Adopting a dog is a big commitment for any family but there are many benefits including improving your health. Whether it is mental, physical, social or even emotional health a pet offers unconditional love and companionship that will change your life for the better. Pairing your personality and astrological sign with that of a furry friend might be the perfect combination.
I know before we adopted LouLou, a purebred bluetick coonhound, we had many conversations about pet ownership and whether it was right for us. We are an active family that loves the outdoors so we needed a breed that could keep up but also challenge us to be more active. It seemed like we could talk in circles but it always came back to many of the same questions, let’s take a look at those.
Questions to Consider When Adopting The Perfect Furry Friend
Do we have enough time? Adopting a dog isn’t just a commitment it is a forever commitment. You need to have the time to care for your dog whether that is taking it for walks, grooming, training, vet visits or simply showing affection.
Should we adopt a puppy or an adult dog? With the overpopulation of pets, there are many shelters that are looking for homes to open their hearts to new pet and make a difference. Adult dogs are usually the last to be adopted but sometimes have the most love to give.
When we adopted LouLou she was a year old and we couldn’t be happier with our decision. There are many dogs out there that need homes and we loved the fact she was housebroken and partially trained. It truly was a perfect situation for our family.
What breed should we get? The last question might make this one an easy answer, if you’re looking to adopt an adult dog you are pretty limited to what is available locally and in shelters. If you are in the market for a puppy the options are a lot broader.
We didn’t take the decision lightly and did our research before adoption. With numerous breeds out there it was hard to narrow down exactly what dog would make the perfect addition to our family. A fun way to look at what breed is perfect for you is which dog matches your star sign.
How much exercise will the dog require? While most dogs need 30-60 minutes of exercise a day there are a few things to take into consideration. Your furry friend needs enough exercise that they’re slowing down by the time you stop, let’s take a look:
- Active breeds need 30 minutes of hard aerobic exercise most days of the week, preferably daily.
- Not all small or toy breeds get enough exercise within the home and this leads to obesity, a great reason to regularly visit your vet and assess the health of your pet.
- Good exercise includes both mental and physical muscles when you’re out for a walk or run make sure you also engage your dogs’ mind.
A few of the ways you might know your dog isn’t getting enough exercise are obesity and acting out. You know your furry friend better than anyone so watch the queues and you’ll be well on your way to the proper amount of exercise for you both.
Adopting a family dog isn’t a simple decision. Finding a furry friend that matched our family lifestyle wasn’t easy because each dog is unique with different personalities. Get to know a breed before you make a final decision, you’ll be happy you did the research. While there are many health and social benefits to pet ownership, the unconditional love they offer is truly a blessing to the whole family.