LOGO
Reply to Thread New Thread
Old 01-15-2009, 04:19 PM   #1
sydramySweame

Join Date
Oct 2005
Posts
422
Senior Member
Default Dog Ownership; No Room For Buyer's Remorse
Owning a cute, small breed dog can enrich its human owner’s life beyond expectations, but it comes at a price. My single thirty something sister desperately wants a dog. She sees how much I enjoy Rufus via daily email updates and pictures, and she naturally believes she is ready for a dog of her own. Owning a dog does not have as much to do with one’s age as it does with one’s schedule and ability to care for it.


Getting a dog is a huge financial and emotional commitment, one that I believe many people unintentionally minimize. I got Rufus, my red smooth miniature dachshund, at 10 weeks old. Caring for a puppy is different than caring for an older dog, which may be obvious to some folks but too often many people fail to really realize all that is involved. Puppies need to be crated trained and not kept in your bed until they are house trained and have gone 30 days without an accident. Because puppies are still developing they need to be taken out in regular intervals to eliminate which means waking up at 4 am; 6 am and throughout the day to take your puppy outside regardless of the weather, your mood or schedule. Puppies need to eat two to three smaller meals a day and cannot be left alone for more than a few hours a day without someone checking in on them. Caring for a puppy is much like caring for a newborn infant.





When my sister yearns for a puppy it is completely understandable because puppies and babies are nearly irresistible. However, since my sister works in a traditional 9 to 5 job she would have to leave a puppy home alone for 8 to 10 hours five days a week. Leaving a puppy home alone for more than 3 hours is not good for the dog’s early development and training. I was able to devote two full months of 24/7 care, love and attention to Rufus when I first got him and I believe it made all the difference in his development, socialization and confidence.
In addition to any adoption fee or cost to buy a dog, new owners have to buy food, schedule a first vet visit, pay for vaccinations, buy water and food bowls that are either stainless steel or ceramic, a crate, chew toys for a teething puppy, a leash, collar and tags. A new owner must also pay to have the dog licensed in accordance to city laws, neutered or spay at 6 months and microchipped. The startup cost of a new dog can be pricey, but all of the money spent pales in comparison to the time a puppy needs in those first few formative months.

I am familiar with many recue organizations in the Los Angeles areas, but one of my favorites is the Dachshund Rescue and Placement which was founded by Joy Brunn in the late 1990s because she was, “astonished at how many doxies are dumped and in need of good homes.” We are only a few weeks into the New Year and already Joy’s statement rings truer than ever. Over the past holiday season some people fell victim to illusion that a dog would make a great Christmas present. Dogs do not make good Christmas, Hanukah or birthday presents without the early enrollment and active participant of the intended recipient. A puppy or dog should never be an impulsive purchase and should always be a well-thought-out and planned acquisition. You can take back those shoes and Hermes scarf when you have buyer’s remorse, but it is simply not the same for a dog. Relocating a puppy from home to home with different people and schedules can adversely affect the dog’s training, growth and advancement in the world. A puppy needs a stable and loving environment, just like a child.

It is easy to turn on TV or read gossip and fashion magazines and be taken in by the number of sleek styled celebrities with their small pooches. Celebrities always make it look easy, but behind the scenes there is a lot of work, clean up and oversight that goes into successfully raising any dog. I never want to discourage people from getting a dog, and there are many of homeless dogs that need a good forever home. Dogs are a wonderful addition to the family provided you have the support, time and wherewithal to give the dog everything it needs, wants and deserves. Remember we choose the dog, they do not choose us. We ultimately say yes or no and yes for a small dog is a long-term commitment.
I am not immune the charm of puppies, when I see them on rescue sites and read their stories my heart strings are tugged and for a moment I may consider getting a second dog. After a few moments I do quickly come back to reality and know it is not time yet. My family will grow and we will have a second and possibly a third dachshund as the years go on, but not until I am ready for it. To accept any dog before I can give it the time it needs is not fair to it and runs the risk of perpetuating the vicious cycle of homeless dogs in already burdened shelters and recues. I won’t do it and you should not either. I cannot wait until my sister knows the joy of dog ownership, but I trust she will wait until she can devote to the time to it. I know she will make a great mom to an awesome dog when the occasion is right.

For everyone who already knows the drill, the pitfalls and joy of dog ownership, we can still help out the canine community by adopting from rescues, donating money and volunteering when inspiration strikes.





For more info:
Bill Foundation
Dachshund Rescue & Placement


http://www.examiner.com/x-2120-LA-Sm...buyers-remorse
sydramySweame is offline


Old 01-15-2009, 04:42 PM   #2
FEti0TUI

Join Date
Oct 2005
Posts
394
Senior Member
Default
Great Post!
FEti0TUI is offline



Reply to Thread New Thread

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:28 AM.
Copyright ©2000 - 2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
Design & Developed by Amodity.com
Copyright© Amodity