Five Ways To Tell That You’re Not Ready To Own A Dog (Part 1)

If any of the following 5 statements ring true, you should re-examine your reasons for wanting a dog and your ability to properly care for one.

1. You’re Always Really Busy with Work and Don’t Have Much Downtime

In order for your new dog or puppy to bond with you and properly acclimate to its new surroundings, you’ll need to set a lot of time aside just for him. You can’t just pick out a puppy, bring it home, play with it for a while and then forget it. You need to spend quality time with your new family member. This means lots of playtime (especially for puppies), two or more walks outside every day and obedience training. If you don’t spend time with your pet, you’re just asking for trouble. Often, neglected pets will act out by engaging in destructive behavior. Furthermore, if your pet is alone too much, he will not be properly socialized. This may result in his being unduly fearful of strangers and other animals which, in turn, may cause him to become aggressively defensive towards them. If you are too busy to spend quality time with a pet, then wait until your life is a little less hectic before you adopt one.

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