Good Advice
When we talk about dogs being our best friend, there are thousands of years of experience of this unique partnership to back up the claim. But, taking on a dog is a long term and expensive commitment – both in terms of money and time – and, however attractive the thought, it really isn’t right for everybody.
Dogs are great companions and our relationship with them is mutually beneficial. Their capacity for unconditional love enables them to share our highs and lows. Research also shows that living with a dog is beneficial to our health. However, before making the commitment to share your life with a dog, here are some things to consider:
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Lifestyle: creating a bond with your dog can be enormously rewarding but this involves a lot of compromise, commitment and time. Realistically, if you expect a dog to fit seamlessly into your existing lifestyle you will not be meeting the basic needs of your dog, and hence, the relationship between you and your dog will not be mutually beneficial. The rewards from living together will come from seeing your dog thrive, and that will only happen if you make compromises to your lifestyle.
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Commitment: you need to ensure the wellbeing of your dog throughout their lifetime – which could easily be up to fifteen years or more. On top of regular feeding and providing fresh water, every dog needs the opportunity to be autonomous and act upon their natural instincts be that exercise off the lead, time to sniff, play and chew as well as adequate rest. Dogs also can’t be left for long periods of time as doing so can cause them significant stress. Unless you can regularly provide the interaction and level of exercise that your dog requires or can make adequate arrangements for other responsible people to spend quality time with your dog during the day, it may be that having a dog is not right for you – or the dog.
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Health care: your dog will need veterinary care on top of regular health checks and vaccinations throughout their lives. While an older or unwell dog is likely to demand more investment in terms of both time and money. Veterinary fees are expensive and dog insurance is often a cost required to cover future veterinary bills.
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Financial cost: you should take the time to set out a budget to make sure you are prepared for expected and unexpected costs which will include food, comfortable bedding, toys, veterinary fees, and possibly dog insurance.
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Holidays: will you be able to take your dog with you safely and comfortably? If not, you’ll need to consider a friend/relative, dog sitter or boarding kennel which may incur significant costs.
Having considered all these factors, do you believe that a dog is the right companion? If the answer is yes, you definitely do want to share your life with a dog, then what is the next step?
Just like people, each dog has their own personality and this can vary enormously between individuals and between breeds. Some dogs need far more exercise than others, some shed their coats heavily, some hardly at all, some will have a strong guarding instinct which can cause difficulties while others will greet an absolute stranger as if they were an old friend. Most breeds have certain character traits, but these are more of a guideline as to how your dog might turn out than anything more rigid – or reliable.
Do you need some help deciding? Check out choosing a dog to share your life with to help with this very important decision.
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