Adopting a dog can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. You’re bringing home a new family member, and you want to make sure everything goes smoothly.
The best thing you can do for an animal is to give them a forever home. With the increase in animals being surrendered, you want to make sure you can provide a home where your new pup gets to stay. Finding the right fit for your household and taking the right steps to train your dog will help it all work.
#1 What to Check for with Dogs Online
Going online can be a great way to find the puppy your family has always wanted. It makes sense for families to have a lot of criteria before bringing a dog home. They want a dog that’s going to be good with children or get along with animals they already have in their home. Going online helps you check all the necessary boxes.
There are tons of listings for dogs for adoption in Calgary online. However, you need to know what to look for to make sure you’re getting your dog from someone with the animal’s best interests at heart. These are some of the things you keep in mind:
- The seller should have health and medical information, including a vet check and full disclosure of medical history.
- Ideally, the seller will have information about the dog’s personality.
- The price should be inline with the situation. Purebreds can come at a steep cost, but even rescues will come with an adoption fee that covers things like vet checks before you go home with them.
#2 Research Dog Breeds
Make sure you know your dog breeds before you decide to get a purebred. Purebred dogs are more likely to have inherited disorders than mixed-breed canines, and they may also be well-known for having certain personality traits.
If there are certain dog breeds you’ve always wanted to own, do your research to find out if they are known for certain conditions or personality traits and whether or not they are still a good fit for your family.
#3 Determine Responsibilities with Your Family
Determining responsibilities with your partner and children before you bring the dog home will help make the adjustment go smoothly. Make sure you’ve all agreed on a schedule for who’s going to walk the dog and when they are supposed to do it, as well as who’s feeding them.
#4 Start Training Right Away
As much as you may want to just cuddle your new puppy, you’ll have a happier home in the long run if you start training right away. Don’t let bad habits form just because your dog is still small. Once they grow up, those bad habits can start to be untenable.
Make sure you talk to a trainer about training your dog the right way. You’ll need to crate train them, make sure they know not to jump on people or bite, and socialize them with other people and other animals.
#5 Get Insurance
Last but not least, consider getting insurance for your dog. Unexpected vet bills can put a lot of financial pressure on families and strain your relationship with your animal. Make sure you’re covered for the unexpected.
With a bit of preparation, you can make sure you find the perfect canine companion for your family.