Do your homework before your dog eats it!

Bringing home a new dog or puppy is no small feat. There is much to consider and learn first. Dogs naturally do things that do not meld well with our way of living: digging, barking, marking, chewing, just to name a few. Don’t fight nature. Work with it and anticipate the inevitable. Your dog will need to be taught how to behave in a human household. It will not just happen.

Here are just a few questions to help you assess your readiness for a new pet.

Does everyone in the house agree on the dog? Does everyone understand the responsibility of having a dog and agree to be a part of the training? Will house rules and boundaries be honored by all?

Who will be home with the dog for the first week or two while he/she acclimates to the new environment? Did you know that it is best not to allow your dog run of the house and why? Where will your new pup sleep?

Where will he/she ride in the car? What should I do if my dog gets car sick? How do I avoid motion sickness in dogs and puppies?

Where will the dog potty? Even house trained adult dogs need help to figure out where to potty when introduced to a new home. Am I ready to house train my puppy?

Where will the dog be when left alone? Do you know how to teach your dog to be alone and content at the same time? Even if you are home most of the time you will have to leave your dog alone sometime, such as a trip to the grocery store, out to dinner with a friend or for a doctor’s appointment.

How much time can you devote to your pup? How and what type of exercise and mental stimulation can you provide? What does your pup need in order for you to avoid common unwanted behaviors?

Do you know how to subdue puppy biting, but not until you have enabled your puppy to learn the very important skill of bite inhibition? Do you know how to calm an overly excited dog or exhausted puppy who is throwing a tantrum? Do you know what to do if a dog jumps on people or pulls on leash?

Please do your research! Get informed! Education and preparedness are key to keeping our lovely pets out of shelters. You can do it! You, your family, your furry friend and even your neighbors, will be happy you did.

Check out Is your family ready for a dog? Plus, The Family Dog podcasts.