I want a dog but I don't know?

2010-06-29 02:28:26 UTC

Remember a puppy is a LIFELONG committment, not just a birthday present, dogs are ALSO very expensive. Amazing how many pets as birthday gifts end up being killed in shelters as unwanted

So if you a tight on funds a puppy might not be right at this stage, even if you loved one.

Approx Cost of owning a pup from 8weeks-12months, regardless of breed!

Purchase Price=$1000

Food=$500

Vacinations=$150

Vet bills=$400

Spay/neuter=200

Bed=$150

Treats=$100

Chew bones=$150

Bowls=$25

Collar=$20

Leash=$20

Trainning=$450

Fence=$1500

Vitamins=$75

Flea Control=$200

Heartworm=$100

Shampoo=$25

Grooming=$400

Grooming Tools=$250

Dental Care=$40

Stain Cleaner=$75

Waste Disposal=$50

Trainning aids=$300

Deworming=$30

Boarding=200

Crate=$150

Approx cost for 1st year $=6,600

Yearly cost $2485.00

Approx Total over the life of a 14 year old dog

$38,905.00

Are you ready for a new puppy?

Maybe Later...

Maybe now is NOT the right time to get a dog. Dogs are a very big responsibility. If you change your mind after getting a dog, or your family decides it wasn't a good idea after all, it will be the dog who suffers.

Please, think twice before you get a dog.

You and your family should understand

these things about living with a dog:

Some dogs get big.

Some dogs bark a lot.

When you walk a dog, you have to pick up the mess.

Dogs can get sick and mess up the carpet.

Dogs can chew furniture.

Dogs shed hair.

Dogs get lonely when they are by themselves.

Dogs can chew your toys.

Dogs can get sick and cost a lot of money at the vet.

Dogs can be picky about their food.

Dogs jump on people.

Dirty dog dishes need to be washed.

Dogs need baths.

Dogs scratch, bite, and chew.

Dogs can't always understand what you are saying.

Dogs can get fleas, worms, and ticks.

Dogs can run away.

Dogs can bother the neighbors.

Dogs need to go for walks.

Dogs need things like leashes, collars, and toys which cost money.

Dogs need a pet sitter or boarding when you want to go away.

Dogs need frequent brushing.

Dogs need exercise.

Friends or family might be allergic to dogs.

Dogs need obedience training.

Dogs drool on your hands and on your clothes.

Someday your dog will die.

Remember these things about dogs. If any of these things bother you, maybe a dog is not the best pet for you.

Golden retriever puppy chewing on a bone.

Parents:

Would you like a reality check?

Read this letter from a new puppy-owner on her reality of living with a new puppy.

You might decide that this is not the best time to get a dog.

Or that your home is not the best place for a dog right now.

Or you might decide that the best pet for you is not a dog.

Making the right decision now will help a dog live a happier, more comfortable life.

If you think you are ready for a dog and responsible enough to care for a dog or any other pet, visit our Responsibility page to find out how you can convince your parents.

What is Responsibility?

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When you are responsible, it means that you are dependable, reliable, trustworthy, and honest. It means that if you say you will do something, you will try your best to do it.

Being responsible also means that you think for yourself. It means that you think about things that need to be done, and then do them or help someone else do them.

Anyone can become responsible even if they haven't been before. It just means that they will have to start being honest, keeping promises, and doing what they say they are going to do. If you have not been responsible, now is a good time to start.

It's not too hard.

If you have been responsible, think about those times. Write down three times that you have demonstrated responsibility in the past week and explain them.

Sometimes parents don't think their kids are ready for a dog yet. They want them to be more responsible around the house and at school. You may want to show your parents that you are growing up and able to handle more responsibility. Below are some things you can do to show them that you are responsible and ready for a pet.

How do I convince my parents

I am responsible enough for a new dog?

