Thinking of Getting a Dog?

You know who you are - you have never owned a dog, but hear it's great. You would like to test the waters of dog ownership but are a little uncertain as to what you may be getting into. You've lots of questions and would like some reliable answers to them before you make the dog decision.

You're smart to explore the dog ownership issue before jumping in and getting a dog. You and your dog will be happier because of the time you have taken to explore this adventure before embarking on it.

Dog ownership is a lot of responsibility but it is also very rewarding. Questions usually fall into common categories such as dog supplies, training, identification, vet care, and companionship.

Let us answer the supply questions first. It is obvious that owning a dog will require that you purchase a large list of dog supplies so that you can take care of the dog properly. This list will be different for different dog breeds as their needs will not be the same. The age of the dog will also determine some of the items on the list as a puppy needs different stuff such as more chew toys than an adult dog would.

Basic supplies are food and water dishes, a collar, a back up collar, a leash and a back up leash, quality dog/puppy food, and toys - especially chew toys, and dog bedding. If you are bringing home a puppy be sure to get any record of shots that the puppy has already received and make a vet appointment for the same day if possible so the vet can check the health of the puppy before you bring the puppy home.

Other "supply" needs are a safe yard to do his bathroom needs in and to play and exercise in that is either fenced in or where you can take the dog on a leash. Dogs do better when they can be with the family inside but if you must have an outdoor dog be sure to also provide proper shelter from weather and protection from other animals.

All dogs need to be trained to behave properly around humans and other animals. Most puppies require obedience training either professionally or by an owner who knows how to train dogs. Never mistreat a dog by using physical punishment to train. Your vet is a good source of information regarding available dog training in your community.

Crate training, housebreaking, following commands, and leash training are an all-important thing a dog should know at an early age. It is never too late to train a dog though; even old dogs can be trained to be good family members.

One topic that always arises when contemplating a dog is how to identify that dog as yours? The first way that comes to most people is to use a dog ID tag on the collar. This is a tried and true method of identifying your dog. Many companies exist today that will give your dog a number in a computerized system that will ID your dog as yours incase the dog is lost and found. Technology has also found another way to ID the dog as yours and that is by using a microchip. A vet can administer a microchip under the dog's skin. This microchip can then be detected using a scanner. The scanner picks up the presence of the chip under the skin and then displays the ID information regarding who the owner of the dog is. This information allows the dog to be returned to the owner if the dog becomes lost or stolen.

All vets and most police and sheriff departments are aware of microchip use and have scanner to use to detect them on your dog. Shelters usually also have the ability to scan a dog, especially the larger shelters. A collar can come off of a dog, but a microchip is always there under the skin.

Most people understand the need for a dog to go to the vets, but those thinking about owning a dog for the first time may not know just how often vet visits are required. A vet is needed for routine visits like those necessary for well-dog checks, routine shots, and also parasitic checks. These basic things are usually done in one visit with follow-up visits for vaccination series for puppies.

A vet is also necessary if your dog should become ill, or suffer an injury other than the basic first aid variety. If your dog develops a medical condition, it may need routine vet visits to monitor care, or administer medication.

Lastly, there are questions that may arise concerning how much companionship is required of owning a dog. Some people buy dogs for human companionship when they live alone or reach retirement age. Dogs also need companionship and certain breeds do well when they are not left home alone all day. The Finnish Spitz is one such dog that needs companionship and will actually become ill if left for longer than four hours on a regular basis.

Ask a breeder, or your vet for information about companionship needs of the dog you are planning to buy or adopt.