Is a Dog Right for my Family?

By Michele Blandino

There’s this whole Normal Rockwell image that comes to mind when you think of little kids and dogs. Visions of a little boy playing in the yard with his dog, or of a little girl loving a puppy are part of the typical – albeit dated – scenarios. And, truthfully, there probably are few kids who don’t at one time or another ask (or beg) their parents for a pet.

Yet owning a dog is a pretty big responsibility. Dogs need to be fed, taken outdoors, and they will often require medical care. Unfortunately, many people fail to recognize that owning a dog requires a significant time commitment until well after their new friend comes home with them.

If you are thinking about adding a dog to your family, there are many things you should first consider. Here are a few:

How Much Time Will You Have?

Dogs, particularly puppies, require an enormous amount of care. Chances are, your new puppy’s first night in your home will be the first night it has spent away from its mother, and understandably, it will be frightened. Expect to be kept up a good portion of that first night as well as subsequent nights for the first few weeks.

You will also need to invest a good amount of time and effort housetraining your new puppy. Consequently, if your job keeps you away from home for 10 or more hours per day, you may want to select a pet that does not require nearly as much care.

Puppies also crave an enormous amount of attention and will beg you to play with them for hours on end, especially if they spend a good portion of the day in a crate while you are at work. As a result, you will need to consider what your after-work schedule is like. For example, once you arrive home from the job, do you usually remain at home or do you spend many evenings shuttling your kids between activities or pursuing interests of your own? In short, you need to make an assessment of your lifestyle.

What is your Lifestyle?

Many families today have very busy, very active lives. Between work, sports, activities, volunteer work and travel, it’s not uncommon for most families to spend 3-5 evenings per week away from home. And, if you travel frequently, you will need to find someone to care for your pet while you are away – either a pet sitter who comes to your home or boarding at a kennel. Either option will get expensive over time, particularly if you travel often.

To help you decide, take a look at your schedule for the next six months. How often will you be away? What commitments do you have after work or school that will keep you away from home until late evening? If you find that you will be away from home more than one weekend per month or out 3 or more evenings each week, a dog may not be the best choice for a pet.

Similarly, if you are prone to spontaneity, you may want to rethink your decision to have a dog. While it may be fun to take a last minute overnight trip, or meet friends for dinner after work, doing so becomes more difficult when you know that you have a dog at home that needs to be fed and let outside.

Your Living Accommodations

Finally, where you live – the type of house you have, the size of your yard, and in fact, your neighborhood – can have an effect on your decision to get a dog. Obviously, the more room you have for the dog to run, the better. If, however, you live in tight quarters such as in a townhouse or condominium, you will want to consider the feelings of your neighbors as barking dogs may not be appreciated by everyone.