Considerations to Make Before Adding a Pooch to Your Family

The holiday season is the most common time of the year to adopt a dog or puppy. It is such a festive time, and as humans, we want to share that with another being. Let’s face it, they’re also super cute. Congratulations on deciding to add to your family! But do you know how to decide what type of dog is right for you? There are SO many things to consider! What breed? Rescue or breeder? Puppy or adult? It is important to really think about it because you will be living with this creature for the next 10-20 years. I am here to help.

What is Your Budget for Grooming?

We tend to fall in love with the physical appearance of animals first, without thinking about much else. It is okay to like the look of a certain breed or specific animal, don’t let that be the deciding factor. Many of the breeds that are widely considered beautiful require lots of effort and grooming to stay that way. One of the most common breeds I work with right now are doodles. Many people don’t think about how much those beautiful hair cuts cost, or how much work it takes to learn to do the upkeep yourself. An average doodle groom (which will vary some based on size of the dog, coat texture, and location) is $80. Most doodles NEED to be professionally groomed every 6 weeks. This means you are spending almost $700 a year on just grooming for one dog. If this is not something that fits into your budget, you should look at short haired breeds that don’t require much upkeep.

But what if you plan to do the grooming yourself? This is well and good, but most people vastly underestimate the amount of work, time, and talent that it takes to brush a dog properly, much less doing full body haircuts on a wiggling target. If you are considering adding a long haired breed to your home, I highly suggest that you consult with a groomer first and get first hand information from an expert in the field on how much time, money, and effort will be involved in the upkeep of your new baby.

What is Your Family’s Energy Level?

This is so important when making a decision on what kind of dog to get. Are you a runner looking for a jogging partner? Do you go on long hikes every weekend? Are you a couch potato? Dogs are individuals, but certain breeds tend to have higher or lower energy levels as a whole. If your idea of the perfect weekend is Netflix and chill, you probably don’t need a field bred Weimareiner. However, this breed might be a great fit for you if you run every day and are looking for an athletic dog to keep up. If you take 10 mile hikes and camp regularly and are seeking a dog to enjoy this with you, an English bulldog is not going to be the best bet. This breed would be best suited to hang out on the couch with you and take short leisurely walks daily. I see a lot of families as training clients that overlooked activity levels when choosing their new companion and it causes issues. A dog that is not getting its physical activity needs met is going to be hyper and destructive to get that pent up energy out. On the other hand, a dog that is low energy is going to be miserable if we force them into unwanted activities. This can also be a health concern. (I.e. brachyocephalic breeds with short muzzles tend to have issues breathing and may not be the best dog to help you train for your marathon.)

Don’t Get a Dog for the Kids

Just don’t do it. Every year I am bombarded with well meaning families whose children pleaded for a puppy or a dog and promised that they would do all the work involved, and then are inevitably unable to fulfill their end of the bargain. This leaves parents with the brunt of the work of raising a puppy and providing care, physical exercise, and mental stimulation when they weren’t planning on doing so. This causes an intense amount of stress on family members and is not healthy for the new dog.

“But Dulcey. My child is very responsible for their age.” No. I don’t care how mature your 7 year old is. They are NOT going to be able to provide adequate care for another living being at that age. Yes they can help and they can provide portions of it, but the parents should expect to and be ready to be the primary caretakers of the new addition. It is unfair to expect children to be able to do everything for the new dog or puppy and honestly, it doesn’t make sense. Also. Once the newness wears off, kids move on. Parents need to be ready to step in when the puppy is no longer stereotypically cute and snuggly.

Are All Family Members on Board?

This one seems pretty intuitive, but believe it or not, it is one of the most common complaints I receive from clients! “My spouse wanted a dog, so we got one and now I am doing all the work.” “I surprised the kids with a puppy and my spouse is upset.” Adding a dog to your family is a huge commitment and it is not something that should be done without the consent of every single family member. If some household members are hesitant, wait until everyone is ready. It is very difficult to train a puppy or dog without everyone’s participation. If someone in the family resents having the dog, undoubtedly the dog will be receiving mixed signals (at best) even if you hire a quality professional to help. We aren’t magic you know!

Do You Have Time to Properly Socialize a Puppy?

