Are you ready for Fido
In our application form we ask some basic questions. It helps us to determine if you- are actually ready for a dog. The first, most important one-
Do you have the time?!
Dogs require a lot of things- but mostly, they require time. Dogs are pack animals. They are happiest when they are with you, if you work 12 hours a day then having a dog is probably not a great idea. If you have three small children, work a full time job and are struggling to juggle everything you have going now- how is a dog going to fit in the mix? Dogs, regardless of age, require training (which equals time) For a puppy it will be an ongoing thing, first you have housetraining, then puppy classes, followed by an obedience class or two...for an adult dog you may have some behaviour problems that need to be addressed, or at least an obedience class. This all takes time.
Are you commited?
Picture yourself in 5 years.....10 years....now picture the dog standing beside you....Dogs are a lifetime commitment and it is important that you consider that when adding a pooch to your family.
Are you financially ready?
There is no such thing as a free dog. Really. Even a dog you pay nothing for will cost you in the end :o)
First off- Vet care. Did you know it is more than $200 to spay or neuter a dog these days? Add on at least another $60 or $100 for vaccines.....and what about an emergency??? And then there is food, the dog's gotta eat!!! it is roughly $40 a bag for a decent food- a big dog will eat at least a half a bag a month! (or more) If you go with a little guy you will have grooming to contend with. It is about $30-$40 bucks every 6 weeks or so! Get the picture???
And then there are all the little things...
Do you live in a house that allows a dog....you can hope and pray that the landlord won't notice....but what happens when they do???
Do you have a fenced yard??? It is no fun for a dog to be tied up it's whole life...dogs need space...Now, this is not to say that having no fence means no dog- it just means you have to get creative!!!
Do you have the energy!! Not only are dogs time consuming but they can be pretty darn tiring too! Dogs need exercise. And yes, that means on cold snowy days, or windy rainy days. Even little dogs need some form of exercise so be prepared for that!
and of course....
Do you have the patience?!
Dogs can be frustrating. Quite often they aren't housetrained, they chew things, they wreck things and they bark...yes, they bark.
Are YOU ready?