Showing your parents that you are responsible is a very good way to help convince them that you will help with a new dog when it arrives. Just keep in mind that there may be other reasons that your parents do not want a dog.

A good place to start is to read this page: A New Dog. Do all the assignments on this page.

Also, read this page and do what it says: I'll Love You Forever

Here are 2 more assignments: Read What Dogs Cost and do the project on How Much Does a Dog Cost in a lifetime?

Keep a nice notebook that you can show to your parents when you are all finished. Do a good job; think about your answers. Do some good research into the kind of dog you want and add what you have learned to your notebook.

Ask your parents if they have some jobs for you. Tell them you want to show them that you are responsible. Tell them you want daily or weekly jobs, not just something on one day. You may need to show them over 6 months or year that you will keep your promises.

Make sure you do all of your homework and work very hard in school. Be a good citizen everyday.

Make good decisions about everything you do.

Follow directions and do favors for people around you. Look for opportunities to help people out and offer your assistance.

Those are some things you can do to prove you are responsible. But remember, your parents may have some very good reasons why they don't want a dog. You'll have to respect their decision in the end.

?

2010-06-29 01:09:22 UTC

1 Let them know that you are definitely responsible and happy to take care of this puppy/dog you are to handle the responsibility of owning a pet. Be ready to demonstrate that by volunteering to be tested. Have your parents give you something to take care of for a set amount of time. It can be an egg(don't let it break) with it a sack of flour, a plant, or even a friend's pet. Doing well on this test run may help show your parents that you're responsible and serious about wanting a dog.

2 Do chores around the house to prove you are responsible. Offer to help with the extra housecleaning and vacuuming. Dogs can be messy, especially before they're housebroken. Most dogs will shed. Since it is you who wants a dog, you should make the extra effort. You should explain to your parents that you are willing to do this before the dog gets there to prove your sincerity.

3 Tell them how much you love dogs so if you get a dog you'll be enthusiastic about taking care of it.

4 Do your homework! Find local shelters, see about their shots and if they come with a leash and collar, research training techniques, etc. This will make your parents discover that you really are serious.

5 Make a presentation, and show it to your parents. Make sure to include a list of the things that you will do so that the dog gets taken care of, supplies the dog will need, average prices the supplies will cost, and maybe even find a dog that matches the breed that you want at a local breeder or animal shelter.

6 List the benefits of having a dog:

The dog will help you to be responsible.

The dog can become a companion for the whole family.

Walking a dog can help you get more exercise.

Dogs can sometimes be trained to perform useful tasks, such as warning you of intruders or fetching objects.

Dogs can be therapeutic, especially during sad or lonely times. A dog is a friend that will always be there to cheer you up! They are like people who understand what your saying and they know when just to lick you and lay down right next to you and just sit there and let you pet them until you feel better

7 Learn how to house-train a dog so that it will not poop in the house. Books on the subject can be found and borrowed free from your local library! Learn as much as you can about dogs, not just about basic care. Read books about breeds, dog-related sports, common diseases, cute tricks, nutrition, etc. This will show that you are willing go the extra mile for your future dog.

8 Take a friend or relative's dog for a weekend as a "test run" to show your parents that you are ready for the responsibility.

9 Offer to help pay for the dog food by doing extra chores or contributing some of your pocket money.

10 To prove that you are responsible enough, show that you can take care of yourself. Eat healthy, shower often, brush your teeth, and do your own laundry.

11 Give them time to think about it. Pestering them will only undo your earlier work showing them that you are not mature and responsible enough yet.

12 If your parents eventually let you have a dog, follow through on your promises. You can even sign a contract with them before you get your dog listing your new responsibilities.

13 You should talk first to the person you most trust(mom or dad or relative) and get them to talk to the other parent

14 When you decide you want a dog, talk to your mom or dad, not a grandparent, because the grandparent is not the one who will have a new dog in the house, you and your parents will. Ease into talking them into it. One day tell them facts about dogs. Then, you tell them more. As you finish telling them every thing you think they should know, then you ask for the dog. Remember, don't ask them over and over every day, or they will shut you out. If they say no, keep telling them stuff about the dog. If they say yes, well it was your lucky day!

