Okay, the family wants a puppy, or maybe the kids want a puppy. But whatever the case, the topic has been presented and is up for discussion. This is an important decision and should not be taken lightly. Birthdays, Holidays, or the latest fad, these are the times that so many puppies enter new families. If a new puppy enters your family as an impulse purchase, then you may be headed for trouble sooner rather than later. Is this an attempt to talk you out of getting that puppy for the family? NO! Actually, my hope is, as you read this, it will help you anticipate the degree of responsibility a puppy or a dog will entail and should help improve the quality of life your family has with the new pet.

Whenever I get a phone call asking for help, one of my first questions is “How old is your youngest child?” If your goal in adding a family pet is to add memories and friendship to your children’s childhood, then you will want to consider that a child under age 8 will remember only the pet’s senior years. Dogs age so much faster than people, that a toddler’s pet is slowing significantly by the time the child is old enough to interact in a meaningful way. Unfortunately, very often people call asking for help because the family dog has become aggressive due to a young child’s “rough” or “loud” play. Toddlers do not have the ability yet to understand their own strength, or to play with a dog without hurting it. If you add a puppy to a family with young children, please be aware that extra care needs to be taken when the puppy and children interact.

If you expect a child to learn life skills by helping take care of the dog, then age is also a major concern. The responsibility of feeding, brushing, washing, exercising (regardless of weather) and training is almost always too great for young children. Very often I receive calls from frustrated parents who are trying to devise ways to ensure their child is assuming the responsibility of the pet. Ultimately, if your child isn’t already responsible enough before getting the puppy, you will end up taking care of it.

Have you thought about how much a dog will cost? Not just the purchase price since it is possible to get a dog at no or low up front costs. But over the first six months, a puppy requires multiple vet visits for shots and wellness check-ups. Older dogs require monthly heartworm and flea treatments as well as annual vet wellness check-ups and the cost associated with an unexpected illness or injury. Then there are food costs, containment costs, training and replacement of chewed items. It is a terrible feeling to have to give up the family pet just after you bonded with it because the unexpected costs became unaffordable.

Training is an important investment of not just money but largely in time. Housebreaking is the first and most important issue to resolve. Housebreaking is not a quick or easy job; it can take months of being diligent and patient. Very often, dogs are given up because they just never become reliable in the house. A surrendered dog’s chances are not good. People tend to buy puppies, not dogs given-up to a shelter particularly if the dog has developed poor behaviors due to a lack of committed training. So that new buddy you brought home, needs to come home to a family prepared to work on teaching him polite behaviors so he can always be a welcome and treasured member of the family.

While a new puppy is an exciting opportunity for the entire family, if you have discussed with everyone their role, you are much more likely to have a lifelong friend whose behavior will make you proud. Young dog training takes time. Your friend’s or neighbor’s dog that seems so perfect didn’t get that way by accident. It takes hours of teaching the dog exactly what you want, and what you don’t want.

As a final thought, please consider the puppy's age before bring him home. Puppies under 8 weeks of age, by Florida law are not allowed to be sold, and for good reason. The time from 6-8 weeks of age, puppies are learning social behaviors within their puppy pack and from their mother. This is the time they learn that it hurts others if they bite too hard during play, when to be dominant and when to be submissive. If you interrupt this pack time, you may end up with a puppy that is more dominant or submissive than he would have been, or without the sensitivity that biting hurts. This loss of sociallization time often causes problems that requires special training as the puppy grows into an adult dog.