Based on an average life span of 11 years, the cost of owning a dog is $13,350. So let’s at this point just agree that owning is dog is quite the financial and time commitment! I really don’t want to discourage people from getting a dog but here are just a few things you family unit should consider…
 

  • If it takes 12 years (we hope) to get kids ready for college you should not be thinking a 6 week course at the pet superstore will train your dog
  • You can not potty train a dog while you are at work, or watching TV. Expect a minimum of 30 days to build rudimentary understanding
  • You might just have to put your pooch in doggy daycare if you can not take time off from work to help with potty training and puppy behaviors
  • Expecting your kids to train the dog is a pipe dream ( you already know this, but sometimes we just need to hear it again
  • Dogs are social animals, so if you are planning on crating him/her in the basement or leaving the dog outside, think again
  • Puppy/ Juvenile dogs can be destructive, if you do not have time to manage them continually expect bad things to happen
OK these are only a few of the things that popped in to my head this morning as I wrote this little note… Dogs are not easy… Not every child, family or individual needs to own a dog and trust me I see it daily where folks dont think through this decision and well everyone in the family ends up in tears as they drop the dog off at the shelter. If I could leave you with just one piece of advise… It would be simple:
 
Think outside the box and be that person that hires a dog trainer before you get a dog. Let a professional talk to your family about this decision from every direction before you just go out and pick the first cute (by the way they are all cute) puppy you see int the window…..
 
 
Mike
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