Ava Williams
Most of the time, the desire for a dog comes from the children. They want a new playmate who will always be there for them. High and holy is promised to take good care of the dog. After a few days or weeks, some children have already forgotten this promise. Parents often don’t think about the amount of time they have to invest in a dog either. Many are overwhelmed and after a short time see no other solution than to send the dog to the animal shelter.
“First of all, you should ask yourself whether your living situation is stable enough to take care of a dog for 10 to 20 years.” Andrea Swift, managing director of the Pfotenhilfe association, points out.
You should ask yourself the following questions before buying a dog:
- Will there always be someone who has time to take your dog for a long walk every day?
- Is your apartment big enough for them to feel comfortable in it?
- Apart from the daily food costs, can you also raise money for high vet bills?
- Is there someone who can look after your animal on short notice, during hospital stays, and your holidays?
- Does one of your family members have a dog allergy?
- Are all family members in agreement with the new housemate?
If all these questions have been answered and a dog is still an option, it should be noted that dogs are very social creatures and would therefore prefer to be with you around the clock. It would be ideal if you could take the dog to work with you. Holiday planning must also be tailored to the dog. If possible, you should take it with you on vacation so that your four-legged friend is not separated from you for too long. Air travel means a lot of stress and is therefore unsuitable for dogs.
Now the question arises of where the dog should come from. In pet shops, many people get the feeling that they have to “save” the poor animals and buy them. However, this only boosts business and brings in supplies that await the same fate. The puppies offered in pet shops often have to put up with long transport routes and the associated hardships on the way there. The repeated change of place – even at this young age – leads to great stress, which is not without consequences for the rest of life.
If you have already decided on a specific dog breed and want to buy a dog from a breeder, make sure that it is a reputable and experienced dog breeder. Because even among dog breeders there are dubious dealers. Sometimes the puppies come from illegal puppy breeding facilities, where nobody cares about their health and they are often separated from their mothers much too early. Therefore, when buying a puppy, make sure that the breeder is serious!
Adopting an animal from the animal shelter is certainly a particularly nice way of giving a creature a home. In a well-run animal shelter, only vaccinated, dewormed and neutered animals are given away. There are also many pedigree dogs and puppies waiting for a new home in the shelter. However, it can happen that dogs from shelters have sometimes lost trust in people because of their experiences and therefore need more attention and time to be able to develop a relationship with their new owner.
In all cases, the decision to adopt a dog must be carefully considered.