Before becoming a pet parent
1/3: Your bandwidth determines your choices
Pressure Kukur’s unsolicited advice: When deciding on which dog to bring home (or whether to bring one home in the first place), start with what you can offer.
It can be incredibly tough not to have a dog at home when you absolutely love these creatures. However, bringing a dog home means entering into a decade-long commitment with a living being that will be dependent on you for everything. This decision cannot be taken lightly and therefore requires thorough consideration on your part. Here is part 1 of a 3-part series covering some things to think about before you decide upon becoming a pet parent:
1. Who’s onboard?
The very first thing to consider is whether or not everyone in your house agrees to bring a dog home. If they don’t, don’t force them. You can have the presence of a dog in your life without having an actual dog in your house (more to come in part 3), but please do not invite the possibility of abandoning a dog into your life.
If you live by yourself, you need to honestly consider if you can take care of the dog on your own, with the kind of lifestyle you have. If you live with family or flatmates, you need to discuss whether everyone is okay with getting a dog home. It helps if you have your own space in the house, where you can keep the dog. Discuss if you will share the responsibilities and how you will divide them.
No matter what happens, please do not gift someone a dog. Yes, puppies are cute, as are grown dogs, but they are not meant to be bought as gifts. If you want an expensive gift, get a bottle of wine or a cruise, not a living being that comes with a long term commitment to extensive care.
2. Mi Casa, Su Casa (?)
Think about where you live and how that place suits your to-be dog. What’s the weather like there? Do you have access to reliable veterinary care? Do you have extra space like a garden for the dog to run around? Do you have expensive drapes or furniture that can potentially be chewed on by a puppy (and can you live with that happening), and do you have a space where the dog can sleep and one where s/he can eat meals? If you’re getting an additional pet or adopting two dogs together (how brave of you!), a simple rule to keep in mind is,
‘No. of dogs ≤ No. of bedrooms.’
This rule, of course, does not mean that you can get a couple of greyhounds for a small two-bedroom apartment! Please use your discretion while following this rule. If you’re renting, check with your landlord and the RWA before you even begin the process and either make sure they approve or be willing to move in case something happens. A quick look at your local laws regarding the registration of pet animals will also be helpful.
3. Super Bowl
A dog’s diet is the key to her health. Dogs are not obligate carnivores but benefit immensely from a meat-based, fresh food diet. Please do not get a dog home only to feed her curd, rice and kibble. I would have added, ‘especially when adopting one.’ However, given the condition in which breeder puppies come, this applies to all dogs brought home. Your dog will require a meat-based diet, regardless of your or your family’s personal beliefs. You can consult a nutritionist for exact diet details — this is particularly useful for dogs with special needs. There are many dog food startups offering pet parents a regular supply of meat-based meals for their dogs. A simple online search will give you several options.
4. Party-pooper
What goes in also comes out, and it comes out way smellier! If cleaning up after your dog is not your jam, don’t get one. Most dogs, especially puppies, will pee and poop inside the house unless trained to go outside. Your dogs will get sick and throw up or have occasional accidents inside the house. While they do not do this to spite you (remember this when you’re cleaning up), if this is something that will make you lash out at your dog, please don’t get one.
Cleaning up after your dog is doubly important when you’re walking your dog outside in public areas. If picking up after your dog is somehow a slight to your ego, or you can’t be bothered to do that, don’t get a dog. Let the rest of the pet parents in the area live peacefully.
5. As busy as a bee
Think about how much time you can spend with your dog. Will you require the services of a doggie daycare or hire a sitter/ dog walker when you’re not around? How will getting a dog home impact your schedule (especially for puppies)?
Right now, we’re all at home, but once (and if) the world is back to normal, how long will you be at work, and how frequently will you travel? Who will take care of your dog when you’re not around?
I adopted Bailey while living away from family. I worked from home and rarely needed to get out of the house. However, if I left her alone, she would start exhibiting separation anxiety. So while I could, I took her with me as often as possible. Once she was old enough (especially once she got spayed), I started leaving her at a doggie daycare. June has no separation anxiety, and we are slowly making progress with Bailey’s separation anxiety as well.
6. Money matters
Assess your financial situation honestly and determine how much money you can set aside for your dog’s future needs. Your dog’s care will become increasingly expensive as s/he ages. It is always advisable to have an emergency or old age fund for each of your dogs.
7. The game of life
Consider whether life events like getting married, having kids, or moving abroad will impact your ability to care for your dog. Do you have a backup home for your dog in case of an emergency, or in case you’re unable to take care of your dog for an extended time?
My parents took Bailey in when I got married and moved to Bangalore. Thankfully, they could care for her through the Covid-19 lockdown until I could go and get her (I had to fight with them to bring her with me). Last year, there was a possibility of us relocating abroad. All the decisions around that were made keeping the dogs in mind. We have choices; they can’t choose another family #NotWithoutMyDogs.
8. Allergies/ Medical conditions
Your choice of dog will largely depend upon breed if you are allergic to dog saliva, hair or urine, or live with/ frequently meet someone with such allergies. No dog is completely free from allergens, but there are some hypo-allergenic or non-shedding dog breeds that you can choose. Sometimes, folks who can manage with medication opt not to be specific about the breed. It depends entirely on how comfortable the person with allergies is and should never be the default option.
Similarly, people might require service dogs or emotional support dogs, and might be advised to choose a particular breed. These dogs are trained for special tasks that they need to do while with their pet parents or human companions.
The above list is not exhaustive but will provide you with a starting set of physical and behavioural attributes that you’ll look for in a dog. These may or may not be breed-specific.
For example, when we were adopting June — our second dog, my spouse and I lived in a 2BHK with a young dog. My spouse will eventually have to go to work (currently WFH), while I will work from home but have to leave the house or travel for work occasionally. Our set of essential requirements was:
A mellow dog that would do well in an apartment, would get along well with other dogs, and show no separation anxiety.
Once you have a set of attributes you’ll look for in a dog, you will have to decide whether to buy a puppy or adopt a dog and which breed to get (if any). Read the following posts in this series before you take the plunge.
