Things you need to know when you have to get a dog

I love dogs so much that each time I encounter one I feel so excited and will love to pet the dog and to enjoy the dogs company. Many of our clients have turned to love their dogs because of the way I get excited to meet the dogs. I find it hard to stop myself from praising a cute dog when I see one. I love dogs that are well fed, groomed, trained and behaved. In fact I can pullover just to get a selfy with a cute dog anywhere I encounter them. I’m not alone in this because one of our clients – Malick – is worse than me. He can accommodate a thousand dogs if he can - for free. He can buy food for your own dog when he wants to visit.  If you are a dog lover, you will realize that it is difficult to stay without one. Dogs can be very loyal friends and companions. They show you love even when you don’t deserve it. They are very forgiving companions and are faithful guards of the home. Some dogs can just be “living toys” or “living decorations” – some look very cute that you want to see and play with them every day.

Do you need a dog?

This question is one many persons fail to answer until they get a dog then they discover that they have little time to care for the dog. Dogs do not need only food but many forms of attention and care that must be provided by you and no one else. You might say: “I have people who can take care of the dog for me” but you get to discover that the dog ends up belonging to your “helpers” and not you – the dog will only treat you as an acquaintance.

Can you afford them?

When I say afford, I don’t mean in terms of money or cash alone but in other ways as giving the time that they require at any point in time in their lives. These creatures can consume your time so much that you might get irritated seeing them. This does not mean that they mean to do so but it’s just normal for such time to be given to them. Money to get the necessary items for their upkeep is grossly important. Veterinary care is another service you cannot avoid when you have a dog and the fees for the services must be paid.

When a dog will need you more

Dogs at puppy stage will need your attention more than any time in their lives because at this stage they require good nutrition and training. They are at the stage of growth and development both mentally and physically and therefore require all the attention they can get. If bad behaviors are not controlled at this stage, they might be difficult to correct at adult stage. Total vigilance at the puppy’s behavior is very important to be able to train the puppy properly. You should pay attention to the puppy’s needs to provide them promptly whether health care, nutrition or behavior correction. Let me state here that any bad behavior acquired at this stage can be difficult to reverse. Nutrition is very important so your choice of food for the puppy should provide the required nutrients for proper development and growth.

How many dogs should you keep?

This is a question most dog owners always avoid. Some persons just want to own any dog they feel attracted to by all means. I know one of our clients who have this habit. When he sets his eyes on this dog and likes it, he will spend hours on the internet reading about it that he can lecture you about it. The only thing I like about him is that when he encounters something about the breed that he cannot handle, he will just give up immediately. The point here is that you MUST not own all the breeds of dogs, I always advice that you own only one dog or one breed only. There are a lot of reasons for this which you can read up in many of my articles.

Veterinary bills are not cheap so you cannot just collect all dogs without considering medical bills. When you own only one dog it becomes easier to handle this aspect and others too like feeding the dog and grooming bills in case of hairy dogs.

Get a dog you can manage

I love to have my dogs indoors so I always want to go for toy dogs like Lhasa Apso, Pugs, Pekingese etc. I can’t actually tell how they eventually understand me and any sign I send out. I never organized training sessions but I only speak to them and they usually get to understand because they see me every day and have free access to me. I don’t know your preference but it’s important you consider manageability so that you don’t get tired of the dog easily.

In conclusion

Get a dog, it’s a beautiful experience to own and keep one but affording it means that you can buy the dog, feed the dog properly, give the dog proper attention in terms of training and provide for the dogs medical care without feeling overburdened.