15 Try getting a book about dog breeds. Your local library should have one.

16 Using this book, everyone involved should make a list of the dogs they like.

17 Research further into the breed you want. (This information will help you even if you get a mixed breed dog. If you can tell what some of the breeds are, you might have some idea as to the temperament of the dog).

18 Convince your parents that you are saving a life by adopting a shelter dog. You are saving a dog that would have been "put to sleep" next week. Think about it.

19 Let everyone 'think' about it a few days, and then try visiting a local dog shelter. If your parents won't let you have a dog, 1st try for a smaller animal to show your maturity.

20 Take care of yourself and your things to show your resonsible.

21 Do what your parents say when you're asked. No more "Hold on" or "wait a minute".

?

2010-06-29 01:04:59 UTC

Well first. THink of vet bills. The price of the dog. Food. Toys. For one month if you take the dog to the vet all that would accumulate to over $60. And if you get a puppy that will be well every three weeks for three times for DHLPP shots ( i think that's what it is called) oh and that price i gave above did not include the dog itself..I suggest looking in newspapers and find a breed nice for your surroundings...it sounds like you don't want a dog that eats a whole lot..for you i suggest a breed that doesn't need maintenance (hair cleaning wise) and is under forty pounds but above fifteen...maybe a beagle....good luck..and btw i am thirteen as well.

kiwi

2010-06-29 01:10:03 UTC

Well having a dog is a responsibility and when you first get them as puppies or adults(but mostly puppies)they can be a handful.but once you get to know your dog and it knows you it becomes a great friend and it loves you.I recommend getting one I got one last summer.and take care of ot and love it. That's. What happened when I got my dog when it was a month.it was a big responsonsability to walk it feed it, but everything gets easier after a while.so I say you try to convince your parwnts to ger one. If they say no then keep trying and tell them you'll take good care of ot and be responsible.hope this helped.

2010-06-29 02:17:57 UTC

You want a dog?

Are you sure you want to be taking care of something every day for the next twenty years?

Do you want to spend a year training it every day?

Playing with it every day for twenty years?

Walking it every day for twenty years?

Spending six months cleaning up pee and poop to house train it?

Buying new objects that are ripped up, buying dog food, dishes, collars, leashes, brushes, treats, dog beds, etc?

Dealing with shedding?

Paying thousands of dollars for vet bills?

Having the chance of the dog getting sick at 3 in the morning and having to get to an emergency vet?

Having him get old and helping it do everything?

Think about it. Are you ready for all that?

Are you going to research the breed you want for a few weeks?

Make sure this isn't a thing you'll just want for a week then get bored.

Sexiest of the Sexyy

2010-06-29 03:24:19 UTC

Sit your parents down

and say that

instead of a bday party and alot of presents

you want a dog

and say that you will promise to take care of it.

aka FEED WATER BATHE etc.

(you cant just keep it in ur room alot tho)

take it for a walk 2 times a dayy.

let it outside morning,after skewl,evening

chew toys are good!

a dog i recommend is a jack russel(:

Not what you want to hear

2010-06-29 01:07:20 UTC

If your family can't afford a one-time expense for a party, they won't be able to afford the ongoing expenses of keeping a dog (vet care, food and supplies, grooming...).

Anshika

2010-06-29 01:08:13 UTC

You should show ur parents that ur responsible enough to keep a dog....u can help them in daily chores etc......and u should search the net about the breed ud like to have....and see if you hav enough time to play with him,groom him,,etc. i hope it helped ....gud luck!!

2010-06-29 01:01:56 UTC

Say i want a dog ill take care of it and pay for it you get it home leave it in with them for an hour and they will love it and act like its their dog