The socialization phase is the most important developmental phase that the canine species goes through. Large portions of their personalities are cemented during this phase and it is crucial that they be carefully and safely exposed to new people, animals, and experiences during this time. This is an exciting and fun endeavor to many people, but we need to make sure that we have ample time. (Many people don’t realize how much work is involved in this, and even with the best intentions, end up undersocializing their new pet.) The socialization window is from about 5 weeks to about 16 weeks. This isn’t a lot of time to work with, especially because puppies need to stay with their mothers and littermates until they are 8 weeks old at a minimum.

Failure to properly socialize puppies is one of the most common causes of behavioral issues later in life, including phobias and aggression. This is a LOT of pressure! If you don’t have time or desire to finish molding a puppy’s essence, it will be best to get an adult dog that is already past this socialization window. It will save a lot of stress, time, and money later on.

Breeder or Rescue?

If you know me, you know that I am very pro rescue. I began my career at a humane society, I know first hand how important it is to consider rescue dogs and puppies as an option. Being pro rescue doesn’t mean that I am anti breeder, but it is very important to make sure that you are purchasing from an ethical breeder if you feel that that is the best option for your situation. Just be sure to do your part and extensively vet any breeder you consider. Puppy mills and backyard breeders are very common and will cause problems in the long term.

With a puppy or adult dog from an ethical breeder, you will be able to meet at least one parent and observe their personality, size, and disposition. (Remember that genetics do shape behavior as well!) Responsible breeders can also be great puppy raising support systems since they genuinely care about the pups they produce. (I do urge you to get all veterinary advice from your veterinarian and your training advice from a quality professional as well.)

With rescue puppies, it is not always possible to meet the parents before hand and the kind of dog they are, may not be known. Most people tend to assume rescue dogs will be mixed breed, and certainly most of them are. However, it is estimated that 25-30% of dogs in rescues are purebred. If your heart is set on a purebred dog, don’t forget breed rescues! Rescue dogs in a foster home for 3 months or longer are going to have had time to settle in and show their personalities to their foster family. This can be important information for you, when deciding if the dog will be a good fit in your home and family.
And don’t forget that when you rescue an animal you are literally saving a life! In the US alone we euthanize around 3 million dogs and cats each year. About 80% of these are healthy and adoptable, but because of overpopulation, there is nowhere for them to go. This is a dark fact, but it is something that everyone should be aware of, especially when we consider purchasing a puppy that was purposefully bred instead of adopting one. In my opinion, saving the life of a dog is so rewarding and it is the main reason that all of my pets are second hand. I do urge you to consider adopting as an option.

Will You Have Time and Resources to Train Your New Puppy or Dog?

To me, this is one of the most important parts of pet ownership. Training a dog or puppy is not optional, it is required. Training establishes a bond and a way to communicate with a new family member who doesn’t speak our language. Beginning a positive reinforcement training program early, within the first few months of pet ownership will teach you how to handle your new pet and will set expectations and boundaries for both ends of the leash. Training early in the relationship is one of the easiest ways to prevent problems before they begin, and to set your entire family up for success for the lifetime of your pooch.

This being said, quality professional trainers can be costly and you should go ahead and put about a thousand dollars into your budget for training for the first few months with your new dog or puppy. This will be sure to cover whatever program meets your needs best, whether that is group classes, private classes, or day training. And remember, just because you PLAN to do group classes with your dog, doesn’t mean that your dog will be a good candidate for group learning. I recommend making sure your budget can accommodate private lessons. Group classes can be more cost effective, but even the best deal won’t be worth it if your dog is too overstimulated or scared to learn in such a hectic environment.

You should also be ready to invest a lot of time into practicing new behaviors and management strategies with your new family member. Dogs are learning from us at all times and from all interactions, so it is important that we think about WHAT they are learning from us! Even when we aren’t actively training them, we are giving them important information (sometimes that we don’t want them to have) about how to get what they need and want. As far as intentional practice, I always recommend that clients commit to working with their dog or puppy for a minimum of 15 minutes per day to see results. If your lifestyle is busy and it won’t be easy for you to add this in, a day training program may be a better option for you.

At Professional Paws Academy I strive to make professional dog training as easy and affordable for everyone. I offer different types of training programs to fit different lifestyles and offer payment plans to fit every budget. I also offer New Puppy Consultations so we can make sure that you are making a thought out decision on what type of dog will fit in best with your family!