5 Things to Think About When Adopting a Pet

I received product/compensation in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

We don’t have any dogs at home, yet, but my family does have two furbabies that live with my parents. My parents have two chocolate labrador puppies but they keep on getting bigger and bigger. Not sure I am ready for big dogs at our house or if I want to start with a smaller dog. My kids ask constantly for a dog and I know one day I will give in.

To prepare for adopting a pet, I have come up with 5 Things to Think About When Adopting a Pet:

• Consider allergies. Even if you or your family members have never been allergic to dogs before, an allergy can appear. I am not allergic to all dogs but some dogs with certain dander, hair, species do bother me. When we do adopt a dog, I will definitely be visiting the dog a few times to see if my allergies act up as well as my family members.

• Do your research. Research your breed you are looking at so you know what to expect. A Chihuahua, for example, is easy to keep clean and groomed, where a big, hairier dog is going to need extra care with baths and grooming. Chihuahua’s also are typically smaller and lighter dogs.

• What will you do if your pet gets sick? You never know what will happen once you bring a pet home and costs can add up. It is important to have an idea of what you will do if your pet gets sick – will you get pet insurance right away, use your savings or would you consider putting your pet down? I have a friend who after she adopted her puppy she discovered he needed hip replacement which would cost $10,000 – she opted to do the surgery despite the cost.

• Is your home pet friendly? If you get a puppy, they are worse than toddlers as they have sharper teeth and literally chew on everything! After seeing what my parents are going through with their puppies, I have decided that I’d rather start with a little older of a dog. Not that I have nice things but I do prefer my furniture and stuff without chew marks.

• Do you travel a lot or away from home for long hours? It is definitely important to take consideration of the breed you have in mind and how well they do alone during the day and who will watch him/her when you travel. Would you travel with your pet? I luckily have two sets of parents that would gladly watch our pet when we travel.

Have questions about pet adoption, best dog food for allergies or looking to adopt a pet locally? Get Your Pet is a great resource to check out and to connect with other pet owners.