As soon as you move out of mom and dad’s house into your first apartment or starter home, you might get puppy fever.
Symptoms of puppy fever include:
- Urge to scratch bellies
- Lack of cuddles
- Spending hours at a time looking at pictures of dogs on Instagram
Becoming a first-time dog owner is a big step, and you should not take it lightly. There is a huge knowledge gap you need to hurdle before you even consider finding a furry friend. Luckily, we have some must-read tips for you to help you determine whether or not you should get one. Not only that, we have some tips to help you care for your pooch if you do!
Must-read tips for first-time dog owners
Check with your landlord
Before you even consider buying a pet, you need to check and make sure if it is cool with your landlord.
It is common for lease agreements to include restrictions for pet ownership. Sure, some will be fine with owning a dog, but they will require the pet to be under a certain weight, and might even ban certain breeds.
If you’ve always wanted a pit bull, German shepherd, or a rottweiler, you might be out of luck as these breeds are commonly banned by landlords.
Lease agreements also often require a pet deposit if you buy a dog. On top of whatever you paid for the dog from the breeder or adoption agency, you will now most likely have to pay a few hundred dollars to your landlord to keep the dog.
According to your lease, you might also have to pay to replace carpeting if your dog soiled them beyond repair. Basically, pray that you have hardwood floors.
Your dog might not be allowed in certain areas of your complex as well. Typically, common areas like the laundry room and storage rooms are off limits to dogs. If you were hoping to keep your dog’s kennel in one of those areas, you’re probably out of luck.
Research what your state allows
Even if your lease agreement doesn’t specify a restriction, the city you live in might. Many cities have bans on certain breeds. Along with the typical breeds you hear about getting banned, some cities even ban dogs like huskies, chow chows, and even shar-peis.
Even if your city allows all breeds of dogs, you need to look into leash laws. If your dog is seen off its leash while outside of your home, you can get fined. These fines can be as low as $20 but can get to upwards of $100. If your dog is off its leash and you’re not allowed, it can and will be sent to a pound where you will have to pay to get them out.
Know about bites
It is also in your best interest to learn your city and state’s dog bite rules. Obviously, if your dog hurts a person or another dog, you are going to need to pay for it. However, bites are registered much like if a human committed a crime.
Many states have a one-bite rule, which means that the owner and the dog can get away with the first bite in some cases (mainly bites that didn’t require medical attention). However, after the first bite, you and your dog can be held liable. This can lead to you having to pay hefty court fees, and your dog possibly being euthanized.
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Adopt from a shelter! Don’t find a private breeder!
This point cannot be stressed enough.
If you adopt a dog from an animal shelter, you will receive a laundry list of benefits.
First off, your dog will be ridiculously cheaper. Shelters typically don’t charge more or less based on your dog’s breed. Instead, you will pay a flat adoption fee and a refundable deposit for training. These fees are a few hundred bucks, but they pale in comparison to the thousands of dollars private breeders typically charge.
Adoption centers also only have dogs that are up-to-date on their vaccinations. Many will also cover the cost of having your pets spayed or neutered. That’ll make Bob Barker happy!
Adoption centers will typically also microchip your dog. This means that if your dog gets lost, whoever finds them can return them home by checking your animals implanted microchip.
When you adopt a dog, you will get all the available paperwork on your animal, which you will need for future vet visits. Here, you can see even more reasons why adoption is the better choice.
Private breeders typically also have this paperwork, but there you will see some of the dark realities of private breeding. Rather than your dog’s parents being strays or pets that got pregnant on accident, you will see breeding dogs with names like M-429 and F-2319.
Too often, the parents of your puppy live in harsh conditions where they live their lives having litter after litter of puppies. This can result in your pet being born with birth defects that can be problematic later in their life. As a result, more states are making laws that prevent the sale of animals from private breeders.
Sure, sometimes you want a specific breed, and your local adoption agency won’t have them. However, by doing some research, you can find a regulated facility with suitable conditions for the animals. You might still have to pay more, but it’s a lot better than supporting animal abusers.
Prepare for lots of poop
You might think that if your dog does their business outside, you don’t have to pick it up.
