Whether you have recently reached retirement and finally have the time to devote to a new dog, or you are trying to juggle all of your other responsibilities while adding a pet dog into your family, being a first-time dog owner can be chaotic and stressful. That being said, it is also one of the most fun and fulfilling things you will ever do!
Of course, nothing worth having comes easily, and having a dog can be a lot of hard work at times. Even if it’s worth it in the end, this can cause a lot of stress as well as cost you a lot of money. If you are feeling a little clueless and in need of some help, here are 3 tips for first-time dog owners.
Focus On Training
Focusing on training your dog is so important because it will make a lot of difference in the type of life your dog has, and the relationship you have with him/her. Training is not always easy, depending on the age and breed of your new dog, and it can certainly get frustrating at times, but if you put some time and effort into it you will be sure to be rewarded.
If you work at it hard enough, you can train your dog just about anything. Before you know it, they will not beg or chew on things they shouldn’t at home and will be a joy on walks as well! A little bit of training can go a long way, so try it out!
Change Your Lifestyle
Owning a dog and being a good dog owner may mean having to change your lifestyle around a little bit. This may mean working fewer hours, opting to work from home more, or perhaps not going out to party as much. Dogs require a lot of time and attention and they are not a good choice as a pet for you if you are someone who is constantly away from home.
You will no longer be able to go out for drinks after a long day at work, or go and spend the night somewhere else on a whim. Traveling can be more of a challenge as well, because you will have to choose places to stay where your dogs are allowed, make sure they are allowed on flights, etc.
You will also have to carefully consider when or where you are going to eat out. Luckily, many places allow dogs these days so you will just have to research which places those are.
Stay Up To Date When It Comes To Their Health
Even if your dog is quite young and seemingly healthy, it is still of utmost importance to take them to the vet on a regular basis and make sure they are up to date on their shots as well as other preventative care such as flea and tick medications. Your vet may be able to help you stop your pup from becoming ill before it even happens, so ask them what they think!
Owning a dog is such a wonderful experience, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a challenge! Hopefully, these tips can help you to ease into being a first-time dog owner so that you can really enjoy it.