Not having grown up with a dog myself, adding a furry friend to the family was high on my list of things to do when we bought our house. Jay and I ultimately decided to wait a bit as we were both working full time and not at home for long stretches during the day. Once I began working from home, it seemed like it was the perfect time to add a dog to the mix. We didn’t really have a specific breed in mind and were actually thinking we would wind up with a lab. But when we met Roofus, it was love at first sight and we knew he was the perfect addition to our family.
Seriously – who could resist that face???
Like I do with most new things, I set about learning as much about taking care of our new addition as I could via Google. While I did get a lot of good information online, there are some things that only experience can teach you! Like….
- Be realistic about how much time you have. When picking out your furry friend, be honest with yourself about how much time you have to devote to your new pet. While puppies are undeniably adorable, they take a LOT of time and effort to train. They also have an abundance of energy and need frequent exercise. There are tons of mellow, already trained dogs at your local shelter. If you feel training a puppy might be too much right now, an older dog might be a great fit.
- Know what your dog’s grooming needs will be. I did not realize that some dogs have fur and some have hair. (I never had a dog before – remember? This was never an issue with my pet fish!) Roofus has hair which is actually a plus for us since Josh and I both tend to have allergies. He also doesn’t shed which I have grown to really appreciate as well! However, he does require regular baths and haircuts which we have had to factor into the budget and schedule.
- Get a good sense of what your dog can get into. Once you’ve selected your new dog and brought him home, take another look at your house – from his perspective. The best way to do this is to get down on your hands and knees (or like in our case – lay on your stomach if you have a small dog) and see what your dog sees. If you previously had a small dog and now have a larger one, see if there are new surfaces your dog can reach that your previous pup couldn’t. I’ll never forget the look on my friend’s face when she realized her new Lab had snagged the pot roast that had been sitting on her counter. That was NOT something she had worried about with her Shih Tzu! While Roofus is tiny, he is resourceful. We’ve had to learn to push in our chairs when we get up from the table or he will go hunting for crumbs.
- Be prepared for unexpected expenses. Whether you have a new puppy or an older dog, unexpected things come up and they sometimes require a trip to the vet or animal emergency room. Just a few weeks after getting Roofus, he caught a robin in his mouth and then proceeded to throw up over and over again. It was a Sunday, so off to the animal hospital ER we went. Then there was the time he climbed onto the table and drank my pineapple juice and vodka. That was our second trip to the ER.
One of the ways you can get a bit of a handle on unexpected medical expenses is to invest in pet insurance. Healthy Paws is partnering with me on this sponsored post to help me let more pet owners know what their options are. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance has been #1 customer rated since 2015 with 98% customer satisfaction! They offer unlimited lifetime benefits and cover things like emergency surgery, medications, ER visits and tests, genetic conditions and even cancer and alternative care. And you can see the licensed vet of your choice! (I’m getting a little envious here…)
You can put in your dog’s information and get an instant quote to see how much your cost would be. And you can adjust the coverage and deductible to best fit your own needs! (While we are obviously dog people here, Healthy Paws does not discriminate and also offers policies for cats too.) Learn more from this quick video:
Connect with Healthy Paws online at:
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
I love this post. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen take a dog back to the shelter or, even worse, the pet store because they didn’t do their homework.
Amanda Love says
This is why it’s important to research about the different breeds so you know which one fits right into your lifestyle. Gettinh a dog is like having a baby. You have to make sure all its needs are met.
Colleen Lanin says
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! Too many people just grab a cute dog without thinking about what kind of care and exercise he’ll need. Know what you’re getting!
Pam Wattenbarger says
These are all great things to keep in mind when getting a new dog. Grooming needs can really sneak up on you if you don’t know what to expect going in.
Meagan says
These are some great tips. Many people don’t think it out when getting a dog.
Liz Mays says
Ah, yeah I would have to save up a little for the extra expenses. We ran into a few of those when we adopted our pets.
Theresa says
We had a few unexpected medical expenses with our dogs and really could have used Healthy Paws Pet Insurance to help cover those costs. We insure ourselves, it’s a smart idea to insure our pets too!
Annemarie LeBlanc says
I have always wanted a big dog breed (like Bull Mastiff) but my husband says they would be too much work and are really high maintenance dogs. We opted for a small breed and he’s such a little darling. I will have to consider getting Pet insurance too. If we pet parents have insurance, then our dogs must have them too.
Rosey says
That’s funny about the pot roast. Well, I bet that wasn’t funny at the time, but it makes for a funny story. We had a dog eat a whole cake I’d baked for my MIL after she returned and was coming to visit from a big trip. The whole cake. We came home to the plate on the floor (thankfully not broken, ai! he could have been hurt if it’d have broken and he’d continued to eat, which he probably would have). Lesson def. learned.
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
Thank you so much for these tips! I have a friend and she’s planning to get a new dog. Sharing this with her.
Seattle Travel Blogger says
Those expenses can add up when having a dog.
It also helps to know the dog’s energy level/activity requirements.
Myrah Duque says
Owning a dog entails so many responsibilities tha many don’t know until they get one. Thanks for the tips.
Tess says
Oh my gosh-That looks just like our puppy! We just got her, so those are all good points!
Kita Bryant says
I know for me, potty training them took a lot of patience. I washed a lot of bedding. Lol!
Louise Bishop says
When my dogs were little I would have to walk around the house and “dog proof” it. They just can’t help but to chew on stuff.
Our Family World says
This are all helpful. I kove reading articles like this, i was planning to get a new dog this year since my baby is getting older., he is now 7 years old and is oftenly sick.
Ann Bacciaglia says
It is so important to do your research when you are choosing a new pet. You need to look at the breeds energy levels and if it will match your family. To many dogs have to be re homed because the dog was not the right fit.
Kiwi says
The reason I dont have a dog is my time management skills. I am too busy and travel too much so I really cant have a dog.