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How to choose and welcome your first-ever dog.
We don’t deserve dogs, but we can try our best to be diligent, caring, and knowledgeable owners. If you’re thinking about welcoming your own resident non-human into the home, it’s important to read up first – here are a few key pointers to put you on the right track.
Picking a Breed
The breed of the dog should be a top consideration when it comes to adoption. The breed can inform much of a pet’s behavior, including their obedience, loudness, and likeliness of aggression. For this reason, you need to think about your personal capabilities and other factors:
- Any existing allergies and how these might be affected by a live-in pet
- Your experience caring for and handling a dog; some breeds are usually considered too volatile for beginners
- Your local environment – is the temperature right for this breed, do you have the time and space to keep them happy, and would they fit well in your neighborhood?
For first-time owners, try to rule out difficult breeds such as bloodhounds, mastiffs, or Akitas (even if they appeal to you). Instead, you’ll find life far more manageable with a beagle, golden retriever, Maltipoo, or Goldendoodle.
Preparing Your Home
When you know you’re welcoming a dog into the home, it’s important to prepare in advance. You’ll be surprised at how oblivious your new family member will be to health and safety (or your expensive new rug), so a few contingencies won’t go amiss:
- Research your house plants to learn if they’re toxic. Unfortunately, not all pet owners consider this, and the consequences can be tragic
- Create a space that your dog will be free to explore without any rules
- Cover up or stow away any low-hanging valuables and cords/wires
- Purchase a few toys for them in advance
- Secure the area so that it cannot be escaped from. This is especially important in the yard or other outdoor areas.
Care
When letting your new furry family member into the home, it’s important to consider stress. As your new dog becomes acclimated to his/her new environment, you want to keep voices down, minimize panic, and avoid getting too overly excited. Human stress, particularly work-related stress, can negatively affect domestic animals.
Your next area of concern is nutrition. Once your dog is calm and settled, it will redevelop its appetite. And will need to be fed fresh food. Ascertaining the correct amount of dog food and what kind is important early on – your dog’s diet will correspond with its breed, size, and the amount you’re willing to spend. Go online to check reviews and ensure the food is the quality your pooch deserves.
Some breeds will also need help with grooming. Take care to research ahead and ensure you have the right dog clippers to keep their coat correctly groomed and in the right condition. When purchasing clippers, look for sturdy, adjustable, and easy-to-clean tools – you’ll thank yourself for it later.
Veterinary Needs
You will become familiar with your local vet when you have a new dog (especially a puppy). It’s important, therefore, to take the time and find one close by that is well-trusted, well-reviewed, and equipped to treat your breed. You may also want to look into pet insurance – this can help cover microchipping and preventative care, and it is usually easier to navigate than human insurance.
As the cliché goes, a dog is for life – understanding this is crucially important before you adopt one. Once you understand all the requirements and upkeep and you’re still enthusiastic about welcoming in a new member of the family, then it may be time to shop for a new collar.
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