Choosing a Family Dog – Do You Really Want a Dog?
Bringing a dog home can be a rewarding experience. Although there a many things to consider before choosing a family dog, there’s one obvious question that should be answered first…
Do You Really Want a Dog?
The first and most important question, is whether you really want a dog, in the first place. Many people mistakenly believe that a dog is all fun, they don’t consider all the hard work and effort that goes into raising a dog.
So, do you want a dog just for the fun of it, to keep you company, or are you able to give it its due and tend to it and look after its needs for what amounts to the rest of its natural life?
Here again many people will get their dog and then find that the hassle is not worth the effort and will give the dog away, most of the time to a pound or a shelter or similar place.
You need to decide whether you really want a dog or not. The responsibility aspect of the whole thing aside, is this just a passing fancy, or do you really want to have dog.
This is a very serious question, and there is no “of course” about it. Just because you say that you want a dog, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you want a dog.
If you think that it will help, you can go through this book to find out whether or not a dog is the right choice for you.
The book might be about choosing the right dog for you, but it can also help to clarify in your mind whether you are ready to deal with all the complications that a dog will bring to your life.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to put you off getting a dog, I think they are the perfect friends and companions for many people, but not everyone is equipped to deal with a dog in their lives.
So give the dog its due, and yourself a break, and think this through very seriously before choosing a family dog.
