NEWS & OPINIONS
Five Things to Consider Before Adopting a Dog
Is it time to get your first dog home? Vet Dr Tanaya takes you through five questions to ask yourself before you make this life-changing decision.
Table of contents
Over the years, there has been a rapid rise in people adopting a dog. Dogs offer the sort of warmth and affectionate companionship that can be difficult to find in today’s world. But it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. Bringing a dog home has been made to sound simpler than it is, with the primary culprit being social media.
We must take a moment to think about our decision carefully before making the jump. We have to do our research, speak to friends and family with parenting experience, and if possible, consult with an experienced veterinarian (available here) or behaviourist (available here) before making the big jump. Adopting your first dog should be a positive experience, and a bit of forethought can go a long way into ensuring that it stays pawsitive!
With that said, here are five questions you should ask yourself before adopting a dog!
We must take a moment to think about our decision carefully before making the jump. We have to do our research, speak to friends and family with parenting experience, and if possible, consult with an experienced veterinarian (available here) or behaviourist (available here) before making the big jump. Adopting your first dog should be a positive experience, and a bit of forethought can go a long way into ensuring that it stays pawsitive!
With that said, here are five questions you should ask yourself before adopting a dog!
We are cute, but are you ready to take care of us for the rest of our lives?
Are You Ready for This Long-term Commitment?
Perhaps, the most important thing to always keep in mind before getting a dog is that it is a long-term responsibility. Dogs have a life span of 10-15 years, even longer if we are lucky. Once we bring them home, our pooches are going to be dependent on us for their whole lives. Given how much everything has changed over the last 2–3 years, imagine how much can happen in 15 years.
All of us go through numerous life-changing events – job changes, marriages, the birth of a child, moving to a different city, etc. Take your time to think of the effects it could have on you and your dog. We can never be fully sure, but it is a good idea to paint a mental picture of the likely life/career path you are going to take in the near future and be prepared for the obligation to support your dog through these milestones as well.
All of us go through numerous life-changing events – job changes, marriages, the birth of a child, moving to a different city, etc. Take your time to think of the effects it could have on you and your dog. We can never be fully sure, but it is a good idea to paint a mental picture of the likely life/career path you are going to take in the near future and be prepared for the obligation to support your dog through these milestones as well.
Who knows, maybe your dog's puppy face will finally land you that promotion. :)
Do You Have the Time and Energy to Raise a Dog?
COVID has changed things- for now, and we find ourselves having more time at home than ever before. But eventually, life will either go back to the pre-pandemic normal or turn into something that no one can quite envision yet. It is important to think about your expected schedule when things change again and consider whether you will continue to be able to have the required time and energy to care for a dog.
Do remember that the effort required will depend heavily on the dog you get home. Puppies, up to 6 months, need constant supervision, while an older dog might be easier to manage. Having said that, it’s not the same for all adult dogs. If you have a dog that suffers from separation anxiety or other behavioral challenges then it may require you to stay at home more often than not. It is always a good idea to check the temperament of your puppy or adult dog before deciding to adopt or buy.
Do remember that the effort required will depend heavily on the dog you get home. Puppies, up to 6 months, need constant supervision, while an older dog might be easier to manage. Having said that, it’s not the same for all adult dogs. If you have a dog that suffers from separation anxiety or other behavioral challenges then it may require you to stay at home more often than not. It is always a good idea to check the temperament of your puppy or adult dog before deciding to adopt or buy.
Can You Support Your Dog’s Nutritional Needs?
Officially dogs are considered facultative carnivores. This means that they are primarily meat-eaters, but can survive on plant-based diets. The nutritional requirements of a dog are best met with meat sources of protein. If your culture or belief system does not permit you to feed meat or meat-based dog food, you may want to reconsider your decision. This is especially true in the case of large dog breeds such as Great Danes, St. Bernards, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, etc.
While it is not impossible to feed your dog a vegetarian/ vegan diet, it does mean you would need to do considerable research and consult with qualified nutritionists, and veterinarians. In addition, a significant day-to-day effort to ensure your dog’s meals are balanced is essential.
