I think that's a valid question, and I don't ask it lightly. The short answer is yes. The long answer may be no, and let me tell you why.
I think I'll start things off with a short story. It's interesting and I think it will shed some light on what I am thinking.
Way back in 1999, I was attending graduate school at Binghamton University. I lived on the third floor of an old house in a very small apartment. The house was in a rather congested part of town, so all of the residents could get a very clear picture of what was happening in the neighborhood around them. From my apartment, I had a pretty good vantage point of a few backyards that were close by.
As you could imagine, while attending graduate school, I was required to study for a good portion of the day and night. There was no way to get around it and much of it had to be done in my apartment. In order to have a good studying session, I needed quiet. Thinking back, I should have moved into a more sparse part of town.
The day after I moved in, I remember looking out the window into the backyard across the street. There were two dogs lying down on a dirt area. They were tethered together by the same dog leash, a piece of one tied to the other. Their heads were about a foot apart and they had no where to go. Every time someone passed on the sidewalk, they would stand up and run to the chain link fence, barking. This went on day after day. Eventually, someone from the neighborhood called the ASPCA and had the dogs removed. The owners were charged with having the dogs outside without shelter and a few other things.
This brings me to the point of this piece. Why do people bring dogs into their homes, when they clearly don't have the means to properly care for them?
I'm sure we have all seen it a thousand times; the messiest house on the road with three viscous dogs chained to a stump in the front yard, the college students who thought it would be fun to get a "house" puppy, the overworked parents who thought it would be a good idea to get their young children an active puppy to play with.
What's the common theme that runs across all three examples above? Bad choices. I think the mistakes many people make are 1) they don't understand that owning a dog is a huge responsibility and 2) dogs can lead miserable lives, if not taken care of properly.
Here is a (hopefully helpful) list of reminders that you should consider before bringing a dog into your family:
1. Dogs bark. If you like your neighbors and want them to continue liking you, be sure to consider this when choosing the breed of dog you get.
2. Dogs eat. If you have trouble paying your own grocery bill, think about the extra expense of a big bag of dog food once a month.
3. Dogs need to go to the doctor. If you are having trouble paying for your own health care, think about what you are going to do the day your dog needs to have an operation.
4. Dogs need to relieve themselves. If you like to snuggle under your warm covers at 5AM in the middle January, think about the feeling you will have when your new dog starts barking to go outside at that time.
5. Dogs need to play. If you work late and no one is home, who will be there to take the dog outside to burn off all the energy they have?
6. Dogs need love. Are you ready to spend at least two hours a day with your dog?
7. Dogs need space. Do you have the room for a dog that may become hyper when it gets excited?
8. Dogs are not welcome in many rental units. Do you rent? Be aware that by having a dog, you are limiting yourselves to about 10% of available units for rent.
9. Dogs require patience. Take a good look at yourself. Have you ever lost your temper? Many dogs may do things that will upset you.
10. Dogs need to be licensed. What are the rules of your area when it comes to dog ownership?
The above list is not meant to be depressing. It's meant to give you a realistic view of what you can expect after you bring that cute, cuddly little puppy into your home. I have owned many dogs and I write from experience.
A good friend of mine owns two rather large dogs that he adopted from a friend during his senior year of college. They are both about five years old now. He loves the dogs, but feels he may have made a mistake. He may not have been ready for them. I remember asking him how he feels about owning the dogs, to which he replied, "Yeah, that was pretty much the biggest mistake I ever made."
Now, let's discuss the brighter side of things. If you have looked over the above list and think you might be ready to give a dog a new home, good for you. Just be sure to look for that dog in the right places. There are many dogs in shelters across this country that are just waiting for someone like you to walk through the door. Do the right thing and adopt. You'll be glad you did.
About the Author
This article was written by Jay Gaulard on behalf of http://www.petclassifieds.us, a popular pet classifieds website.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
A Healthy Pet
A healthy pet is a happy pet.
We all would love to have our beloved pet around for a very long time, 20 years to be exact and not dying at the young ages of between 10 to 15 years. But the only way is you have to feed your pet the best nutrition.
Most people do not even think about nutrition; all they think about is cost. The bigger the bag the better. But not giving them the nutrition is a huge mistake as it will show up in their gums; not the healthy pink, but pale gums, listless, dull fur and lastly in their later years other health issues will pop up and the tests from the vet can be extremely costly and those tests can show other ailments too.
Some of those ailments might not be reversible and that is a shame and if you had started them right in the beginning, you would probably not be in this predicament.
My Miniature Schnauzer puppy has been on supplements for her fur and has had the nutrition since she was 10 weeks and now she is a healthy 15 month old dog. So my suggestion is to feed them the nutrition their body needs to eliminate those very serious problems.
So as you go to the pet store, you must read the labels and if the main ingredient is not meat, don't buy it. Vitamins are important to you, so why not your dog?