Oh, how wrong you are.
If you are caught not picking up your dog’s poop, you can face a HEFTY fine. Cities like Chicago will fine you between $50 and $100 per deuce. Backtracking to your landlord, many lease agreements will also penalize you if you don’t clean up after your dog around the premises. This can result in more fines, and even you having to get rid of your dog.
With that being said, if you want to have a dog, you need to swallow your pride and pick up after Fido. Dog bags and leash attachments are sold everywhere pet supplies are sold. You can also get a deal by buying in bulk on Amazon.
If picking up doggie doo is a dealbreaker for you, it might be in your best interest to get a cat instead.
How to make sure your cat uses the litter box
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Things you need to buy right away
Within your first three days of dog ownership, you should have purchased the following:
These things altogether cost a few hundred bucks. True, you can take some hand-me-downs from friends and relatives, but you need to make sure they are clean.
Kennel training
When it comes to your dog’s kennel, you need your dog to view it as their own safe space. If your dog has an accident or makes a mess, it is important to not angrily put them in their kennel. If you do, they will associate their kennel with being in trouble, so they will not want to go in there ever again.
Have a plan for when you’re not home
If you aren’t going to be home for hours on end, you will need to figure out who will watch your dog.
The typical rule of thumb is every month of your dog’s age equals an hour they can be left alone. This rule ends after your dog turns eight-months-old. So, if you have a young puppy, you really can’t do much more than run to the mini-mart around the corner.
If you’re lucky, you might have a nearby friend or relative who can watch your dog for you when you’re not at home. If you’re really lucky, your job might even let you bring your pup to the office (the least you can do is ask). However, for those who have neither option, you need to look into a dog-walking service or a doggie daycare.
Wag! is an online service that helps you find dog walkers in your area. When you first sign up, your first walk is free!
PetSmart has a service at some of its locations called Doggie Day Camp. Here, your dog can spend all day running around playing with other dogs in a safe environment. They will also feed your dog, or give them a treat if you specify. The service costs about $20 a visit, which is a steal when compared to most other boarding services. They also have a service for a few dollars less, but your dog won’t get to play all day with other dogs, so it’s worth paying a little more for the day camp.
Devote time every day to training
There are training services that can attempt to train your dog for you when you’re not there. However, most trainers agree that training is only effective when the owner is present.
With that being said, you’ll need to devote time every day to help teach your dog basic commands.
Determine whether your dog is motivated by food or affection. If your dog is motivated by food, have a few treats on hand to establish positive reinforcement for the behavior. If your dog is motivated by affection, shower them with pets and praises when they follow orders.
Choose your treats wisely
When you first get a dog, friends and relatives might literally throw a dog a bone by giving your new pooch some treats. However, you need to research everything your dog puts in its body.
Treats made outside your home country often contain preservatives that can make your dog sick. Common treats like rawhides can be difficult to digest and can result in a costly vet visit if your dog swallows a big chunk. If treats are extra salty, they can make your dog irritable.
If your dog is a breed that is known for hip and joint problems like German shepherds, you want to get treats that promote good hip and joint health.
If your dog has allergies, you can get treats that have vitamins that reduce cold symptoms.
If your dog doesn’t sleep through the night, there are even treats that have melatonin in them.
Have money set aside for emergencies
Along with buying medicine to prevent fleas, ticks, and heartworms, you also need to set aside money for emergencies.
Even the best dog owners have emergencies from time to time. Dogs get into things they shouldn’t; it’s part of their nature.
One minute they can be behaving fine, and the next they can be swallowing something they shouldn’t. For these emergencies, you need to be prepared for an emergency vet visit, and an expensive one at that.
If your dog needs to get its stomach pumped, this can cost thousands of dollars, so it is important to have money socked away in case of emergency.
On the low side, you need to be able to afford a $1,500 vet fee.
Wrapping up
Not everyone is cut out to own a pet.
If these things really concerned you and gave you second thoughts, it might not be the right time for you to own a pet. Try pet-sitting a friend or relative’s pet before jumping in with both feet.
True, pet ownership is very rewarding. However, you need to be ready for everything that comes with it.
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