There are plenty of things to consider when buying or adopting a puppy, it’s certainly not like doing the usual grocery run, or shopping for clothes! Here are some of the things that we need to be looking at when considering buying a pooch of our own:
Food – Contrary to popular belief, dogs can’t just eat us human’s leftovers. Dogs require a different diet, what we eat might not be safe for a canine and that is something you need to be mindful of. A complete and balanced pet food is recommended, but can be costly.
Time commitment – Do you want to have a child of your own? Well, bringing a new dog into your home feels just like having a kid in the house and can require almost as much time. Just like a child, you can buy him loads of toys to play with so he won’t play with other dangerous things around the house. The problem is if your pup doesn’t like the toys he’ll find his way to your lovely couch, imagine that surprise!
Cost – if your dog gets sick, you will need a vet assessment, that means paying for the consultation fee, long drives (if you live far from the animal clinic), medication and in the worst cases, your pooch might need to undergo surgery. A simple vet check can cost up to $100 whilst surgery can go well into the thousands. Vet expenses insurance can be taken out to offset this risk.
Exercise – This is crucial and comes back to the amount of time you’ll need to spend with the dog, as dogs are highly sociable animals and need regular interaction. They also need exercise to keep them healthy, so this means taking them out for walks up to twice a day, and regular play time at the park.
You’ll also need time to clean after your dog, especially if you allow your dog to sleep indoors, also you will need to train them not to do their ‘business’ in the house. Training is ongoing and requires a significant commitment.
Having your own dog is a long-term responsibility, and are you earning from it?
No! If you think owning a dog is too much why not consider minding a dog?
You just look after someone else’s dog and you’re earning money whilst enjoying your new four-legged friend’s company. All you have to do is be the dog’s companion for a short period of time while the dog’s owner is away. There are no out-of-pocket expenses as the owner takes care of those, how cool is that!
So if you’re considering getting a dog of your own, why not try dog minding first, not only is it productive, but it also helps relieve stress and you get to learn about different breeds, meet people and make friends at the same time. It’s a also a much needed service and you can choose to limit your service to just dog-walking or go all out and offer full-blown doggy day-care. Either way, dog minding is clearly a win-win for the dog lover.