Ever considered bringing home a dog? Many youngsters are fascinated by pets that they see in the movies. Who will forget the evergreen television serial ‘Lassie’. You cannot expect your dog to save you from trouble week in and week out, but having a dog at home can be a wonderful experience. If you are looking forward to bringing home a four-legged best friend, consider these few things:

A dog will take up a lot of your time

Understand that a dog will take up a whole lot of your time. If you are a busy bee who works sixteen hours a day, then a dog may not always be a good idea for you. Shopping for dog food, training, regular checkups at the vet and many more such activities are going to need your time. You will need to take care of your pet constantly.

A dog will require you to be at home  

Taking your dog for a walk each day is important. If you aren’t at home that often then consider hiring a dog walker. You may require being home to take your dog for a walk otherwise. Going for a vacation will also need you to make sure your dog will be taken care of. Your dog will need you to give it food at regular intervals as well.

Your dog should be suitable to your lifestyle and your surroundings

If you live in a small apartment then having a big dog is not an option for you. You do not want your dog to have health issues, nor do you want it to break things around the house.

Choose the right breed for your surrounding

Consider the climate, surroundings, and the region you live in when choosing what breed of dog you want. Make sure you do not get a dog with a lot of fur in a hot and humid region lest it suffers.

Choosing a male or female dog

During the initial days, a male dog may urinate on the walls and the furniture, while a female will get her menstruation cycles every six months. These are some things that you need to be aware of and be prepared for.

Have you considered these things? If you haven’t, then consider them today if you are thinking of getting home a dog.

“Stop it! Stop barking you little pest!” How would you like to be treated that way? Well, dogs have emotions too. Not as much as we humans do, but if we call them man’s best friend, then we ought to treat them that way. Here are a few things that we say and do to our dogs that can crush their spirit.

Hitting

Hitting a dog will make him fear you

Dominance and animal submission is a very outdated belief and training method. Hitting a dog does nothing but teach him that you are to be feared. Love is lost between you and the dog and he will not be the friend to you that you want him to be.

Take your dog’s food away while he is eating

Dogs should be left alone when eating. Many people view a dog who growls when eating as being greedy, but this is just a dog being a dog. Some dogs will bite out of fear or confusion, so let them eat in peace.

Not taking your dog for walks

Ignoring your dog in this way is going to make him feel lonely and unloved. A dog that is unloved will not love back. If you want something that lives yet requires no attention, other than to give it water and occasional sunlight, get a houseplant and not a pet.

Leaving the dog alone

Leaving your dog alone for excessively long periods of time is going to crush his spirit severely. If you are going out for a long time, seek the services of a family member, friend, neighbour, pet sitter, or dog crèche if you must leave the dog for long hours at a time. Nothing destroys a dog’s spirit like emptiness, so don’t do it.

The more you love your dog the more will he love you

If you own a dog, don’t own it! Be a friend, be a parent, but don’t be a boss. A dog is man’s best friend, not a slave!