Rescue a Dog Save a Life

There are so many good things about owning a dog: companionship,
protection and unconditional love. Dogs are also good for
our health, with research indicating that people who own dogs
have lower blood pressure and lower levels of stress hormones in
their blood. But, owning a dog is also a tremendous responsibility.
If you’re considering sharing your life with a dog, it’s important
that you stop and think before you leap into this commitment. A
dog should never be an impulse buy, even though it’s hard to resist
those soft brown eyes and wet nose, you are adding a living being
to your family, a family member that relies on you for their every
need. The average lifespan for an American dog is 12 years, and
you will need to meet your dog’s every physical, mental and emotional
need for his entire life.
Use the month before adoption to consider what you can comfortably
offer a dog that joins your life. Spending a bit of time to
Adopting a Rescue Dog
fi gure out what kind of lifestyle commitments you can make will
help you decide whether a dog is right for you at this time of your
life, and will help you make better decisions on what type of dogs
make sense for your family.
Time Commitment
The fi rst step in deciding whether or not you can care for a dog is
to review your time commitments. Do you have very young children,
elderly parents, a needy boss, or some combination therein
that take up your every living moment? If so, perhaps it would be
better to wait until you have a little more time that you can devote
to caring for a dog before you take on the extra responsibility.
You need a minimum of an hour a day to provide basic care for a
dog. That’s an hour every day, not just on weekends! And remember
that fi gure is a minimum, some dogs will require much
more time.
Exercise – there is truth in the old adage, a tired dog is a good
dog. A dog with too much energy and not enough to do will fi nd
things to do and these will typically not be things that you want
them to do. A medium energy dog will need at least a half hour
brisk walk once a day. Higher energy dogs will need longer and
more frequent exercise to stay happy.
Training - one of the most common reasons for dogs being
euthanized is a “behavior problem”. Most behavior problems can
be prevented by appropriate socialization and training, under the
guidance of a qualifi ed trainer. This takes a heavy investment of
time, particularly if you own a puppy. You cannot let your dog
raise himself, be proactive and teach him how you’d like him to
behave, and he’s much less likely to develop behavior problems
Chapter 1: A Month Before 7
that are diffi cult to resolve. Training also helps you establish
leadership with your dog and gives your dog the mental exercise
that they need to thrive. Plan on training a puppy for at least half
an hour each day, once you have established the basics you can
reduce the amount of time spent training or move on to more
advanced exercises.
Grooming – the beautiful coat on many long hair dogs requires
extensive and regular grooming to avoid knotting and to keep
clean. As well as frequent visits to the groomer, you will need
to establish a daily routine of brushing your dog’s coat to keep
it shiny and tangle free. In some breeds this can take a full hour
every day.
Socializing – dogs are social creatures and need interaction to
thrive. For most dogs a few moments throughout the day where
you share a pat and a few kind words, plus a few longer sessions
where you give the dog some serious attention, and a few hours
spent just laying at your feet are crucial to create a deep bond with
your dog. Be prepared to spend a lot more time with the dog in
the fi rst few weeks as you establish a relationship.
Lifestyle Commitment
If it looks like time is not going to be a problem, think about
whether a dog complements your current lifestyle. Think about
what you are willing to compromise and what changes would not
work with your lifestyle.
Home - is your home one that can accommodate a dog? You
will need to understand your neighborhood’s rules regarding the
type of dogs you are permitted to keep. If you rent, look through
your rental agreement,