What to Consider When Adopting a Dog
With so many dogs in shelters, adopting is a great alternative to buying. You may face many unique challenges when adopting a dog, as they may have come from difficult backgrounds or have behavioral problems. It is advantageous to adopt a dog and give it a new life, so here are just a couple of things to consider when adopting a dog.
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Temperament
Behavioral problems are one of the main reasons behind a dog being given to a shelter. Many owners are not prepared, willing, or able to own a dog with behavioral issues, and they may require special care and attention. If you have experience in owning and working with trickier dogs, you may be the perfect person to adopt one.
This article tells you all you need to know about 7 tips for adopting a shy dog, as you may also not know what kind of personality your dog will have. You may also have no, or minimal, information about what their life was like in previous homes, so you will have to be incredibly patient and caring when you adopt a dog.
Age
There are a huge number of senior dogs in shelters, as unfortunately, many people want puppies. There are, however, plenty of benefits to adopting an older dog, and they should not be overlooked. Older dogs are great for companionship and already have their personality formed, as well as most of them already being housetrained.
Whilst it is a great idea to adopt a dog of any age if you are compatible and can provide it with a good quality of life, an older dog should not be forgotten about.
Costs
There are plenty of costs involved in owning a dog. Whilst adoption is generally much cheaper than buying from a breeder, and you should still ensure that you can financially support your dog and provide it with everything it needs to be happy and healthy.
Costs involved in owning a dog include food, toys, vets, insurance, and accessories. You will also need to make sure your home is suitable and may need to spend money on dog-proofing your home to make it safe. This can include fencing security measures, making sure toxic materials such as certain chemicals, plants, or food are not accessible, and removing clutter and choking hazards.
Other pets
If you have other pets, it is important to consider this when adopting a dog for the new dog’s sake and the existing pets. Some shelters may do temperament tests on their dogs to see how well they get along with children and other animals such as cats. Different dog breeds can be more territorial and possessive than others, so there is no black and white answer regarding how well your current pet may get along with a new dog.
This is also true for children, as some dogs may not live with young children for several reasons. It is always important to get as much information about an adopted dog as possible to help you decide whether it is right.
