So, we're thinking of adopting a dog....

Hi all. My husband and I are considering (and exploring) adopting a dog. Neither of us have had a dog before (I grew up with cats, DH is alergic to cats and only had fish when he was little), so we want to make sure we know as much as we can about owning one before we try to adopt. Ideally, we'd like to adopt from a shelter or rescue b/c we want to give a dog a second chance, but we realize that shelter/rescues take a big committment.

I've been reading on the web about adopting as a first time owner, but wanted to bat it around here too.

What are some things that we need to keep in mind when looking at dogs? We are aware that we would need and would get a dog walker to come to our house to bring him/her out for a mid-day walk (we both are away for work for 8-9 hrs a day, sometimes a little more).

Someone we know is currently fostering a red tick coon that sounds like a sweet, though super lazy, boy that might work well since he's already house trained. We just want to be sure we are making the right commitment and not take on more than we can handle right off the bat.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Re: So, we're thinking of adopting a dog....

I applaud you for making sure of everything before getting the dog. It seems you already know what a huge commitment a dog is to take on. I think it would be a great idea for you since you and your husband are both first time dog owners to possibly adopt a dog that is being fostered first. That means that they have been living in a home, not in a kennel or cage so they will have some manners. You will also get to learn from the foster parents more what to expect than you would from a shelter dog. Just my opinion. Good luck in whatever you decide to do and thanks for helping a dog in need.

Re: So, we're thinking of adopting a dog....

First, I would look at dog breeds you like and find out what typical features they have. Matching their energy level to yours is really important, as well as how they interact with children if that's a factor. I wouldn't get a dog with high energy needs if you're not very active people. Many people think they'll change to suit the dog and although it's possible, it gets old!

So many people who own Labs stop to talk to me and tell me their dogs are crazy. That they don't know what to do with that energy or don't want to deal with it and just wish their dogs would relax. But that's not really fair. If the dog needs a lot of exercise, it's nothing to hold against them. It's a problem you can avoid if you know the traits of the dominant breed and look for the signs in dogs you meet.

Besides energy, there's grooming considerations, size, special considerations like if a dog is prone to separation anxiety, dominant/protective, very vocal.

Their outward appearance should be the last thing considered. I mean, I wouldn't get a dog I thought was ugly, but I'd definitely compromise on color etc. Actually, we did compromise on color. We wanted yellow and got chocolate but his personality is so compatible that I don't care about that at all.

I've been trolling Petfinder for weeks now and find dogs constantly that I want to meet. We're not ready right now but I'm really confident that you can find a great dog that meets your needs and you can give a loving home to!

Re: So, we're thinking of adopting a dog....

It's great that you are being so diligent! There is a lot to owning a dog and each breed is different. For example if you aren't home a lot I wouldn't get a dog that is very active or is very big. Big dogs need to be let out more and be able to run. There is so many sad stories of people rescuing dogs only to find out what hard work they are, or how hyper they are and return them to the shelter...it sounds liek you are doing the right thing!