Puppies provide us with comfort, happiness and love.
But bringing a four-legged friend into your daily life is quite an investment — a pup requires a considerable amount of your time, money and attention.
Here’s what to know and do before bringing Fido home.
DIG INTO YOUR BUDGET, LIFESTYLE
Ensure that you’re ready for a puppy and everything that goes along with one.
Your new family member will need to fit into your home and budget, points out Kristen Levine, founder of the Pet Living blog.
To get in the right mindset, ask yourself questions — and be honest with your answers. Levine, who is based in Tampa, Fla., recommends these: Do you really have time for a puppy? Will your family’s lifestyle accomodate a puppy? Can you afford to feed, train and care for a puppy? And are you ready for a 12- to 15-year obligation (the potential life span of the dog)?
“Puppies …are fun and adorable,” Levine says. “But they’re a puppy only for about a year. Then you have an animal that you are responsible for and that is completely dependent on you for everything it needs.”
Aside from the upfront cost of getting the puppy home and other one-time expenses, anticipate paying about $150 in average monthly expenses, according to a 2018 analysis by Rover.com. That includes food, toys, flea and tick prevention, dental chews and more.
FIND A PUPPY THAT NEEDS LOVE
If you still feel like you’re ready for a dog, visit your local shelters and rescue groups so you can consider adoption first before you shop.
Through an adoption, Levine says you’re saving the life of an animal that was at some point unwanted.
If you’re not ready to decide, some shelters offer foster programs. In this arrangement, you can take on the responsibility of temporarily caring for an animal until it has a permanent home.
