Is getting a puppy a bad idea? Part 1 -You have other pets
Have you ever wondered if adopting that adorable puppy from a shelter is the right choice for you? The excitement of welcoming a new member to your family is great. Puppies, with their boundless energy and amazing cuteness, have the power to fill your life with joy. Their mischievous antics and unwavering loyalty make for delightful moments. Each puppy has a unique personality, and the bond you create with each other will deepen over the years.
But let's not just dwell on the positives - owning a puppy is not all fun and games. It requires dedication, patience, the occasional treat, a significant amount of your time, and above all, large amounts of love and attention. Basically, puppies should be considered a new member of your family, similar to welcoming a newborn baby.
Whether it's a child or a puppy, every young being deserves love, security and unwavering attention. Neglecting these basic aspects can lead to the development of unwanted behaviors in your puppy! I've compiled a list to highlight the extensive commitments that come with puppy ownership. If any of the following points resonate with you, it is important that you carefully reconsider your decision to adopt or purchase a puppy. The reason is simple, if you are not able or willing to give the puppy everything it needs to feel good, then both your life and the puppy's life will be difficult for perhaps many years to come.
9 things that can put an end to successful dog ownership
You have other pets - Part 1
You want to give a dog as a present - Part 2
You have a small child that takes up all your time - Part 3
Insufficient time or patience for training - Part 4
You are almost never at home during the day - Part 5
Lack of experience - Part 6
You move around a lot - Part 7
You have little to no knowledge about the breed - Part 8
You are having a tough time financially - Part 9
You have other pets
It's not impossible to have more than one pet at the same time. However, issues can arise when mixing animals that don't quite get along. Often, for instance, two dogs can bring each other much joy and can be quite convenient when you need to leave them alone for a few hours. Nonetheless, there are risks when more than one dog or a dog and another animal share a home. Mixing dogs and cats, for example, can go exceptionally well, but it can also take a turn for the worse if you introduce a large dog that chases the cat, or a very small dog that a cat might harm. It's crucial that everyone is aware of the risks that come with welcoming a new family member into the home.
Dogs are natural pack animals, so their relationships with their humans and other animals follow the pack order. There's an alpha, or leader, and then the others in the pack arrange themselves under that leader. Typically, there's also an omega, or the weakest in the pack. A pack can be perilous, especially if there are more than three dogs, as they become hard to control if a dispute arises among them. They don't need to be large to cause severe harm or even fatality. I know of a family that had 3 bitches German hunting terriers (Jagdterriers). When the owner returned home, one dog was dead, one severely injured, and one curled up under the stairs, trembling. The other two females had gotten into a fight that ended with one of them losing her life.
Dogs aren't just a threat to other dogs; they can also pose a potential danger to other pets in the house. Introducing new pets to the family can be tricky and should be done with caution. Animals can be unpredictable and may react differently than expected.
The same applies to young children. Accidents can happen unintentionally. A big paw to the face can result in scratches and unsightly scars. But what's most concerning is young children who have been bitten by the family dog. It's crucial that dogs and children are never left unsupervised. Even the friendliest dog can accidentally harm a small child without being aggressive, and the gentlest dog can suddenly, without warning, go after a child. We don't believe it will happen, but often it turns out afterward that the dog was in pain, and we didn't know. So, it's better to avoid taking any risks.
Another aspect to consider is if you live on a farm with large animals. Here, it's important to have a dog that fits into the daily work. Don't get a hunting dog if you want to let the dog roam freely on the farm, for example.
Having multiple animals in the home can be a wonderful experience, but there should always be attention to how the dogs behave with each other and with the other animals and people in the home.
Any undesirable behaviors, such as chasing, biting, leaning, and anything else that seems inappropriate or unwanted, should be corrected as quickly as possible. In general, it is suggested that no more than two or three dogs live in a home at the same time. This keeps the dogs safe and happy, as well as the people living in the home.
// Mirabelle Wesden
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