If you are thinking about bringing home a puppy, you may be at the stage where you are trying to determine whether this would be a good thing to do or if you should refrain from getting one. In order to come to a decision that's going to be right for your family, you should ask yourself some questions. The way you answer those questions can help you decide whether this is going to be the right time for you to welcome a new puppy into your family. Here are some of the things that you should be asking yourself:
Do you have time?
When it comes to having enough time for a puppy, you want to realize there are things that can be done to fit a puppy into your household even if you do have a busy schedule. If there are other people who are home much of the day, then everyone can take turns caring for the puppy, so it won't only depend on your schedule, but also everyone else's schedule. Also, if you really want a puppy, but you work a regular out-of-the-home job, then you can work around this by finding a doggy daycare where you can take your puppy each day and pick it up when you get off work. If you really want a puppy, then you might even find that you would be able to bring your puppy to work with you and this can solve the problem of not having enough time.
Do you have the money?
Normally, having a puppy doesn't cost much money. There is the cost of food which isn't very much. Then, there is the upfront cost of things like a collar, a leash, a crate, and toys. You don't have to buy most of these things often, and in fact, you may only need to buy one crate unless your puppy will outgrow the current one. Then, there are vet visits; there will be a few of them when you first get the puppy for the initial exam and for follow-up booster vaccinations. However, once the puppy grows up, you'll only have food and once a year vet visits unless they become sick or get hurt. There are also veterinarian credit cards you can have for those emergencies that can help if you find yourself low on money. Also, you can give your dog shots yourself to save money on them if you feel comfortable with this. So, if you really want a puppy, then take into consideration that they normally don't really cost as much money as you might think.
Do you know what kind you want?
Think about the type of puppy you want, and if you aren't sure, then you might want to take more time to learn about some of the different breeds that may be a good match. Once you decide on the right breed, then you'll feel better prepared and more ready to take that leap into puppy ownership. One great dog to consider is a silver lab. Silver labs have the wonderful temperaments of labs in general and are also very smart. However, their silver coloring is stunning, making them great looking dogs as well.
To learn more about your puppy options, including silver lab puppies, contact a pet store near you.
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