Pure water, not the usual tap water with chlorine, and keeping fresh water at all times is a must. Taking your dog to the groomer is a huge plus, as a bath and a brushing is great for their skin, especially in the summer. Lots of loving is important but not the most important. A vet checkup is always important and that visit can either make or break your pocketbook.
My name is Beverly Boisen
I live in the Adirondacks of New York.
I am a graduate of The Institute of Children's Literature.
This course has given me the opportunity to write for children, adults or just being able to write professionally.
I care about people and their pets therefore writing about experiences I have had and having the knowledge of what I am writing is important for all who takes the time to read.
I am a field rep for an holistic pet food company and we care about your pet and you should too. By giving them the nutrition they need and on this site you will find resources that will help you to make choices for your pets.
Which is very important.
My pet site is http://www.myprettyskin.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverly_Boisen
We all would love to have our beloved pet around for a very long time, 20 years to be exact and not dying at the young ages of between 10 to 15 years. But the only way is you have to feed your pet the best nutrition.
Most people do not even think about nutrition; all they think about is cost. The bigger the bag the better. But not giving them the nutrition is a huge mistake as it will show up in their gums; not the healthy pink, but pale gums, listless, dull fur and lastly in their later years other health issues will pop up and the tests from the vet can be extremely costly and those tests can show other ailments too.
Some of those ailments might not be reversible and that is a shame and if you had started them right in the beginning, you would probably not be in this predicament.
My Miniature Schnauzer puppy has been on supplements for her fur and has had the nutrition since she was 10 weeks and now she is a healthy 15 month old dog. So my suggestion is to feed them the nutrition their body needs to eliminate those very serious problems.
So as you go to the pet store, you must read the labels and if the main ingredient is not meat, don't buy it. Vitamins are important to you, so why not your dog?
Pure water, not the usual tap water with chlorine, and keeping fresh water at all times is a must. Taking your dog to the groomer is a huge plus, as a bath and a brushing is great for their skin, especially in the summer. Lots of loving is important but not the most important. A vet checkup is always important and that visit can either make or break your pocketbook.
My name is Beverly Boisen
I live in the Adirondacks of New York.
I am a graduate of The Institute of Children's Literature.
This course has given me the opportunity to write for children, adults or just being able to write professionally.
I care about people and their pets therefore writing about experiences I have had and having the knowledge of what I am writing is important for all who takes the time to read.
I am a field rep for an holistic pet food company and we care about your pet and you should too. By giving them the nutrition they need and on this site you will find resources that will help you to make choices for your pets.
Which is very important.
My pet site is http://www.myprettyskin.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverly_Boisen
Monday, August 25, 2008
Choosing the Right Pet For You - 6 Considerations BEFORE Becoming a Pet Owner
I'm the biggest advocate for owning a pet ... I think they are the most wonderful things put on this earth. They fun, cute, cuddly, help keep us active and many people don't realise, but they're great for our emotional health as well.
But .. before you make a new addition to your family, please consider some important aspects before leaping into the world of pet ownership.
1. Who is the pet for? Or more importantly Who will look after it?... how old or capable is the owner of your new fury (or scaly/slippery) friend? If you are buying it for a child think about wether they are really going to take responsibility for feeding, walking and cleaning poops etc. If you're a mum of a few young kids do you really need the extra work or are you quite happy to take on a few extra chores for the sake of all those extra cuddles.
2. Another thing to consider if you have kids is How long will the pet live? The age of pets vary considerably. A goldfish could only last a few years (or in my case when I was 7 ... "Bob" lasted 2 days after buying him at my school fair), whereas a friend of mine has a cat that's turning 20 this year! So I guess the question is: can you explain death to your child or are you willing to take on the responsibility when the kids move out?.
3. How much exercise and attention do they need? Some breeds of dogs while looking gorgeous require a huge amount of exercise ... eg. A Siberian Husky needs over and hour running each day at least and if not taken out will destroy your backyard! Also a hairy cat such as a Persian, while they look beautiful require lots of grooming, so answer these questions honestly and you'll choose a pet right for you and enjoy them more too.
4. Will they be alone for long periods of time? Some animals can't handle longs periods on their own and will become destructive if left alone. Perhaps buying 2 cats mean they'll have each other to play with.
5. How much will they cost? Some larger breed dogs can cost more than $35 a week to feed, so consider if your budget allows for that ... also factor in vaccinations, set up costs like bedding, council registration, obedience training, regular flea control, vet visits, pet insurance etc.
6. What happens when you go away on holidays? Kennel costs for cats and dogs can be a big extra cost come holiday time ...or will a family member or friend be happy to baby sit.
If you answer these HONESTLY you'll be happier with your choice of pet in the long run ... happy pet hunting!
For advice on training your pet go to: http://doggytrainingreview.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracey_Dornelles
But .. before you make a new addition to your family, please consider some important aspects before leaping into the world of pet ownership.
