Many first-time prospective pet owners do not know where to start when it comes to getting a puppy for the first time.  Rather than jumping immediately into searching for puppies for sale or looking for free puppies online, it is important to learn the basics of taking care of these furry companions as they are an enormous responsibility for the next 10-20 years of your life.

These are all things to consider before you make the decision to bring a puppy home.

Bringing Home a Puppy Basics

A pet owner should be responsible and should have the resources necessary to take care of a pet.  Puppies are like human babies; they are fragile, require, and deserve special and careful attention. They are dependent on your care and attention. When puppies get sick, it’s your responsibility to take them to vet and have them cared for.  They must be fed well, groomed and given proper exercise.  You will be caring for a life that give you unconditional love.  You should also do your best to give it back.

Choosing the Right Dog Breeds

A big part of choosing a puppy should depend on what type of breed you are able to accommodate.

Pet sizes and demeanor varies across breeds.  Some pets need a lot of room to run around, while others are comfortable in most environments.  Some pets are good with children, and some, not so much.

Your everyday lifestyle is also something to consider.  How much time can you devote to your pet?  Are you able to walk them and exercise the daily?  Will you be away for long hours at a time?  Dogs need to be walked or exercised at least once a day and should not be left home alone for more than a few hours.  If that is not going to work for you, maybe a cat or fish is a better option.

Are you more comfortable with a small or large dog, and do you have the room for either?  Are you more comfortable with calm dog breeds or breeds that are outdoorsy?  If a calm dog breed and you have the room and resources, you might consider one of the calmest dog breeds, like a St. Bernard, a Great Dane, or Clumber Spaniel.  Some semi-calm breeds include the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Boston Terrier, Chow Chow, English Bulldog, Pug, and Basset Hound.

If your lifestyle is more active, you might consider a Dalmation, Russel Terrier, Siberian Husky, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, Poodle, Beagle, or German Shepherd.

Which breeds are you best suited to accommodate?

Exercise is not an issue if you have a cat, but dogs need exercise.  If you have a large dog, it’s important that they have enough room to run around; small dogs might also enjoy the same.  It’s important to give your dog enough exercise, not only for health reasons, but to prevent boredom and causing mischief or damage indoors.

Purchase or Adoption?

Puppies can be acquired through purchase, rescue or adoption, and there are a lot of options to do so these days.

If you’re going to buy a purebred puppy, you’ll find that prices do vary according to the dog’s breed. For example, German Shepherd puppies can cost anywhere from $500-$1200+ per pup. Yorkie puppies, on the other hand, may cost around $900- $1800+ depending on the breeder.  Make sure to go with a responsible breeder with zero tolerance for puppy mills.

Make sure you are picking the right puppy for your home environment and one that matches your personality and lifestyle.  If you’d prefer to save a life and adopt a cute puppy that needs a home, there are animal shelters where you can get puppies for free, or usually by making a small donation.

Different pet breeds are handled differently.  Carefully study each breed you are interested in and pay attention to the puppy’s personality type.  This will greatly help in your decision making and ensure that you and your puppy get to spend a long and fulfilling life together.

While research is helpful, you never know the responsibility of pet ownership until actually owning a pet.  You can never be too prepared.  You might also consider insurance, for those who want peace of mind in case of pet illness.  Pets give us unconditional love.  We should also do our best to give it back.