Choose your puppy with your mind, not your heart

Are you making your puppy selection based on your heart or your head? Dogs are masters at offering appeasing looks and gestures to woo us. Now this is not a bad thing but taken into account it can lead to poor decision making. We need to first realize that we are about to make a huge commitment which certainly leads to lifestyle changes. Often when I visit homes I quickly realize that the client's dog may not be a very good fit for the person and or family's lifestyle and even personality. Yet because the owner has obviously fallen in love with their dog there's no looking back. I work to find positive ways to make the relationship work by making changes which can frustrate and even cause remorse for some. Wouldn't it be better when we decide we want a new dog to stop and consider a few things prior to looking? What type of lifestyle do I lead? Busy schedule? Long work shifts? School & part-time job committments? Am I doing this for the kids because it WILL be my responsibility? There are no wrong answers to these questions. Rather, using an introspective analysis of the posibilities will help you to choose the right dog for you & your family. Spending the time to carefully examine what our needs are, what our schedule can afford & will my lifestyle match, or can it be modified to fit, the selected dog's needs are paramount. Word of caution: choosing a dog (especially puppies) during the holidays can be a bad idea. Think how our expectations run high during a period of heightend sense(s) of emotion and planning trips or outings away from home. This can happen between Xmas & New Years. Will this affect the TIME needed to be spent working with or at least attending to the dog's needs? Would this cause undue hardship to the dog removing him from the new social circle of your home to be placed with a new unknown?Find out what the dog you're considering will need in the way of exercize. This may be the most overlooked need out there. Do your research first. Read, ask questions & thoroughly discuss the possibilities of this life changer with your loved ones so everyone is on board. This will help make the transition of dog ownership a rewarding one and not a frustrated one.