Getting a new dog is a big deal and can be one of the most exciting and life changing events in your life. I remember my excitement in getting my first dog Layla. We had talked about getting a dog and all of the responsibilities it would be for a long time before we decided to get her.
One summer day a couple years ago we took a trip to a local shelter (shelter and rescue dogs have a special place in my heart) about an hour away from our home. We walked in the front door to a bunch of cute puppies and dogs barking up a storm. We walked around introducing ourselves to all the different breeds and dogs that were living there at the time. After about 45 minutes we found our little “Layla” in a crate jumping up and down – so excited to see us. We took her out the the field and played with her to make sure that she was healthy and just to see how she behaved (she was only about 3 months old). We signed the papers, gave a donation to the shelter to help them stay in business, and left with our new handful of energy and that’s where life began for us…
We did a lot of research before getting our first dog and thought we had it all figured out but when we got home we realized how much work this really would be. So we decided to put together a list of things we wish we knew before we got a dog:
1. Dogs are a long-term commitment (10-15 years)
2. Dogs poop and pee where convenient (until they learn there are advantages to going outside)
3. Jumping might be cute when the puppy is 15 lbs but OBNOXIOUS when they grow up
4. Feeding your puppy cheap food leads to more vet visits and an early death
5. Training a puppy into good habits in the first weeks takes way less time than turning their bad habits into good habits
6. Crate training is not cruel
7. A good vacuum cleaner is your best friend
8. A bored dog is a destructive dog
9. Dogs have emergencies (95% of the time) when the vet is closed
10. Dogs want to be good for you and never do things to spite you
Feel free to share any additional things you wish you knew before you got your dog