Would you like to have your own little pup? Has this been your dream since you were little? Owning a dog is undoubtedly a lot of work. If you’re new to pet ownership, knowing a few tips for first time dog owners will go a long way to helping you prepare for what’s ahead and save you time and trouble.
Be prepared to take on many new responsibilities. This includes puppy training, installing wireless dog fences to keep them safe and contained within your premise, and providing them with healthy food. In the end, you’ll be rewarded with tons of kisses, laughter, and happiness.
It can get stressful and you may not know where to start. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of questions and statements below for you to think through before buying or adopting your dog. After going through the quiz, you’ll have a better understanding of what it takes to have a pooch.
Table of Contents
Should I Get A Dog Quiz
1) Every week, how much time do you plan on training your furry friend?
You should plan on taking as much time as it takes to train your furry friend. You’ll need to crate train your puppy, teach them basic commands, and train your dog to walk on a leash.
Because every dog learns at its own speed, the amount of time needed to train your little pups varies.
Perhaps you adopted an older dog. He or she will take longer to learn and train than if you have a few-week-old puppy. Practice patience and take as much time as you need to continuously work with your pooch until they learn through the problem areas.
Training can be fun for both you and your pup. As a result of training, you’ll have a well-behaved dog with proper manners.
2) How much free time do you have a day to play and exercise with your dog?
It is recommended that you spend at least one to two hours a day playing and exercising with your doggy. Of course, different dog breeds have different energy levels, so plan to spend at least an hour a day training, walking, or running with them.
You can also spend this hour playing fetch or tug of war with them. If your furry friends love to play in the backyard, consider installing a wireless dog fence to keep them safe and prevent them from escaping your yard.
Another way to have well-behaved canine companions is to take the time to consistently exercise and play with them. This will ensure they don’t have a lot of pent-up energy. Dogs with excessive and pent-up energy may resort to bad habits in order to expend that energy.
Bad habits include chewing on furniture, destroying your household items, biting, or even barking.
3) What is the first thing you will do in the morning when you have a dog?
When you have a pooch, you’ll have to adjust your morning routine. Dogs need to be taken outside every morning to do their business.
If you’re bringing home a puppy, it’s crucial that you include this into your morning routine. Puppies need to learn early on that walking outside in the morning means it is time to go potty or do their business. It does not have to be a long walk, just until they have done their business.
Do not head back into the house if your pooch hasn’t done their business yet. Wait until they have finished their business and then reward them immediately. This helps your puppy learn that this is the right thing to do. After their evening meal, you’ll have to take them out for a walk again.
4) True or false. It’s important for your dog to socialize with other dogs, but not people.
False. It’s important for your dog to socialize with other dogs as well as people.
No matter your dog’s age, socialization is crucial for all dogs. Your pooch needs to learn how to get used to having other dogs and people around. Take them out for walks around the block, to the vet, or dog park so they can socialize with other dogs and people.
If dogs don’t socialize well with others, they may get anxious around other dogs or people and react by attacking which can turn into a dangerous situation. Your pup may lunge forward at other dogs, escape their leash, and then run across the street.
5) If you’re the one buying or adopting a dog, who should be paying for your dog’s needs?
If you’re the one buying or adopting a dog, then you should be the primary person paying for your puppy’s needs. Many owners live with their spouses, significant others, or parents. If they agree to help contribute to your dog’s needs, then that is fine.
Have a plan for who will pay for your pup’s needs if you’re living with others. Some expenses include veterinary bills, food costs, toy costs, accessories costs, etc. It can get expensive so plan accordingly.
6) How do you know if your dog is showing signs of aggression?
Your canine companions may be showing signs of aggression if they have raised hair on their back, are barking, baring teeth, or growling. Barking and growling are vocal aggressive cues. If they raise the hair on their backs or are baring their teeth, then these are non-verbal aggressive cues.
Don’t mistake some behaviors that seem aggressive but aren’t such as having their ears back. These behaviors are actually signs of friendliness or submission.
7) When you have your new pup, what do you see yourself doing?
When you have dogs, you’ll have to devote time and energy to them. You can go about your day as usual such as watching TV, going for walks or long hikes, or hanging out but make sure to include your canine companion into your everyday activities.
This way they can socialize with those around you and feel comfortable with your activities. Even if you’re laying around in bed, make sure to spend time with your dogs.
It’s also essential to include activities that your pups will love. This includes heading to the dog park, training, taking canine obedience classes together, showing off their skills in any agility performance, or competing in dog sport events.
Spending time with your pooch helps you bond with your pup. It also tells your dog that you are the leader of the pack as all dogs rely on their pack.
8) True or false. When it comes to food, dogs can eat all human foods.
False. Dogs can not eat all human foods. If you and your family are having meals at the table, try not to give your dogs your table food. While giving them scraps may seem harmless, it promotes bad behavior such as begging for food.
Additionally, much of the food we consume is not safe for dogs to digest. They can eat a list of human foods, but definitely not all. Unless you know the exact ingredients, it’s best to find out first before giving them to your canine companion.
We want to share everything with our canine companions, but giving them food that is harmful to their bodies could lead to an unplanned emergency vet visit. It’s crucial to know the limit, especially when it comes to food.
9) True or false. If you’re in an open field, it is ok to let my dog off-leash.
False. Do not let your dogs off-leash if they haven’t been leash trained yet. Unless you feel confident that your dogs won’t react or become triggered by other dogs or people, it is best to have your dogs on a leash even in an open field.
If you’re in an unfamiliar or non-fenced area, try to keep your pup on a leash. Dog breeds like Greyhounds are extremely fast and have a high prey drive. Their natural instinct is to chase small animals and this could lead to them taking off and running away from you in seconds.
Key Takeaway
The above nine questions and statements should help you think through whether you should get a dog. You’ll need to carve out and spend a lot of time training, playing, and exercising with your four-legged friends.
If you understand and agree with the above response, then it shows you have thoroughly thought this through and will make sure your puppy will have a safe and loving home. Of course, there is still a lot to learn but having the right mindset and foundational knowledge of having a dog is crucial.
While it is no easy walk in the park, it is certainly rewarding and you’ll receive years of laughter, happy memories, and kisses!
With over five years of specialized experience as an animal writer, my expertise lies in dog nutrition, health, behavior, grooming, and training. I am dedicated to delivering helpful and informative content that caters to the well-being of our furry friends. My primary goal is to empower pet owners with knowledge and ensure our canine companions thrive in health and happiness. In my free time, I love volunteering at local dog rescue centers.
