Who’s A Bad Doggo? Picking the Right (Time To Get A) Dog

There are no bad doggos, only wrong doggos for you and your family. We have the perfect dog now, but I have had a fair share of wrong dogs in my life, and I have some good ideas for figuring out if getting a dog is right for you.

College

The first urge to get your own dog strikes about a year after you move out of student housing. You’ve got an apartment and time on your hands. You’re feeling lonely and you’ve met a stray. Or you were at the Farmers Market and a rescue group had a pack of adoptable pups and BOOM! You’re in love.

The first question is, do you have a roommate or family member who agrees to share responsibility before you get the dog? It is a big bummer when you think you might want to stay out all night (so to speak) but you have to go home because no one else will take the dog out in the morning. Do you have time to train? Do you have space? Will your landlord care? Figure this out before you adopt the dog.

A lot of people will tell you that dogs are expensive and while that’s true, it rarely feels important when you are looking into puppy eyes. The truth is, the Humane Society or SPCA offer lots of low-cost veterinary care. The main reason to have a little extra cash is so you can buy slightly better dog food. Cheap dog food equals extra gross poop…