Before you Adopt
The decision to adopt a dog for your family should be well-researched and carefully soul-searched. Adopting a dog is 10-15 year commitment to your new family member. You will be there for him or her in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for as long as all shall live.
The following are some things you should consider and discuss as a family before adopting a dog.
AGE OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS
In general, youngsters under seven years old are not developmentally suited for puppies under five months old or any aged dog that is toy-sized (under 15 pounds). Puppies have ultra sharp "milk teeth" and toenails and often teethe on and scratch children. This results in unintentional injury to the child and the puppy becomes something to be feared rather than loved.
Toy dogs are fine-boned and touch-sensitive and do not weather rough or clumsy handling well. They break relatively easily and are quicker to bite than their mellower, larger-boned relatives. Medium-to-large sized dogs over five months old are the safer choice for families with children under the age of seven.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, if there are frail, elderly, or physically-challenged individuals in your household, adopting a strong adolescent dog is not a wise decision. Aging hips and wrists are at risk with these lovable but vigorous goofballs.
THE DOG’S PRIMARY CAREGIVER
Some parents will bow to the pressure from their kids to get a family dog after the kids promise they will faithfully take care of their soon-to-be best friend. However, the truth is during the 10-15 year life of the average dog, a child will grow in and out of various life stages and the importance of the family dog will wax and wane in the child’s life.
One parent needs to be designated as the primary caretaker of your new family member. A child should not be saddled with total responsibility of owning a dog. Certainly, the child should never be threatened with getting rid of the dog if the child is not providing adequate care. This is unfair to the child and the dog.
The selection process is one the entire family can share. Input should be collected from all family members when it comes time to adopt a dog with the cooler-headed, more experienced family members' opinions carrying a bit more weight. Books like Daniel Tortora's THE RIGHT DOG FOR YOU or The ASPCA Complete Guide to Dogs can be tremendously helpful and can warn you away from unsuitable choices for your family's circumstances.
THE COST OF ADOPTION
The price to obtain a dog runs the gamut from free-to-a-good-home to several thousand dollars. It does not always hold true that you get what you pay for. The price you pay in a pet shop can be two to three times higher than what you would pay to a reputable breeder for a puppy of similar or better quality.
Too many folks spend all their available cash on a pet shop purchase and have no money left for necessary expenses like initial veterinary care, a training crate, and obedience classes. Remember, the purchase price of a dog is only a small part of the money you will spend for the dog throughout its life. You must make the decision to save money for food, especially if it is a large or giant breed, grooming (fancy coated breeds such as Poodles, Cockers, and Shih Tzus need to be clipped every four to six weeks), chew toys (the vigorous chewers like a Bull Terrier or Mastiff can work their way through a $8.00 rawhide bone in a single sitting), outerwear (short-coated breeds like Greyhounds, Chihuahuas, and Whippets must have sweaters and coats during winter and in lavishly air-conditioned interiors), and miscellaneous supplies like bowls, beds, brushes, shampoos, flea products, odor neutralizers for accidents, baby gates, leashes, collars, heart-worm prevention, etc.
None of this includes a veterinary emergency! Very few dogs live their entire lives without at least one accident. If your puppy eats a battery or pair of pantyhose, your fine-boned toy breaks a leg, your big boy has bad hips, or your dog gets hit by a car or beaten/bitten by the neighborhood bully, these surprises can cost $500 or more in veterinary car. Unlike children, most dogs are not covered by health insurance.
But the cost of adoption is not only a question of money. How much time and energy you can spend on a new dog is as important as your financial stability. Various breeds and ages of dog make different demands on our precious spare time. In general, the Sporting, Hounds, Herding, and Terrier breeds will demand more time in training and daily exercise than will the Guardian or Companion breeds. A puppy or adolescent will need more exercise, training, and supervision than will an adult dog. And the first year with any new dog regardless of age or breed type will put more demands on the owner than any other time. This is when you will be setting up house rules and routines which will last for the lifetime of your dog.
America has become a nation of disposable pet owners. Your family dog deserve better. When making the choice to adopt a dog, please choose wisely.
