Are you ready for a dog?
If you are reading this you have probably already decided the answer to the above question, or perhaps you are floating somewhere in the middle at the moment, sure you would like a dog but not really certain that it is the right decision to make.
Inviting a dog or puppy to share your home is indeed a giant step and certainly not one to be taken lightly. There are numerous points to consider and to discuss with whomever will be sharing the dog’s life; adding a dog to your home is like adding a completely new member to your family.
You need to be totally committed to your new canine friend, be aware of their needs, realise that your perfect, shiny home will probably alter considerably to a less than immaculate home alarmingly quickly. With doggy hair appearing, muddy paw prints here and there and dog toys strewn all over the floor!
Those beautiful antique ornaments that you treasure so much will have to be moved and put away out of reach, unless you are willing for the swish of a happy tail to knock them toppling to the floor?
You know when you peer outside at the gale force winds and the torrential rain? You are all cosy and snug indoors, being thankful that you have no dire need to be outside. Well think again, as your new little doggy pal may have other ideas on the subject completely! Dogs, as a rule, do not care about the weather they still want to be out and about running and playing come rain or shine. I say, as a rule, because I have known some dogs that no matter what you do to persuade them there is absolutely no way on this earth that you can shift their furry, little bums outside!
Are you prepared to perform the dutiful ‘poop & scoop’ rule? You know the one where no matter who is around you have to stop and pick up after your dog without feeling embarrassed. Try it with two dogs in tow, virtually impossible, by the time you have ‘scooped’, the dogs have, without fail, managed to tangle their leads into a knot that a sailor would be proud of.
When you are tired and all you wish to do is to sit down, will you be willing to play with your dog? After all he/she might have been ‘home alone’ for awhile, you have probably been with other people, had some company, your dog may not of been so lucky.
Will you accept the cold, wet nose touching you in the morning when you are just waking up? Or the slobbery kiss that you are presented with, after all, it is only your dog’s way of saying ‘good morning’ to you, right?
Basically you need to ask yourself this, ‘do you have the room within your life and not just the room within your house to welcome a new canine friend?’ If you do then congratulations you are on the way to discovering one of the happiest, most loving relationships going, as dogs truly are a man’s/woman’s best friend.
