Quote:
Originally posted by PnguinTrax
You get high points for wanting to research the type of dog to get your folks but unless you parents are going to be ready for the commitment (time and monetary) involved in having a new puppy in the house, don't get them one! Having a new puppy is just like having a new baby - that means constant care and feeding, not to mention the issues of housebreaking, exercise, obedience training, etc. A puppy isn't something you can get, leave out some food and expect it to train itself to behave properly. Our 2 dogs are 3 years old next month and we still work obedience with them every day. They are housebroken, but every time we leave town we have to pay someone to stay at the house with them and our cats. If your parents travel a great deal, getting them a dog is a bad idea. It's not fair to your folks and it is particulary unfair to the dog.
|
I completely agree!
Talk to your parents first, and make sure that they WANT a dog. I am a vocal advocate of adopting older dogs (not puppies) from shelters, because when you adopt an older dog, not only do you have less work to do, but by then, the dog's personality is already developed and you are more likely to know what you will be getting. Ideally, you would all go to a shelter together, visit with the dogs, and see if one seems like a good fit. A great site for finding adoptable animals is
www.petfinder.org -- you can search and everything.
Good luck!
Threaded Mode