There are so many wonderful benefits of living with a dog. The daily walks, the soulful eyes, the cuddles and the playing. It is little wonder that we are a nation of dog lovers. Some people couldn’t imagine life without their furry friend and a life-long bond is forged the moment you set eyes on each other.
We all know that a dog is for life and not just for Christmas but worrying statistics tell us that there are still some families who give up on their dogs once the novelty has worn off and the reality of living with a new member of the household has set in. Most of these sad outcomes could be avoided by taking the time to properly research the personalities, temperaments and daily care of each dog, as they can be vastly different across the breeds. So before deciding whether to bring a dog into your home and your family, a little research could make all the difference in making the choice a positive one.
All dogs look irresistibly cute when they are puppies, but what starts as a little ball of fluff may in fact grow into a very large dog. Think about your home and your garden and whether they are appropriate for the size of dog you are considering getting. A large dog will need a fair bit of space outside to run and get enough exercise, so a big garden or living nearby some large open spaces will be more suitable.
Daily grooming rituals can vary quite a lot between the breeds so you’ll need to factor time to care for your dog in your everyday life. If your family are working and at school all week, you may find you don’t have the time every day for grooming, so you might want to think instead about a breed with minimal grooming needs.
Many people don’t like hearing the constant barking of dogs, so find out whether the breed you are considering likes to ‘chat’ a lot. A little research now will make for happier neighbours in the long run.
And all dogs need plenty of daily exercise in order to maintain health and happiness so if you feel that this would be too much on your already busy days it might be worth reconsidering whether to get a dog at all. But if you can find the time, not only will a daily walk boost your dog’s health and happiness, it will boost yours too.
Welcoming a dog into your home and family is as life changing as it is life affirming. Taking the time to properly research all about the different types of dogs will help ensure everyone involved has a happy home for life.