Thinking about getting that dream puppy or rescuing a pooch? Here is a list of things that you need to know before getting a dog. Trust us, there’s more than you can imagine.

What do you need to know before getting a dog

— the psychological side
So, you’re all serious about actually getting a dog. You also might’ve already done your research on all the stuff you must get before the new pet arrives. But there is more to it than collars, leashes, bowls, and food. There is a psychological and emotional side. In this article, we will try to go through everything you need to know before getting a dog. We write from our own experience, by the way.

What to know before buying a dog?

Puppies and knowing a breed is not always better

Some people think that it’s easier and better to buy a puppy of a specific breed. On one hand, you can teach your new pup to be the dog you want them to be from a very young age. And you also know some general info on what your pooch might grow into both in terms of their looks and character.

But here’s a thing. You might know about that breed everything you need to know before getting a puppy. And your specific pup won’t be like that. It can be so because of their breeders not being completely honest with you and mixing their dog with another breed. Or parents of a puppy might’ve had some psychological or health issues your breeder didn’t tell you about for quite obvious reasons. Also, dogs develop their characters based on their experience. So under your influence, your pooch might have some habits that aren’t associated with their breed.

And we don’t say that it’s good or bad that your pup grew into a dog you didn’t expect them to become. It’s just what it is. This is something you want to know before buying a dog — unexpected things happen.

You will have way more chores than you thought you would

Many kids are mad at their parents for not letting them get a dog. And usually, parents explain their refusal with something like “It’s a huge responsibility” or “You won’t take care of it”. While it might upset you, they’re right.

A dog is a huge responsibility financially and psychologically. Your puppy will go to the toilet at home for a very long time — girls are often unable to hold between walks up to one year of age. And the pup will do that not where you want them to go to the potty because emergencies happen.

Your puppy will chew your stuff if you left it within their reach. They will destroy things if they have excessive energy and lack your attention. They will bark, they will annoy you, they will behave NOT in a way you want them to behave. And that’s a crucial thing you need to not just know before getting a puppy but also deeply understand and accept. Prepare that your life will be wrecked for a while. You will need to reschedule your day to fit it to the needs of your new puppy, frequent walks, and emergencies.

Expenses are also often not quite obvious to everyone. Besides walking gear, a bed, food, bowls, and other basic necessities, you will also have other things to spend your money on. There are vet visits — the ones you didn’t expect to happen are usually the most expensive. You also need to buy solutions against worms, fleas, and ticks regularly. Your dog will need grooming — you’ll have to pay for it if you’re not doing that by yourself. And we’re not even talking about some extreme events in life such as moving or you getting sick.

It will be more exhausting than you think

You will need to walk your puppy very frequently — at the beginning, up to at least a short walk every hour or so because they need to learn to go to the potty outside. And you will need to play with them and teach them basic commands and tricks to make your pooch obedient and comfortable to live with. Even when your dog grows up, you still will need to train and exercise them.

What do I need to know before getting a rescue dog

It’s a tough topic that we will talk about in detail in our future articles. But in this section, we will give you a quick round-up of things you need to know before getting a dog from a shelter or streets:

• They will most likely have a psychological trauma — and you will need to work on that alone or with a dog trainer
• If they’re grown, teaching them correct behavior will take longer and be more challenging than it would be with a puppy because you will need to change an existing behavioral pattern
• They might not trust you completely for quite a while, and that’s ok. You just need to be patient
• They quite likely will have many issues you didn’t think a dog could have such as separation anxiety, overthinking, excessive alertness, compulsive overeating, and so on

In most cases, getting a rescue is a more difficult job than getting a puppy. But emotionally it’s rewarded greatly, especially when your dog finally puts their complete trust in you.

What else do you need to know before getting a puppy or a grown dog?

We’ve listed all the tough things you need to know before getting a dog. But there is a reason why people get one pup after another even knowing about all the difficulties they will have to deal with. And this reason is that a close, trustful, and loving relationship that’s possible only between a dog and their human. It’s all those joyful moments when you forget about time spending time with your furry friend. It’s warm evening cuddles and energetic mornings with your pup serving as a cute alarm. It’s fun walks, meeting new like-minded people, laughing at your dog’s silliness, and showing those pictures of your sleeping pup to virtually everyone.

So even though you know all the things you need to know before getting a dog, we want you to also know that it’s worth everything listed in our article. We just want you to be prepared so that difficulties don’t disarm you. Go after your dream and get that dog you’ve always wanted! We will do our best to supply you with high-quality dog gear, clothes, and toys as well as valuable advice.