Are You Ready? What To Know Before Adopting A Dog
So, you’re considering adding a four-legged, tail wagging, best friend to your family, congratulations! Adopting a dog is an amazing and life changing experience, and before you enter into this special relationship, your friends at All Creatures Veterinary Hospital want to help you make sure you’re ready for all the responsibilities and joys that accompany a new pet.
A New Family Member
Before adopting a dog or any other pet, it’s important to take an honest look at your lifestyle, daily and weekly schedules, and energy level. Do you have the time necessary to devote to the daily care, exercise, training, and entertainment of a dog? If you have other people living in your home, how much or little will they be involved in your new pet’s care?
Sit down with everyone in your home and draft a plan outlining everyone’s responsibilities when it comes to dog care. Decide who will be the pet’s main caregiver, and who will take over other duties, and when.
Financial Considerations
Just as with any other member of the family, adopting a dog has added expenses. Be sure to budget in the costs of food, supplies, grooming, training, and veterinary care for your new little guy or gal. Many pet owners opt to purchase pet insurance, which gives them a way to budget veterinary care throughout the year and can help when illnesses or injuries pop up. Give us a call for more information.
Pup Proofing
Whether you are opting to adopt a puppy or an older dog, you’ll need to take your new pet’s environment into considerations and make any necessary adjustments for his or her safety. Make sure all food items are stored out of your pup’s reach, and that cords and small items that could pose a choking risk are not left on the floor or low-lying shelves or furniture. Make use of baby gates to block off areas you don’t want Fido having access to.
The Advantages of Adopting A Dog
Although there are many responsible breeders out there, by adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue you are literally saving a life, not to mention freeing up space for another homeless dog to receive care and get adopted. Adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue also means that you are usually receiving a pet that has already been spayed or neutered and is up to date on immunizations, which saves you money in the long run.
Rescue organizations such as Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue save dogs from high-kill shelters around the country and work tirelessly to find the perfect homes for them. Animals live in foster homes before they are adopted out, which allows the dogs to experience life with people, and for their personalities to emerge prior to adoption. This allows BBAR and others like it can match up families with a pet that’s right for them.
Please reach out to the staff at All Creatures Veterinary Hospital of Brooklyn with your questions or concerns about adopting a dog. We are happy to help in any way we can!