Having a dog is like having an extension of the family. Research shows that being a dog owner also has a wealth of health and wellness benefits, not the least of which include reduced risk for depression, fewer allergies, and an overall improved outlook on life. It can also encourage you to exercise more which boosts your heart health.
When getting a dog for the first time, it’s important to recognize the work and responsibility that goes into having a pet. First-time dog owners usually wish they had known a few things ahead of time.
Don’t make the same mistake. Understand the following five essentials before adopting your first furry friend.
1. Choose a nice dog.
You might consider your furry friend to basically be human and, therefore, responsible for its actions, but the law doesn’t. If your dog bites someone, it’s considered your fault.
“Dog bites can…be serious wounds that lead to infection, scarring, and in severe cases, disfigurement or even death,” warns an article from ffplaw.com, a law firm in Florida that specializes in personal injury cases.
A gentle, friendly dog that’s well-trained to play nice with guests will save you from a potential lawsuit in the future.
2. Dogs are expensive—some breeds more than others.
Food, toys, and grooming are the basic expenses of owning a pet. Some breeds can be washed and groomed at home, but many hypoallergenic dogs must be groomed professionally to keep up with hair growth.
Veterinarian expenses are also very expensive. To maintain their health, dogs require regular checkups, vaccinations, and dental work. They may also need to be spayed or neutered.
If your pet gets sick, and you don’t have insurance, you could be paying thousands in resulting medical costs.
3. Health concerns can arise from nowhere.
Dogs can’t tell us when they’re ill, and oftentimes, we don’t realize that certain symptoms are the result of a more serious problem. In some cases, your pet exhibits no symptoms at all, so they aren’t diagnosed until their checkup, at which point it’s too late.
It can be expensive, time consuming, and frustrating trying to determine what’s causing a pet’s ailments. “The problem is that so many diseases cause the standard ‘diarrhea and vomiting,’ that we often have to run a number of tests– which can quickly add up in price– to diagnose what’s causing the problem, and start figuring out how to make the dog better,” Dr. Christie Long, chief vet for PetCoach.co told Forbes.
Dedicated pet owners will buy pet insurance, which is around $25 per month and insures you for unexpected emergencies. Most policies don’t cover pre-existing conditions, so consider purchasing the policy the same day Fido comes home.
4. Rescue a dog instead of buying one from a breeder.
It’s tempting to buy a dog from a breeder—those pure-bread puppies are adorable! But rescuing a dog from a shelter has many advantages, both for you and your new pet. Aside from saving a pet from a life of misery in a dog shelter or even euthanization, you’re also saving money and difficulty.
Pets that come from shelters are usually vaccinated and microchipped, which saves you hundreds of dollars. They’ve usually been spayed or neutered as well, so you don’t have to worry about surprise puppies in your home.
Additionally, many pets at shelters have already been trained. There’s always a learning curve when you bring your dog home, but they may already be crate and house trained, saving you a lot of hassle.
5. It matters what you feed your dog.
There shouldn’t be anything random about the way you feed your dog. Their health and vitality depend on proper nutrition. Feeding your dog correctly is extremely important.
“The problem with feeding your dog at random is that you risk the chance of under- or overfeeding your pup, which could lead to healthcare issues in the future,” warns Cosette Jarrett of Lifehack.org.
The type and quality of food is important as well. Corn, wheat/gluten, food dyes, rendered fat, grain and meat by-products, and several other ingredients that you can’t pronounce are often found in cheap dog foods, and they aren’t good for your pet. These foods will leave them gassy with possible gastro-intestinal issues.
Jarrett suggests finding a guide that discusses the proper amount and type of food to food to feed your animal. Your vet can also help you develop a healthy diet plan for your pup, setting you up for success.