Owning a dog is something that most people wish to do once they have enough time and money or their own pet-friendly apartment. Prior to adopting a dog, it is always useful to do some research on the dog's breed. Even if the dog is a mix breed, if you are aware of what breed mix it is, it will give you an idea of the energy level of the dog. This information will also make it easier to determine if the dog will be suitable for your lifestyle.
There are tons of research online with regards to dog breeds and how do they fit in various family units e.g. with or without children, living in an apartment or not, do you have an active lifestyle etc.
Animal Planet has this great series called Dogs 101 (they also have Cats 101 as well) and its quite interesting what they tell you on each breed.
Besides all that before you buy or adopt a dog, here are a few useful things to take note of:
· Where is your nearest veterinary clinic
o With regards to the clinic, even if you choose to go to another clinic, knowing where the nearest veterinary clinic will allow you to gauge where you can go in an emergency.
· Where is the nearest / nearest dog boarding house/ puppy daycare
o Nowadays with our busy lifestyles, it is not uncommon to go on holidays or be busy with work. Knowing that you have an option to place your dog in daycare or a boarding house if you are away would definitely provide you with some flexibility.
· Where is your nearest pet store or pet supply store.
o Knowing where the nearest pet store is will allow to plan your schedule with regards to buying of your dog’s necessities such as toys, food, leashes etc.
· Where is the nearest dog run/ dog park
o One of the best things about owning is a dog is spending time with your dog at the park or planning meet up/ play dates with other dog owners. Being aware of where the nearest dog run/dog park is will definitely help and even friends who don't own dogs can also join you at the dog park
When I adopted my mix breed dog Hunter, I did do all the research mentioned above and to be honest, with the internet these days, its pretty easy to get reviews, feedbacks and suggestions as to where to go. It definitely made it easier for me to decide which veterinary clinic I would prefer to go to which was convenient for me and finding out the nearest dog park was rather helpful in bringing Hunter out to burn off all his puppy energy.
In case you were wondering what happened to me, I'm out of school and home for the holidays. I spent 6 weeks volunteering at a veterinary clinic and I do want to post some stuff on it. This blog kinda serves two purposes, one to share what I know with whoever is interested and two kind of a record of what I've done as well.
Besides volunteering, I've been working at a retail shop and bingeing on dramas and meeting with friends.
Til the next post :)
