PLEASE! Do your research!

PLEASE! Do your research!

So, I have a confession to make, and it’s kind of a silly/nerdy confession. For anyone who read my first post, knows that I am an animal lover and I’m also a vet tech, so this is where my confession stems from. (And I just came from work so it’s weighing on my mind).  Probably my biggest pet peeve is when people buy a dog, and then decide a few months later that they don’t want it anymore because it,

A. Got too big

B. Sheds too much

C. Drools too much

D. Is too energetic

I could actually go on with my list, but I think you get my idea. PEOPLE! Please do your research!!

Most people buy a dog because of it’s looks but don’t bother researching the breed to see if they are high maintenance, or if they drool and shed a lot. People that have realllllly nice houses, you know, the kind with a living room with all white furniture and white carpet that nobody ever reallllly sits in, they will be the people to buy a Newfoundland, or a French Mastiff!! Hello!!!!  Am I the only person who thinks that kind of dog does NOT fit in with that persons lifestyle???

I, for example, have a Siberian Husky.  I cannot tell you the number of people that have commented on how beautiful she is and how they would love to have one, but they live in an apartment with no yard.  Read about the breed you are interested in acquiring, most sites online will pretty descriptively explain their temperament, their maintenance level, energy level and so on.  Husky’s like to run, and dig, and prey on smaller animals.  They shed….A LOT.  They need a very strong pack leader, someone who can train them and teach them.  They like to learn and take commands.  A Husky is not for the first time dog owner.

Some people want a dog that looks scary, that will protect their family, like a German Shepherd or a Mastiff, but then they don’t socialize the dog and it doesn’t get along with ANYONE or ANYTHING else.  Dogs like this NEED to be socialized, taken to puppy classes, or doggy day care. Imagine having a very difficult to handle, aggressive dog that weighs more than you do! Not my idea of a fun time.

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Profile photo of Ashley
My name is Ashley, and I am a wife to Greg, mother to a 2 year old daughter Ailyn, and pet lover/owner to Geno and Keirra. I am a mostly stay-at-home-mom, but I do still work on occasion as a vet tech.

2 Comments

  1. Profile photo of Stephanie Volkert

    I have two neurotic, high-maintenance rescue dogs that I love possibly more than my husband (shhh, don’t tell him that!), and I use to volunteer with a rescue group as a foster home, so I’ve seen what these poor animals go through when they aren’t wanted anymore. Some of them were special needs because of owner neglect or abuse. These are dogs that will spend the rest of their days in a foster home instead of a forever home because no one wants them. It’s heartbreaking.

    If I was rich, I’d open a no-kill shelter.

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  2. Profile photo of Jill Fralick

    You hit a soft spot with your husky and I could not agree more with you, @ahazy19! My family had pets growing up and I ALWAYS wanted a husky but their response was always the same: “You don’t understand how much work huskies are.” So as my senior year of college was slowing down and I was finally getting into a routine that didn’t include late nights at the library with work bright and early and classes all afternoon, I decided that my parents didn’t quite know what they were talking about. When will I learn? ;) I did my research and found that huskies were high maintenance, known to be escape artists, ‘talkers,’ and very demanding dogs but I had ALWAYS wanted one and if I spent enough time with a husky, he/she would somehow be less work than what the facts stated, right? ….Wrong. Very, very, wrong! I, however, put in a ton of work and have absolutely fallen in love with my very high maintenance husky and the challenge he presents me daily (and yes, that is not exaggerating!!). Long story short, I know someone who rescued a husky and then a few months later decided they could not keep up with the work it entailed. I never quite understood it.. after 15 minutes with both of my dogs, they were family and I could never imagine life without them!

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