Planning ahead increases the chances of the dog fitting into your "pack" and developing a strong bond with the people and pets in your household. Caring for a dog is a responsibility and sometimes a challenge. You will spend money, time, effort, and patience (and do some schedule-juggling if you have a new puppy) to make your home a happy place for everyone. You must understand a dog is not a person, however much you love him. There are limits to his understanding and patience. He does not neccessarily see the same connection between events and their consequences as you do. He will have accidents in the house. He will chew "toys" that are not toys in your eyes. He can bark loud. At worst, poor planning and lack of commitment causes countless animals to be sent "back in the pound" or even euthanized.
Puppy Pros:
- You can train the puppy in basic commands while it still thinks the sun sets and rises on you.
- You can get your puppy well-"socialized", that is, used to all ages and genders of people, myriad situations, and other pets in the house.
- You can educate yourself through books and puppy kindergartens to avoid common pitfalls, such as letting the puppy take the "alpha" role in the pack or allowing it to develop jumping and nipping habits.
- You get to train the puppy while it is not bigger and heavier than you.
- The housebreaking process has been started by the bitch teaching the puppy not to releive himself in the den.
- He will probably be better able to get along with the pets you already have, though you may have to supervise them at first and prevent your active, exuberant puppy from overwhelming an elderly dog.
- Your puppy will "follow the leader" and do the things the older dog does, so if your dog is well-mannered, your puppy will mimick some good habits.
- Puppies and children generally get on well together. They will grow up together, and the puppy will be better socialized.
Puppy Cons:
- You need to continue mother's training by bringing the puppy outside to go pee and potty and by limiting his roam of the house, always under your supervision.
- Puppies have accidents. They poop on the floor. They soil the rugs. They get sick.
- You must make sure your puppy has his full schedule of shots as a youngster and gets the proper liscence for your community.
- You will need to invest in housing (crate, sleeping pad, dog house for outdoors if he will be left out for long periods), retaining (collar, leashes, long-line, and maybe a fencing system, kennel, or wire run), food (daily rations, bowls, healthy training treats), toys (chewables, tug-of-war toys, dog-safe frisbees, etc.), and veterinary care (shots, checkups, emergency care, etc.).
- A common trap owners fall into is reinforcing "cute" behaviors that may actually be challenges to your authority, resulting in an older, bigger dog who throws his weight around and may even become aggressive.
- You need to supervise dogs with children, even puppies. Make sure your children aren't too rough with the puppy, but allow them to play together so the puppy can get used to their antics. Teach your children not to pull fur or the puppy's tail. Babies do not understand, though you should let them have supervised contact.
- You need to keep the puppy's and children's toys seperated so the puppy will not become confused and chew the children's toys.
- You need to walk him twice a day.
Older Dog Pros:
- You can see how the dog behaves in a household environment and among strangers.
- Most of the training work is already done, and you know if his personality and habits suit you and the rest of your family.
- You don't have to housebreak him.
- You probably already know if he likes children or not.
- You won't have to adjust your schedule to make sure someone is there to let the puppy outside until he is old enough to hold it all day.
- An older dog probably only needs 1 walk a day instead of 2 (unless it is a particularly high-energy breed).
- He won't chew as much unless he is a breed that particularly likes to do a lot of chewing.
- You will not have the dog for 10-15 years.
- An older dog will not overwhelm the dog already in your household with boundless energy.
Older Dog Cons:
- Older dogs can develop health problems that are heartbreaking and expensive.
- They are not as quick to adjust to brand-new types of situations.
- He may not be socialized to children or strangers (find out!).
- If the dog is not well-behaved or well-trained, you will have to train a dog that is bigger, stronger, and possibly thinks he's the "alpha" (head of the pack).
- The dog may have phobias or aggression issues due to a past trauma.
- An older dog may be more difficult to introduce to other pets in the household.
- As with a puppy, you will need to invest in housing (crate, sleeping pad, dog house for outdoors if he will be left out for long periods), retaining (collar, leashes, long-line, and maybe a fencing system, kennel, or wire run), food (daily rations, bowls, healthy training treats), toys (chewables, tug-of-war toys, dog-safe frisbees, etc.), and veterinary care (shots, checkups, emergency care, etc.)...maybe less toys if he has a lower activity level.
- He may have been taught bad habits, such as sleeping on the bed, pulling on the leash, begging at the table, reprimanding people by snapping, etc.
When buying any dog, research various breeds, even if you will end up adopting a mixed-breed dog from a freind or shelter. It is best to see them in the home at the breeder's or seller's house to observe their household manners and behavior with the family. If that is not possible (for example, the dog is in a shelter), make every effort to introduce the dog to all members of the family and ask if you can take the dog out on a leash to see how he behaves. Kennels have fenced-in excersize areas. Observe what he does when greeting you and walking with you, and how he behaves around other dogs and people that he meets. Ask about his past history, activity level, health, full-grown height and weight, etc.