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Stewardship of any any animal is a gift... a gift given to us by them!
The decision to open your life and soul to a dog is both a huge honour and a hug responsibility, one not to be taken in haste or without much thought and deliberation.
Your decision must not be based on a whim or the "cute" factor of that basket of puppies you may see at the local garage sale -
all puppies are cute!
It is up to us to do some research, educate ourselves and prepare our homes and our families for the inclusion of a four-legged furry bundle of energy and joy because if you don't , your little 8lbs of wiggly fluff may quickly turn into 75lbs of loveable, huggable destruction.
The first step in dog selection has to be an honest self evaluation.
What are your current home environment and your lifestyle choices? - Are you a couch potatoe living in an apartment or are you a roller-blader living in suburbia? Now think ahead 10 years. What do you want to be doing then? - Travelling the world, raising children or single and climbing the corporate ladder? When you decide to take on the responsibility of a dog, you have to take into consideration not just the now, but the future!
Chose your breed (or mix of breeds) very carefully. Make sure that the activity level requirements, the habits and traits, the trainability and the general temperment of the dog you think you want to bring into your home is compatible, both with your current situation and the lifestyle you hope to be living 10 years from now.
You owe it to your future companion to ensure that his needs are fully and properly met - and you owe it to yourself, to not come home to a house torn up by a bored, under-exercised, and un-trained pooch. You will both be miserable!
There are unlimited resources available out there. Please use them!
Use them before chosing the dog of your dreams, so you get the dog of your dreams!
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