Am I Ready For a New Puppy? — 8 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Getting a Puppy

Am I Ready For a New Puppy? — 8 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Getting a Puppy

Imagine those cute little paws scurrying behind you, excited for treats, hugs, or just your attention! 

Having a dog as your companion is one of life’s sweetest blessings, for they stay loyal and sweet from the moment they meet you. The happiness and joy that they give means that we, in turn, should be loyal and responsible for their overall well-being.

Before you go on the hunt for a puppy, you should ask yourself — “Am I ready for a puppy?”. Review the factors to consider and answer these 8 questions before bringing home a puppy. 

Check out our quick clip on reasons for getting a new pup! 

1. Can I Dedicate Time to Raising and Training My Puppy?

Just like babies, puppies need your love, time, and attention. You must constantly look out for them since something can happen when you least expect it. You can’t just give them food and water and expect them to be well on their own since they need your guidance now that they are no longer with their mother. 

On another note, when you have a puppy, you won’t be able to put on a schedule and expect to follow it all the time. There will be a lot of times when you need to wake up in the middle of the night to check on your puppy. So if you have a busy schedule at work, travel a lot, or often find yourself outside your home for long hours, you might want to consider if now would be the right time to get a new puppy. 

Read:  The Importance of New Puppy Training

2. Can I Afford a New Puppy? 

Aside from the cost of the pup itself, there are many more expenses to consider when getting a new pup. You must consider if you have the budget for your puppy’s weekly and monthly needs, such as food & chews, vet care, crate, bed, grooming supplies, and training. 

These expenses include your puppy’s vaccinations to ensure they are healthy or the possible unexpected trips to the vet in case your puppy gets sick. Vet visits and vaccinations are also something that you will have to include in your budget in the long run since your dog should be regularly given their vaccines and undergo their routine vet check-up.

Another thing to consider when looking for a puppy regarding your future expenses is how big your puppy will be when it is fully grown. Generally, the bigger the dog, the more expensive it will be. For example, grooming sessions will be much more expensive since it takes a longer time to groom them. Similarly, bigger dogs need more time to train, so you will spend more time training them than smaller dogs. 

Check out Happy Pup Manor’s Grooming Essentials for your Pup

3. Will Someone Help Me Take Care Of My Puppy? 

Unless you are confident that you can care for a new puppy on your own–you need help one way or another. There will be times when you need to run errands, go to work, or even take a breather, and having someone to help you out and take care of your new puppy while you aren’t there would be such a great relief! 

If you live with your family, you should let them know of your plans to get a new puppy. Check-in with them, see what they think about this step you’re about to take and get their commitment on who can help you care for the puppy. Doing this will help you identify who you can count on to care for and raise your puppy. 

Check Out our Tips on Preparing Your Home and Family for a New Puppy 

4. Do I have a suitable living environment for a puppy?

One of pet owners’ biggest mistakes is choosing a puppy without considering if they will be comfortable in their current home and then feeling stressed when their pup scratches their furniture. To avoid this, consider your location. Are you living in an urban, suburban, or downtown area? What is your house like? Do you live in a building, an apartment, a duplex, a bungalow, or a townhome? 

You should consider the house you currently live in because certain dog breeds have higher energy than others. If you have limited space, you might want to consider getting a smaller, less energetic doodle puppy like Maltipoos. On the other hand, if you have a backyard where your dog is free to run around, you can get a Bernedoodle or a Sheepadoodle. 

Another thing you have to consider is where in your home you plan to put your puppy. For your puppy to be trained early on, it needs to have its own space or kennel where it can rest and feel comfortable. It also needs a place to sleep and go potty. You should also ensure that your pup’s area is well-ventilated and has the right room temperature to prevent it from getting sick. 

Check out our Top 10 Things You Need When Bringing Home a New Puppy from the Breeder

5. Will My Puppy Enjoy My Hobbies and Activities?

Building a bond with your puppy is wonderful, and the best way to do that is by including it in your hobbies and activities. You do not need to be an athlete or love outdoor activities like hiking, but make sure you have the time to do activities where your dog can get exercise. 

Especially for new puppies, you need to dedicate time to ensure that they can exert their extra energy daily. Puppies who are unable to get exercise tend to find things to do, like chewing, scraping, and digging, since they feel very energized! On the bonus side, not only does your dog get exercise, but you do, too! 

6. Will a New Puppy Fit In With My Family? 

Since your puppy will be the newest addition to your family, you should check with your family members to see how they feel about having a pet. This will be a big commitment for everyone at home, so everyone should be on board and feel as excited as you are. 

You should also make sure if there is anyone who is allergic to dog fur since this can be an unpleasant experience for them. If this is the case, you should consider getting a Doodle puppy because their hypoallergenic coats are less likely to trigger allergies. Note that bigger dogs can still carry allergens from outside, so they can trigger your family member’s allergies. 

Another factor to consider is whether you have kids at home. The younger the kids, the less time you will have to take care of a new puppy. If you have a baby or toddler at home, you might want to put off getting a puppy until your child is already in school. That way, you have more time to take care of and train your puppy without sacrificing your child’s needs. 

Check out Happy Pup Manor’s Tips for Introducing Your New Puppy to Your Family

7. Do I Have The Patience To Train a Puppy? 

Raising and training a puppy takes time, consistency, positive reinforcement, and patience. Just like we need to take time to get familiar with and used to doing new things, puppies are the same. They are curious about the world around them and will destroy and chew stuff before they learn not to. 

You can’t expect your puppy to know how to behave after you tell it what to do and what not to do because you will experience many setbacks before your puppy actually gets to follow you. You need to stay calm, patient, and persistent while training your puppy. If you don’t give up on your pup, he won’t give up on you!

If you aren’t sure about your puppy training skills, you can contact us to help you and your puppy get started! We are passionate about puppies and puppy training. We make sure that we get to know your puppy’s personality to make sure that we can give you the type of training your puppy needs. 

Read: When Should I Take My Puppy to a Trainer? 

8. Are My Other Pets Ready for a New Puppy?

If you have other pets at home, you should make sure that they are okay with having a new puppy. Your pets have feelings too, and you don’t want them to have any negative feelings of being replaced when you bring home a young pup. Territorial pets tend to become aggressive if they feel that a new pup is a threat to their space, so make sure that this is out of the way. Otherwise, it might cause problems, especially for the new puppy you bring home.

Though it’s a case-to-case basis, some older pets may be less tolerant of a puppy’s playful behavior. If you do decide to get a new puppy, make sure they have separate spaces at home so that they are not forced to be together just when they are not ready. A great way to ensure that your pets will not go against each other is by ensuring that your older pets are at least trained to follow basic commands, which can be very helpful in establishing a harmonious relationship between them. 

Did You Answer Yes to These Questions? 

If YES, then you are ready for a new puppy!

Ensure you have everything in check and choose the right puppy that matches your personality. Both of you will surely have all the love and fun! Preparing yourself, your family, and your home is a great way to get ready for a new puppy.