If you are thinking about getting a dog, you've probably already ran into a few issues.
You find yourself asking some questions.
The decision to get a dog is not an easy one and even when that decision is made, choosing a breed that is suitable for you can be even harder.
Think about it! Let's say you are about to buy a large screen TV for example.
You are going to want to know a few things about it first.
How big is it? What features does it have? Is it HD? Now if you make a mistake with your purchase, it will be much easier to return it than it would if it were a puppy dog.
So how can you decide if getting a puppy or dog is the right decision? What kind of questions should you ask?After all, dogs come in an enormous variety with different shapes, sizes, personalities and abilities.
Here are 5 questions to ask yourself before getting a dog.
Do you have the time to spend with the dog? Dogs are social creatures.
You've heard it before but if you've never owned a dog you won't really appreciate the full truth of this statement.
Dogs will not be happy left alone all day in the house, backyard, garage or basement.
If you don't have the time right now then maybe you should really consider another pet.
How much can you afford? Aside from the initial investment of actually buying a dog, you need to look at your finances and see if you can afford a puppy or dog.
Take a look a dog food, toys, crates, vaccinations, possible medical bills and extra household cleaners.
You need to figure out if have enough money put aside for your new puppy dog.
How much space will the dog have? If you live an apartment, it will take some extra work on your part to have a well adjusted puppy dog.
Because there won't be a backyard, you must take extra care to sufficiently exercise her.
Don't be fooled by size.
Some of the smallest dogs require a lot of exercise and may not do well in apartments.
On the other hand, some really big dogs will be just fine in an apartment.
Do your research and find out which dogs are high energy and which dogs are couch potatoes.
Do you have what it takes to train a dog? Every dog needs training.
The question is how much.
Some puppy dogs can be housebroken in days while others are notorious for potty training difficulty.
Search breed specific information and find the trainability level of your potential puppy.
What characteristics are you looking for? Almost every dog was bred for a specific purpose.
Some dogs were bred for scent, others for fighting, racing, retrieving, herding etc.
And while each dog has an individual personality, you can use breed specific characteristics to get a rough idea of what you may see in a specific breed.
A retriever for example, may be more inclined to chase asmall animal.
A terrier that was used to hunt or fight other animals may not get along with other pets.
I hope you have picked up the common theme of this article.
Research, research, research.
When it comes to getting a dog, research can help you decide on the little as well as the big things.
You can read up on what to name your dog.
You can search for how to solve a puppy issue, how to choose a breeder and everything else under the sun.
There are no excuses!