Puppies and adult dogs are ideal pets. You must understand that pet ownership requires a great deal of time and effort to ensure the animals receive proper care and attention. In addition, there are certain facts you should consider before you pick a puppy or adult dog up from the Humane Society or other type of pet-adoption center. We provide you with a list below of these facts so you can select a dog in an intelligent manner.
Selecting a Dog That Is Right for Your Lifestyle
A puppy or adult dog should fit into your existing lifestyle in the proper manner for you to enjoy it fully. For example, if you live an inactive lifestyle, you do not need a dog that requires an excessive amount of exercise to keep its energy to a livable level. On the other hand, if you are highly active, you need a dog that can keep up with you. Consult a dog breed selector to assist you in your search for the ideal breed for your lifestyle. By answering a few pertinent questions, the selector is able to provide you the dogs that best fit your lifestyle, including which ones are ideal for children.
Cost of Dog Food and Treats
You should price the cost of dog food and dog treats for the size of the dog that you wish to adopt. Where small dogs only eat a few dollars worth of food and treats a week, a large dog will place a severe dent in your finances weekly as far as food and treats are concerned. In addition, check with a veterinarian to learn which brands of food are the best today. The recommendation changes occasionally. A veterinarian also will advise you on what are healthy dog treats and the treats that may cause your puppy or dog problems.
Learn How to Prevent Fleas
You should learn how to prevent fleas from infesting your puppy or adult dog before you adopt one. Otherwise, the fleas will be a problem quickly. A number of different options are available for flea control from oral medications to topical applications for your puppy or adult dog. Consult a veterinarian as to which is suitable for your age group of dog. In addition, frequent vacuuming of the house and a safe insecticide on the yard also will be helpful to prevent or control the flea problem.
Inquire About Dog Insurance
Since dog owners throughout the United States spend millions, possibly billions of dollars each year on veterinarian bills, you may wish to inquire about dog insurance. Actually, this insurance will cover additional types of pets besides just dogs and commonly is known as pet insurance. It will help reduce the amount of your out-of-pocket expense for medical attention for injuries and other health issues that can occur with your puppy or adult dog.
Dog Ownership Is a Long-Term Responsibility
Along with the other information here, you must consider that dog ownership is a long-term responsibility since the majority of dogs live 12 or more years. For this reason, you must commit to take care of your puppy or adult dog properly for as long as it is alive to ensure that it is healthy. Proper care includes feeding and exercising the dog daily, and grooming it at least once a week if not more often depending on the length of its hair. On top of all this, you should take the dog to the veterinarian for regular checkups and necessary vaccinations along with emergency attention.
Keep all these considerations in mind as you select the perfect puppy or adult dog to adopt for a pet. Dogs are such social creatures that they will appreciate your companionship as much as you enjoy theirs.