Is your family, friend or loved one ready to adopt a furry friend? Adopting is always the best option when you are ready to add an addition to your family, but what are the things you should consider before doing so? Here are a few adoption practices you should consider before welcoming a dog into your life.
Consider the breed for your current lifestyle: Even though you have loved a yellow lab since you were a child, does not mean this breed will be a perfect match for your current lifestyle. Make sure you study the dog breed and how much exercise he/she may need. Dogs vary in the amount of exercise they need, therefore learning about exercise levels is important before adding this addition into your life.
Consider a senior pet: People have negative connotations toward senior pets, but these animals need a home just as much as the adorable puppies do. Senior pets require less exercise and may demand more help with old age, but these animals provide just as much love.
Logic first, Heart second: The moment you see that puppy or dog, your heart will melt. Try your best to set your emotions aside and think logically. You don’t want to adopt a dog for the wrong reasons. Unfortunately there are a lot of dogs out there that need a home but this does not mean the wrong home. Be aware, logical and clear when bringing a dog into your family and make sure the environment is the right one.
Foster First: Fostering a dog is a great way to see if you can handle the responsibility of a dog before committing to a new family member right off the bat.
Benefits of Fostering a Dog
It can help a dog transition from a shelter to a regular home environment. A dog from a shelter is only familiar with living in a cage every day and will need help with feeling more comfortable in a home environment.
Fostering creates a safe environment for puppies. Puppies are too young to be adopted, therefore it gives the puppy enough time to find a forever home.
The shelter can gather information about the pet while it’s being fostered (behaviors/habits) with a family. This makes it easier for a shelter to place the dog with the correct family in the future.
A fostered dog can easily be socialized while temporarily living with a family and can blend with other pets in the house.
Consider the responsibility and ask yourself the correct questions.
Is this the right time to adopt a dog? If you are the type of person that works more than 40 hours a week, this is not the right time to adopt. Have you made sure your neighborhood is dog friendly? Where is the closet vet/24-emergency, park or hiking trails? Do you have neighbors that also walk dogs during the day?