A spin-off from the last blog! In yesterday’s blog we discussed how to tell if your family was ready to introduce a dog into your lives. Today we’ll touch on the topic of what to consider before choosing a dog, so that you can look for one with the right personality, size, and energy levels for you and your kids! Here are a few things to consider before bringing a dog home to your family:
Lifestyle: How much time do you and the family have to devote to activity with the dog? While some breeds are more active and require up to a couple hours of running, playing, hiking, swimming in a lake, agility and other exercises, some breeds might be more interested in lounging around the kiddie pool getting a tan or watching tv 😉 Make sure the dog’s energy level coincides well with your own lifestyle so that you can spend as much time on the dog’s needs as possible. Some dogs, just like some kids, are more active and outgoing than others so bringing home a pooch that you can all keep up with will benefit the whole family, long term!
Grooming: How much time are you able to spend grooming a dog? Some dogs’ coats require several brushings a week, others require none. Some shed, some don’t. If you’re planning to involve the kids in the upkeep of the grooming, how often do you think you’ll be able to get them to help? Will you end up doing it all yourself? How about going to the grooming salon instead? Is there enough time in the family schedule to go regularly if that’s what your dog requires? If not, a dog with a lower maintenance coat would probably be a better fit than one which requires daily or weekly upkeep.
Affordability: Being realistic about affordability when considering a dog is incredibly important. Some eat 1 cup of food each day while others eat 3 or more! Grooming is also something that adds up, as well as training, toys, activities, dog walkers, dog sitters, daycares, vet bills, etc!! The list could go on but you get the picture.
Temperament & Energy: If the dog has had a traumatic history and is a little timid or fearful, is that something that your family has time to help with? Will anyone in the family be disappointed to find out that the reality of having a dog doesn’t mean long morning runs and fetching sticks out of the river if the dog is older or just simply lower in energy? It will help if the temperament and energy level of the dog matches the temperament and energy level of the humans it will be interacting with daily.
Do you have any other tips you think are important to consider when choosing the right dog for you and your family? Please share in the comments below!
~Stefania 🙂