- Housebreaking your dog. Whether you get a puppy or adult dog, most likely they will need to be trained to go outside appropriately at your house. Time and patience is needed for this.
- Daily exercise. Whether you have a toy dog or large dog, dogs need exercise and play time. They also enjoy interacting with their human companions, and do not do well left to their own devices.
- Containment. Dogs don't instinctively know how to keep themselves safe or that it might not be appropriate to bite other people or dogs. Leashes and fences keep dogs safe during the interim period, and any time you are near something that could endanger your dog or your dog could endanger.
- Time for feeding and letting quite often for puppies and could be from two to five times a day for adults. You can set dogs up for success with feeding times et, but nature sometimes does not work to your schedule's advantage.
- Money. Do you have money for food, veterinary care, training help, purchasing a dog, vet insurance, grooming services, and possibly dog walking services during working hours. Veterinary care can go beyond the annual vaccinations which are a few hundred dollars a year, neutering et, and include emergency services or antibiotics when sick. Also don't forget supplements that might be needed to be perscribed, or medical conditions that are not emergencies but might require daily medication.
- Enjoyment. Will you really enjoy a dog? Many times it means walking them in the cold, rain, playing with them, et. They can not exist happily in a vaccum not being paid attention to or interacting with you.
- Cleanliness. Dogs are going to make your house more dirty. You can clean more of course, or get used to a bit lessor defination of clean. Dirt is tracked in, they can step in their poo, when they are ill with diareah or vomitting, they don't have immediate access to bathroom facilities. Some breeds drool excessively, and all breeds drool somewhat. Most dogs get eye boogies which can be flung around your house. If you allow dogs on the bed, your bed linens will get more use and therefore dirt. Dogs can pick up pests like fleas or ticks which need to be dealt with. There is also the accident (infrequent though it may be from a housetrained dog) that will happen in your house.
- Dogs do not do well as full time outside or penned dogs, with some exceptions of working dogs. These dogs have REAL jobs and responsibilities during the day which provide plenty of physical and mental exercise.
- Life span. Dogs do not remain puppies for most of their lives. Most dogs live an average of 11 years, and some small breeds do much better. Dogs should only be adopted for a long term commitment. You should be prepared that a dog is going to be with you, and look forward to it, for a long time and not just the puppy time. If this does not appeal to you, do not do the injustice to a puppy to adopt it, and then bring him/her to a shelter.
- Training. Besides house training, all dogs need basic training and socialization and training in different environments. At the beginning this can take at least an hour a day for eight weeks, and then you still need to maintain the training.
- Grooming. All dogs need the maintenance of their coat, ears, teeth and nails to be done on at least a weekly basis. This is for the health and well being as I have posted in an article yesterday.
- Safety for the dog, and also maintenance of your house. Dogs do not know what is appropriate or not appropriate to chew. During the training periods, they require supervision or crating when out loose arond the house. You can not expect that they won't damage or chew on things if you are not actively communicating and training them what is and is not appropriate. Dogs can chew on things that are dangerous as well, such as electrical cords or Christmas ornaments.
- Patience and discipline. Dogs need both patience and discipline in their lives. If you are not able to provide either, please do not get a dog.
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