direction'! Definitely
go with a professional dog breeder!
-- Family Involvement
When picking a family dog, it should go without saying -
"Involve The Family!" Make sure that everyone has a buy-in
to the final decision.
Dole out responsibilities according to each members'
capabilities, desires and agreement. For example, the son
can take care of making sure the water dish is clean and
full. The daughter can measure out the daily food. Mom might
take on the bathing. Dad supervises (just kidding!)
When everyone has a part to play, the daily maintenance
routine will be a lot more fun!
This list is not "All-Encompassing" by any means. There will
be seemingly endless questions. However, this 'quick-list'
will get you started.
The most important point to remember when picking a family
dog is to get the entire family involved. Have everyone
'buy-in' to the questions above - making sure that the
individual responsibilities are agreed to beforehand. A
"Letter of Agreement", signed by each family member will
help everyone remember the part(s) they agreed to play.
After all, this decision isn't really about just choosing a
dog - it's about adding a new member to your family!
You have permission to publish this article electronically
or in print, as long as the resource box at the end is
included. A courtesy copy of your publication (or link)
would be greatly appreciated. (Please note: This article has
been written to help achieve favorable keyword rankings in
the search engines!)
JR Rich is the author and creator of the popular puppy
training website, "Puppy Training Made Easy!"
Learn the quickest and easiest methods the experts use to
make puppy training a breeze!
Click Here Now => http://www.puppy-training-made-easy.com
JR Rich, after years of 'babysitting' email servers as a
Dept of Energy email Postmaster, now embraces his first love
- Dogs! He is the author and creator of the Website:
Puppy-Training-Made-Easy.com.
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