1. Who is the pet for? Or more importantly Who will look after it?... how old or capable is the owner of your new fury (or scaly/slippery) friend? If you are buying it for a child think about wether they are really going to take responsibility for feeding, walking and cleaning poops etc. If you're a mum of a few young kids do you really need the extra work or are you quite happy to take on a few extra chores for the sake of all those extra cuddles.
2. Another thing to consider if you have kids is How long will the pet live? The age of pets vary considerably. A goldfish could only last a few years (or in my case when I was 7 ... "Bob" lasted 2 days after buying him at my school fair), whereas a friend of mine has a cat that's turning 20 this year! So I guess the question is: can you explain death to your child or are you willing to take on the responsibility when the kids move out?.
3. How much exercise and attention do they need? Some breeds of dogs while looking gorgeous require a huge amount of exercise ... eg. A Siberian Husky needs over and hour running each day at least and if not taken out will destroy your backyard! Also a hairy cat such as a Persian, while they look beautiful require lots of grooming, so answer these questions honestly and you'll choose a pet right for you and enjoy them more too.
4. Will they be alone for long periods of time? Some animals can't handle longs periods on their own and will become destructive if left alone. Perhaps buying 2 cats mean they'll have each other to play with.
5. How much will they cost? Some larger breed dogs can cost more than $35 a week to feed, so consider if your budget allows for that ... also factor in vaccinations, set up costs like bedding, council registration, obedience training, regular flea control, vet visits, pet insurance etc.
6. What happens when you go away on holidays? Kennel costs for cats and dogs can be a big extra cost come holiday time ...or will a family member or friend be happy to baby sit.
If you answer these HONESTLY you'll be happier with your choice of pet in the long run ... happy pet hunting!
For advice on training your pet go to: http://doggytrainingreview.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracey_Dornelles
5 Tips to Labrador Puppy Training
Congratulations on your purchase of a Labrador puppy! Labrador puppies make amazing pets, and once you understand the personality they're incredibly simple to train. Labradors were bred for hunting and gathering purposes, thus they are incredibly active animals and require some attention when training. In this article I'm going to talk about the 5 tips of Labrador puppy training that you can use to train your Labrador puppy.
Tip 1: Leash training. It is incredibly easy to begin training your puppy with a leash at this age. If you wait until your puppy is full grown, it is going to be much more difficult as Labradors are larger dogs and thus, they are little more difficult to control. Start your Labrador puppy training on a leash early.
Tip 2: Simple commands. A few great simple commands to teach them are ones like sit, stay, and come. If you teach them these commands, you will then be able to teach them more complex commands later on.
Tip 3: This tip is crucial for Labrador puppy training. Never punish your puppy. The reason I say this is that Labradors, being incredibly social animals, require a lot of attention. If you give them attention, even negative attention, it reinforces their current behavior, including bad behavior. It is incredibly difficult to do, I know. However, if you do this, your puppy will behave better in the future.
Tip 4: Instead, reward your puppy's good behavior. Labrador puppy training is about reward and love. Whenever your puppy does something that you like, give him a reward such a treat or a lot of attention. The best way to do this is to play a game like fetch or play with a Frisbee.
Tip 5: Finally, always make sure that you give your puppy enough attention. Then your Labrador puppy training will become a lot easier. If you do not give enough attention, it is more likely for your puppy to misbehave.
Thanks for reading this article, I hope it is helped.
-Tom
Now, what if you are having difficulties with Labrador puppy training? Sometimes Labrador puppies can be incredibly hard to train, I know, I understand.
Just what are the solutions to problems of Labrador puppy training? Click here to discover the secrets of the professional trainers!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Burns
Tip 1: Leash training. It is incredibly easy to begin training your puppy with a leash at this age. If you wait until your puppy is full grown, it is going to be much more difficult as Labradors are larger dogs and thus, they are little more difficult to control. Start your Labrador puppy training on a leash early.
Tip 2: Simple commands. A few great simple commands to teach them are ones like sit, stay, and come. If you teach them these commands, you will then be able to teach them more complex commands later on.
Tip 3: This tip is crucial for Labrador puppy training. Never punish your puppy. The reason I say this is that Labradors, being incredibly social animals, require a lot of attention. If you give them attention, even negative attention, it reinforces their current behavior, including bad behavior. It is incredibly difficult to do, I know. However, if you do this, your puppy will behave better in the future.
Tip 4: Instead, reward your puppy's good behavior. Labrador puppy training is about reward and love. Whenever your puppy does something that you like, give him a reward such a treat or a lot of attention. The best way to do this is to play a game like fetch or play with a Frisbee.
Tip 5: Finally, always make sure that you give your puppy enough attention. Then your Labrador puppy training will become a lot easier. If you do not give enough attention, it is more likely for your puppy to misbehave.
Thanks for reading this article, I hope it is helped.
-Tom
Now, what if you are having difficulties with Labrador puppy training? Sometimes Labrador puppies can be incredibly hard to train, I know, I understand.
Just what are the solutions to problems of Labrador puppy training? Click here to discover the secrets of the professional trainers!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Burns
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