Mutts Life

“Either the dog goes or I go!” is a statement I remember from my childhood with startling clarity.

Always directed by my father at my mother, usually with a mangled and slobbery item like a prized shoe or watch strap in one hand, a crazed look in his eyes and a bit of angry spittle dribbling from one side of his mouth, it was seldom said in jest.

And I would classify my father as a dog lover. Perhaps a secret dog lover but a dog lover none the less.

So how do you know if dog ownership is for you?

Well for starters – and lets get this declared up front – I think there are too many variables to ever know for certain until you’re the proud owner of a furry pooch, but you can remove most of the doubt with some advanced preparation.

If you’ve grown up with dogs it’s a fair bet you know what it’s all about – just remember the responsibility this time around will be all yours.  Do some research on the web (like reading this blog) and ask any friends and family their thoughts.  Give your local rescue centre a call and ask if you can’t spend some time around the dogs (they’ll probably be grateful for the assistance and they’ll certainly be delighted you’re making the effort to know what you’re doing).

Once you know you definitely “like dogs” and would like to conisder dog ownership you need to take the time to also consider your current and predicted cirumstances – particularly in respect of:

1. Time
2. Money
3. Space
4. Your expectations

1. Time – a dog takes time.  If you choose right in accordance with your circumstances you should find this time enormously satisfying… but you have to accept that even the most docile of sedentary dogs will take some of your precious time.  Your dog may play only a bit part in your life but you will undoubtably play the starring role in theirs. They will need some attention from you.

2. Money – a dog costs money.  The obvious ones are food and vet bills. But others include things like leads, bedding, toys, grooming products etc.  Do a budget and make sure you can afford your dog now and throughout his life.

3. Space – a dog needs space.  There are many options in terms of choosing a breed to fit your space so make sure you consider carefully that you have a suitable (safe) area for your dog.  Consider things like allergies and whether your dog is going to sleep inside or outside your property.

4. Your expectations – what do you expect this dog to give or do for you?  People get dogs for many reasons. Being consciously aware of why you are getting a dog and what you expect from him increases the likelihood that you will choose a suitable dog.

Once you have completed these steps (i.e. confirming your love for dogs and considering ownership in relation to time, money, space and expectations) you are well positioned to match your circumstances against the different dog breeds and against the different possible sources of dogs (i.e. rescue centre or reputable breeder)  and I’ll be writing more on how to go about doing just that in later posts.

My folks? They’re still together – it’s been 40 odd years or so now. I guess my fathers bark was always worse than his bite. No dog was ever evicted from the family home either.