Buying Your First Family Dog: 2024 Guide

Have you felt a need for a new friendly member in your family to keep you company through those lonely and boring days? The solution for such a problem is to get yourself a pet, and the pet that will be the best company is a dog.

However, a puppy is not a toy, it is not something that you get only for fun, it is a serious commitment that will last for more than 10 years. Some breeds can even live to reach 20 years of age, it is truly a friend that you will remember for life.

Before you get yourself a new friend for your home, you should decide whether you really want it and whether you will be able to take care of it, because a lot of people impulsively decide to buy a dog and then realize that they do not have time and money for it. In these types of situations, the dogs usually end up without a home or in a shelter.

Are you sure about your decision?

The first thing you should know about buying your first family pet is that owning one is not all about playing fun games and chasing around. They can be restless and filled with energy, expensive, sick, noisy and untrained. You will have to consider all of these things and then decide if you are ready for such a time-consuming commitment.

You might love all kinds of animals and you love playing with them, but that does not mean that you are ready to take care of one. If you live alone and constantly work for more than eight hours a day, a dog may develop anxiety issues because it is alone at home. Not everyone has the best conditions for keeping a pet.

While it may not be as hard as having a baby, it does get pretty close. If you are tired of your baby, you cannot just send it to a shelter for babies, can you? The same should apply for pets too. You must be ready to give everything to your little furry friend, your time, your money and your love. To properly get ready for your new pet, visit this website where you can read some additional tips.

Type of breed

Now, this can be a pretty hard decision. There are hundreds of different types of dog breeds out there, and you probably have no idea which one you should get. That’s normal because no one can really find the right breed. Every dog is unique and special in its own way, there is no perfect option. You will also have to consider whether you want to foster in an older and experienced dog, or if you want a brand new puppy. If you have kids and a nice backyard we suggest that you, consider Silver Labrador Retriever, and if you want to learn more about this breed check out petdogplanet.com

An older dog will not have as much energy as a small puppy, and may even already have some experience when it comes to housetraining. Senior dogs can be more calm, understanding and will not try to start chewing every single item in your house.

A smaller puppy can be a bigger problem considering how much energy they can have and without any training that energy can be “dangerous”. In the first few months, they will require a lot of attention, especially for their daily training and socialization. You will also have to spend some time cleaning up their messes since they have no idea what potty training is. Every single spot in your house for them is a place to pee.

Another important thing you need to consider before you get yourself a new friend is the type of breed you would like to get. Every available breed has its own pros and cons. You cannot just pick one because of its outside looks. All those breeds have their own type of personality. If you are planning to leave your dog constantly alone at home, then find a breed that can handle loneliness and won’t get anxiety every time you leave the door.

If you work from home or if you live with your family and someone is constantly at home, then more attached dogs will not have a problem. If you do not want to spend hours and hours running your dog outside and you just want to hang out in front of your computer or your television, find a breed with fewer activity needs.

Should you buy or adopt?

This is a dilemma that every person looking to buy a dog gets in. A lot of dogs are stuck in the shelter, and fostering such a dog will mean the world to them. Consider whether you want an older dog from a shelter or if you are ready to buy a brand new puppy.

Getting ready

Now that you have finally made your decision about whether you should get a dog, the type of breed and age, it is time to get everything ready for when the new member comes into your home. There are many reasons to invest in good pet insurance, like Bivvy, so you can make sure your new friend stays healthy!

Dogs love to explore

First things first, dogs love to explore. They want to know every nook and cranny of their own territory like the back of their paw. This means that you will have to move everything dangerous that is within their reach. Ensure that your dog can have a safe and free to exploration home. If you get yourself a puppy, then you should probably just keep it in one room until it gets used to your rules.

Lock up any medicines you have lying around that are in reach, keep the lockers with cleaning supplies locked and block access to your balcony. Also, make sure that it does not have any access to wires and electrical cords as they can start chewing on those and get electrocuted. You will have to puppy-proof your home just as you would for a baby.

Get your dog all types of chewing toys and reward it for chewing those toys. This way the dog will start to understand right from wrong. The earlier you start with training, the more your dog can learn. By properly training your new friend it will be much happier in its new home and your life will be much easier.