While it is not impossible to feed your dog a vegetarian/ vegan diet, it does mean you would need to do considerable research and consult with qualified nutritionists, and veterinarians. In addition, a significant day-to-day effort to ensure your dog’s meals are balanced is essential.
Fun fact - No dog has ever become a vegetarian by choice, like EVER!
Do You Have a Support System in Place?
It takes a village to raise a child, and a dog is a child that never grows up! Raising a dog is a full-time job, and there will be days when you just can’t do it. Think about project deadlines and the nights you may have to spend in the office, that two-week vacation that you may want to take every 6 months, or you may fall sick and be unable to take care of yourself and your dog. It is critical that as a first-time parent, you have a network of friends or family willing to support you in such situations.
This is especially important in case you live alone. Not having family or friends close by, means that you may have to seek support from professionals (boarders, sitters, etc.) which can be expensive. For multi-person households, having a good support network means that you have to ensure your family/friends/flatmates are happy with your decision of getting a dog since they are going to be the first responders when you are unavailable.
Do remember, it is equally important that your support network is experienced and knows how to handle a dog, otherwise it can lead to problems, injuries, or behavioural/health issues. Leaving your dog with someone who isn’t experienced has never worked out well for either the person keeping the dog or the parent leaving them there. It is a good idea to have a few short trials to slowly acclimatize your dog at your boarder’s, and friend’s to ensure a hassle-free experience when you need it.
This is especially important in case you live alone. Not having family or friends close by, means that you may have to seek support from professionals (boarders, sitters, etc.) which can be expensive. For multi-person households, having a good support network means that you have to ensure your family/friends/flatmates are happy with your decision of getting a dog since they are going to be the first responders when you are unavailable.
Do remember, it is equally important that your support network is experienced and knows how to handle a dog, otherwise it can lead to problems, injuries, or behavioural/health issues. Leaving your dog with someone who isn’t experienced has never worked out well for either the person keeping the dog or the parent leaving them there. It is a good idea to have a few short trials to slowly acclimatize your dog at your boarder’s, and friend’s to ensure a hassle-free experience when you need it.
Are You Ready for the Financial Commitment?
Let’s just say that getting a dog is not going to be an economical decision. As per our estimate, you are expected to incur a minimum of INR 30,000 expenditure for just the first year- and this is not considering the cost of buying the puppy, neutering/spaying, or any other unseen/emergency medical expense.
All the above line items cover only the essentials, so if you are a parent that likes to dress up your pooch with nice jackets and swanky socks—expect the cost to go up even more. For those who don’t have a car, transportation (to and from a vet’s / groomer’s / boarder’s) can be a significant expense in certain metropolitan cities – Uber and Ola are not always known to accept pets while pet taxis can charge anywhere between INR 40 – 60 per km.
These are the five most critical questions that you must consider before deciding whether to get a dog home. Always remember that taking up the responsibility of a living entity that will depend on you for its well-being, comes with a lot of moral and ethical responsibilities. Thus, you must think as critically as possible about each of the above and evaluate your readiness for getting a pet home.
In case you believe that you do not meet any of the above criteria to become a full-time dog parent, don’t fret! There are still other ways to enjoy the company of a dog such as fostering.
All the above line items cover only the essentials, so if you are a parent that likes to dress up your pooch with nice jackets and swanky socks—expect the cost to go up even more. For those who don’t have a car, transportation (to and from a vet’s / groomer’s / boarder’s) can be a significant expense in certain metropolitan cities – Uber and Ola are not always known to accept pets while pet taxis can charge anywhere between INR 40 – 60 per km.
These are the five most critical questions that you must consider before deciding whether to get a dog home. Always remember that taking up the responsibility of a living entity that will depend on you for its well-being, comes with a lot of moral and ethical responsibilities. Thus, you must think as critically as possible about each of the above and evaluate your readiness for getting a pet home.
In case you believe that you do not meet any of the above criteria to become a full-time dog parent, don’t fret! There are still other ways to enjoy the company of a dog such as fostering.
Here is a more detailed breakup of the cost for reference.
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