*What A Puppy Is
Not*
A puppy is one of the
most
appealing
creatures on earth.
He's the embodiment
of exuberance, humor, and
affection.
But there are a great many things
that a puppy is not,
and
these negative aspects
deserve some thought
before you bring a puppy
home.
A puppy is not a toy
to be enjoyed while he is a
novelty,
then set aside in favor
of a new diversion.
He is a living
thing
whose physical demands
must be met constantly
for as long as he
lives.
A young puppy needs more sleep
than a human infant,
even though
your children
may be in the mood
to play with him.
He needs to be fed
regularly and often,
even though his meal
s may conflict with family
plans.
A young puppy is breakable.
Very young children
can inflict
unintended tortures
on a puppy.
And his broken leg
is much harder to
fix
than the broken wheel of a toy truck.
A puppy is not a teaching
aid
guaranteed to instill
a sense of responsibility.
It is unfair to
the animal
to put his well being
into the hands of children.
The
essentials of feeding,
housebreaking, discipline & training
will fall
to an adult member
of the household.
A puppy is not cheap.
The
money paid to purchase the puppy
is a mere drop in the bucket
compared to
what it will cost
to keep him . . .
veterinary bills,
licenses,
replacement of shrubbery or grass . . .
clothing torn in play .
. .
wear and tear on furniture and carpet . . .
A puppy is not
a
spur-of-the-moment purchase.
The wrong dog can be an unending nuisance
to
a household
and it's much easier to acquire a pup
than it is to get rid of
a grown dog
who didn't work out.
If your family has decided
to buy
a dog,
take the time to learn
about the breed
you have in
mind.
Every breed has characteristics of temperament,
and some of
these traits
may not fit in
with your lifestyle.
A puppy is not a
gift
unless the giver is certain
that the pup will be welcomed ~
Not
only now,
but a year from now, ten years from now.
A puppy should
NEVER be
impulsively purchased as a gift.
A puppy is not
self-cleaning.
There will be puddles on rugs,
vomiting
occasionally,
dog hair on clothing and furniture.
If these prospects are
intolerable
to the housekeeper of the family,
then perhaps the
pleasures
of owning a puppy
will be overshadowed by the tensions
it
will cause.
A puppy is not an adult dog.
He has neither the
physical
nor the mental ability
to perform as an adult dog would.
He
cannot go for long periods of time
without relieving himself.
He cannot
tolerate harsh training methods,
nor can he differentiate
between what is
chewable and what isn't.
He will try the patience
of the most devout dog
lover
in the household,
and at times
he may drive everyone mad.
If
he is very young,
he will cry during his first night or two
in his new
home.
He will require patience and understanding
from everyone in the
family.
A puppy is not a puppy for long.
Before you succumb to his
charms.
be very sure that you want
not only the puppy he is now,
but
also the gangly unattractive adolescent
he is about to become,
and the
adult dog who may fall short
of what you hope he would be.
If you've
faced all the negative aspects
and you still want him,
chances are good
that your new dog
will be one of the lucky ones
who finds a permanent
happy home.
And you will enjoy the rewards of
planned parenthood dog
ownership.
The rewards which will far overshadow the drawbacks.
It
takes a very special person
to become a responsible dog owner
and there is
no shame in realizing
that you really aren't up to the
challenge.
Please be sure you have room in
both your home &
heart
before making that commitment.
Puppies are special gifts from
God
Courtesy
of:
Sherry
Mateer
Cuddlespice
Cockapoos