Saturday, September 17, 2016

Should I get a dog?

I have a toddler and another kid due soon and I am thinking about getting a dog for my kid(s). Well of course I am debating about it and weighing out the pros and cons of getting a dog. I am thinking about whether it is financially viable or not? How much would it cost to feed the dog on a monthly basis? What about vaccination? What if they get sick? What about grooming? If we go on vacation how much would it cost for a pet hotel or someone to take care of your dog?

Now what about time? I am at work 8-10 hours a day. My wife is at work 6 hours a day and my toddler is at daycare. It doesn't seem like it would make sense to get a dog at a young age especially if we're not going to be home for the most part unless we go on Mat/Pat leave. How long would it take for the dog to be independent for at least 6 hours?

Anyways aside from all of that is it worth it? I heard a lot of good things about owning a dog, especially for growing children. I want my kids to have a pet to play with, I'm sure it'll help them develop in so many ways. But is it worth the strain on your time and money? We are a young growing family. If you are in my situation or have been in my situations feel free to comment on your previous or current situation or challenges that you have or had face!

Ben


1 comment:

  1. Hi Ben! I think dog food depends on if you get a large or small dog. Usually a bag of dog food from Petsmart or Costco costing around 80 dollars can last him 2-3 months (he's a golden retriever so medium/large size). Treats and toys added on top avg to maybe 10-20 bucks a month. In the beginning you'll have to get a dog bed, drinking/eating bowls, leash, poopie bags, brush, toothbrush/tooth paste, and maybe potty training pads. These expenses are your initial one time pay and could be maybe around 150 bucks. In terms of vaccinations, some of the puppies would already come with the first couple of shots, otherwise the vaccinations would not add up to more than 2-3 hundred dollars. Finally, for potty training, it can really depend on the dog so it's hard for me to say. My dog naturally likes to be really clean, so he learned to hold it fairly early (wouldn't even use the pee pads in the house), maybe in a month. But there are other things they need to learn, like not to chew on furniture or scratch walls when they get bored if left at home alone. I suggest taking them to Petsmart for Level I and II training classes :) Hope this could be a little bit of perspective.

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