Thinking of Getting a Puppy?

There’s nothing like a fluffy little bundle of joy to add so much to our lives.  And there are things you can do before you choose your new puppy to ensure that your puppies life (and hence yours) flows smoothly.

There are a number of questions you should ask yourself and discuss within your family before making the decision.

Your home and section  –   You need a section large enough to house a dog and give it some room to run and play in.  The section needs to be well fenced so your dog can’t get out by either jumping over or pushing through or under the fence.  And of course the dog will need shelter from the elements. Ideally the back yard should be fenced and gated from the front yard so that visitors/meter readers can get to your door without encountering your dog.

Family life –        Will the dog be left alone while the family is at work/school 5 or 6 days a week?  If so, how do you plan to break the boredom for your home alone pup.   If nobody can pop home in their lunch break, can a few days per week at a doggy daycare be budgeted for?  Or a dogwalker?

Are children of an age where they will respect the dog?  If you have very young children, are you prepared to fully  supervise their time together?

Breed – If you’ve got a particular breed in mind – Google it!   Make sure its temperament and behaviour characteristics will suit you and where you live.   Also check out its exercising needs and consider the size your puppy will grow to as an adult.

Which brings me to cost.  The larger the dog the larger the cost of food.  There’s also the cost of vaccinations, desexing and grooming for some dogs.

Give your vet clinic a call and they can let you know the costs for vaccinating and desexing.   Ditto the local groomer if you think your dog will need it.

I strongly recommend pet medical insurance for the unexpected injuries and illnesses.   There are quite a few on the market these days so check them out.

Boarding kennels are great if you’re going away, and can cost between $15 – $30 or more per night so, another cost to keep in mind.

Puppies need training and calm guidance,  they’re not born knowing the rules of a human household and will make mistakes.

I run Puppy Classes for pups between the age of 8 -16 weeks where they learn to socialize in a safe environment, are taught some basic commands and the owners also learn some key ways of communicating with their pups in a way the pup understands.  The dates of classes can be found on my website www.communicanine.co.nz.   If you don’t live in my area (Manawatu) check online or with your vet clinic for puppy classes close to you.

I know it’s a well used cliché but puppies really are for life.  So give your pup the best life it could ever hope to have and you’ll be rewarded with the best friend you’ve ever had.