Before You Buy A Dog Essay Research

Before You Buy A Dog Essay, Research Paper

The decision to get a dog is not something to be taken lightly. An adorable puppy can tug at our heartstrings but, in the end, will require a significant investment of your time and money for a significant number of years. Socializing and training a new puppy is time consuming and, occasionally, frustrating. It can increase the amount of stress on the family, and the dog, working to provide the constant supervision, socialization, and training that is necessary to successfully integrate a dog into a family environment. This is especially true if the primary caregiver(s) are working outside of the home and/or have young children, an elderly parent, or other persons and/or pets to care for. This does not mean that it cannot be done. But, the investment of time, energy, and money, required, is often underestimated by prospective dog owners.

Additionally, depending upon what breed you ultimately select it may take some time to find the right breeder and the right puppy. Reputable, ethical breeders do not breed frequently. And, they only breed when they have found a pair who have been proven to possess the health and temperaments required to insure, to the extent possible, healthy, well tempered, offspring.

Making this decision impulsively, can lead to frustration, disappointment, and eventually, may result in the surrender of the dog to a shelter or rescue.

In the US, the tragic fact is that, millions of the dogs are prematurely euthanized, annually. And, most often, it is the owners, not the dogs, who are responsible for their premature deaths. Impulsive or poorly thought out decisions; the selection of a difficult or headstrong breed because it is ‘popular’ or you like how it looks; or, for that matter, any dog selected for looks rather than temperament, ‘match’ to your lifestyle, and your ability to provide proper care and environment; the lack of consideration of the lifestyle changes you may experience over the next 12 to 14 years; as well as the lack of proper socialization, training, physical activity, and attention — these are all major contributors to the need for so many shelters and rescues. And, results, all too frequently, in premature euthanasia.

WHY DO YOU WANT A DOG.:

The first question you should ask yourself, honestly . . .

Why do I(we) want a dog.

If your answer is:

For my son/daughter/children

Trust me, this will be YOUR dog. After the ‘honeymoon period’, the kids may only play with the dog, occasionally. They may groan and grumble about any dog-related responsibilities, doing them, begrudgingly, only after significant prodding from you. As children’s interests and activities change, over the years, their level of involvement with the dog, will most likely be, inconsistent, at best. Additionally, your children, especially, young children, will need to be ‘trained’ in how to behave with the dog and will need to be supervised when with the dog.

For protection

I know some may disagree but, it is my opinion, that the only time is it a good idea to get a dog for the purpose of protection is in professional or agricultural situations and only when the owner/trainer is humane and knowledgeable of dog behavior and dominant dog training/handling. In all other situations – probably 99.9% – an alarm system, security fence, or other measures are much more appropriate and effective.

To breed puppies

If you’ve read the third paragraph of this piece and still feel this way, there is probably little I can offer to change your mind. But, just in case, let me restate the case a little more thoroughly. The breeding of dogs is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. If it is not your intention to remain responsible for all of your puppies for their entire lives, including being willing to take back and care for those who may find themselves homeless, do not enter into this endeavor. If you are planning on breeding for profit, understand that there are much easier, more profitable and ethical ways to make a buck. Dogs are living beings and dog breeding requires a significant investment of time, money, labor, knowledge, both academic and practical, patience, and emotional fortitude, to be done responsibly and humanely. Please visit a few of the shelter and rescue websites, or your local shelter, and witness the problem yourself. View the faces of the homeless dogs and talk to the volunteers and staff who, all too often, must take that ‘final walk’ with them.

Because BreedX is ‘Cool’, was in a movie you saw, is unique and exotic, is free/cheap, or other such nonsense . . . One of the WORSE reasons to get a dog, or any other animal, for that matter, is because of their physical appearance or popularity due to a movie, TV show, or other publicity. Often, these venues feature exotic, rare or unique breeds who are, in the overwhelming majority of situations, unsuitable as companions. This visibility may also draw out those ‘breeders’ whose primary motivation is profit versus health, temperament, structural soundness and the welfare of their dogs. And, remember to incorporate the same thoughtful consideration on whether or not to get a dog, and which breed or mix, when your friend, coworker or relative offers you one of Fluffy’s puppies. Dogs are never really ‘free’ or ‘cheap’ and, in reality, require significant f