A Family’s Best Friend:
Family Pets and Commitment
By:
Humane Animal Rescue Team (hart)
The
summer months are a great time for spending time with families, friends, and
pets. While a dog can be a great addition to a family, there are things to
consider before bringing one into your home.
What things should
parents/guardians consider before getting a dog?
The
animal’s temperament and stage in life is very important to consider when
thinking about bringing a dog into a home with children. If you have a very
gregarious family, a very shy dog may need a longer transition period to adjust
to your home. If you have a very busy home life, an adult dog with a known
history of getting along with children and one that is housetrained may be a
better fit than a puppy that requires extra time and attention.
Children
and dogs make great companions and introducing a dog to your home is a
wonderful opportunity to teach your children how to behave around dogs and how
to read dog postures. Dogs often take on the status of “best friend” and can
teach children about responsibility and empathy and become a true member of the
family. Remember that introducing a dog to your family is not the same as introducing
a toy. A dog requires a great deal of commitment.
If you
are uncertain if your children are mature enough to handle having their own pet,
try introducing them to a dog belonging to a friend or family member so you can
observe their interaction.
What should an individual or a
family take into account before deciding if owning a dog is right for them?
A family
should think about their own lifestyle and what kind of dog will fit best. If you have an active lifestyle, you should
find a dog that can keep up with your activity levels. If you are looking for a running companion,
you may want to think twice about adopting a small, sedentary dog. If you have
a family with young children, you will want to ensure that the dog is not
scared of children. If you live in an apartment, it may be best to stay away
from a large, active dog. If you travel frequently, how does a dog fit into
your plans?
Once you
have assessed your lifestyle and family situation, you may also want to learn
about the various breeds before deciding on a dog. Both mixed breeds and
purebreds make great companions and you should look into what traits are common
to the breed. Then you can ask yourself
if these traits fit with your stage in life and with your family dynamic. With
a purebred, you will have an easier time predicting behavior and size. With a mixed breed, you will have to look
into the combinations of the breeds. Doing some research into breeds can help
you choose and prepare for a new canine addition to your family.
You will
also want to assess your family situation to determine whether you truly have
time for a pet. Your dog will require food, exercise, training, care and companionship
each and every day. If your family is not able to provide this, the dog may
show some unfavorable behaviour that will make you
wish you thought about the time commitment before bringing him or her into your
household. This may also impact whether you want to add a puppy to your family
dynamic or a more mature dog, as the requirements may differ.
When you
commit to a dog, you should be committing for the lifetime of that dog. Average lifespans
are between ten to fifteen years for dogs and during that time you will be
responsible for licensing, veterinary care, training classes, grooming, toys,
treats and food. These expenses can add up, so you will want to ensure that you
have thought about the financial ramifications of being a responsible pet
owner.
When
making the right adoption choice, you need to consider how the dog’s size,
temperament and exercise requirements balance with your everyday life. You will
also want to consider the lifestyle and financial implications of taking on the
responsibility of a dog. It is easy to
be lead by our hearts, but we have to use our heads to ensure that we are able
to provide a stable and lifelong commitment to our pets.
If someone isn’t able to own a
pet, what other options are available so that they can still enjoy time with
animals?
If
individuals find themselves unable to commit on an ongoing basis to a pet,
there are other ways that you can enjoy their companionship. Fostering is one
of the avenues available to save a dog’s life, spend quality time with a canine
and not be responsible for the expenses of the animal. During their stay,
rescued animals are shown compassion and consideration, which they likely have
never before experienced. As a volunteer foster home, you get all the benefits
of having a dog, the doggie kisses and the wagging tails, and are committed to
the animal until it chooses its permanent home. You also get to decide on the
home at which the rescued dog will spend its life after your fostering
commitment ends. In this way your “fingerprint” is on the dog forever.
The Humane Animal Rescue Team
(hart) is a non-profit organization that rescues dogs and cats in areas
surrounding
EC