How to Adopt a Puppy
If you are thinking about adopting a puppy there are some aspects about the process and your family that you need to keep in mind. Some puppies work well in certain environments more than others, which means you need to take a bit of time to do research on breeds, especially if you have young children.
- Search
online for dog breeds that work well with children. Even if you plan
to adopt a mixed breed, as long as you know the main breed, you can
expect the dog to act somewhat close to the breed. If you do not
have children, then you have to decide on a big dog vs. a small dog.
Some people have a clear preference, but for some it doesn't matter. - Check
first with your local animal shelter. They often have purebred and
mixed breed puppies up for adoption. You can rescue one of these
from being euthanized because shelters can only keep dogs for so
long. Dogs that they cannot find homes for have to be put down. So
keep this in mind when you are planning to adopt a puppy. - Puppy-proof
your home before you bring your new friend home. Puppies teethe and
when they do, they chew on everything including wires that can
electrocute them. There have been cases of puppies chewing through
cords that were plugged in and it causing death. So you need to buy
strips to place over the cords, which you can find at pet stores,
which are indestructible and will keep puppy safe. - Purchase
food, bowls, a crate, a bed, and lots of chew toys. One of the best
ways to keep your puppy from biting on your furniture is to make
sure you have plenty toys that are specifically for puppy teething.