discussion Adopting a Pet

[theweekend]

Have you ever adopted a dog/cat? How many pets do you have? How has your routine changed before/after you did it? Has something changed in your relationship with the ones who lives with you?

 

Share advices.

 

I'm tempted to adopt this dog that has been abandoned twice and she's kind of perfect (calm, little to medium size, delicate to furniture and loving) hearing the prospects about her which led me to question if something is odd here. Otherwise I feel insecure of doing it because I've never owned any pet even though I get along with others one's very well.

[The Next Day]

The most important thing is time. A lot of time. In the beginning at least a few days where you don't leave the house so your pet can learn to trust his new home. After that, I'm a bit biased: I would never leave a dog/pet at home alone again. I had two cats at my mother's, I feel like they handled being alone quite well. I had a dog at my father's, different story. My grandparents took care of him during the day cause we couldn't leave him alone. So either there is a person who can help caring for your pet 24/7 or you get at least two. But I'm not an expert, I just think pets are a luxury that you need to be able to afford.

 

That doesn't even cover the topic of money. Pets are expensive. My family isn't poor, but the medical bills that came in as our pets grew older were definetly a huge expense over the years. And that includes the regular bills, not sth elaborate like operations. I don't want you to not adopt, but this is a decision that should be made with a lot of caution.

Edited April 5, 2023 by The Next Day

[getBusy]

Definitely time is a big part of this. Not only from a training perspective (unless the dog is already trained) but also the way you manage your own free time and make it compatible with your dog's needs (going on walks, playing, etc). I never leave my dog alone for longer than 5 hours, which is usually not a problem because most of my social life happens within a 30 min radius of where I live. And I work from home.

 

Also, PATIENCE. Be prepared lol. I had several meltdowns during the first few weeks with my dog because I felt overwhelmed and thought I wasn't doing a good job. 

[Venice B]

I have two dogs and the beggining is a little tricky because your house becomes a whole new universe for them. My first dog for example wouldn't get past the living room for the first couple weeks and I had to stay up with him on the living room until like 5am because he wouldn't sleep alone  but once you get things sorted out and he learns the basics it's not rocket science, you just need to reserve some of your time for walks and to spend some time with them ofc. It also depends how much training you want to give them. 

 

I also avoid letting them alone because my oldest dog HATES being alone, he was raised on a full house so when I have to leave him alone now he makes a fuss and won't stop barking and I'm afraid the neighbours will complain  but when I do leave them alone is just for a couple hours tops. Some dogs don't mind being alone so that's something you'll have to sort out too.

[Subzero]

I have a cat and a dog and while I love them both and make sure they are well taken care of, I will most likely never have a dog again after he's gone. They require too much energy, training and constantly have to go out to use the bathroom and so your plans & routine have to work around taking care of your dog which for my way life is too restricting/stressful. So just think about that if you plan to get a dog, they're a lot of responsibility and require (and deserve) lots of attention & love.

 

Cats are much more self reliant and fit more with my personality and way of living. If you feel this dog is a perfect fit for you, you should definitely give it a shot! As long as you're prepared to shift things so that she's getting the attention and care she needs and you put in the time to get to understand her and get a natural flow going, everything should work out.

 

But again, only do it if you're serious and willing to put in the hard work. Don't do something you're not 100% ready & willing to do because it's not just a responsibility but that pet is going to be depending on you for its survival as well as affection & building a bond. Just be cautious, very patient and as aware as possible and things should work out!

 

Good luck! 

 

[Clauss]

Hi! I own three dogs and all of them were rescued. They are the most loving and loyal animals there can be. Its like they know you stopped their suffering and are forever grateful. They bring so much joy into our house and my feelins. My dog will always receive me with the happiest dancing even if I were gone a mere 5 minutes. I can have the worst day and he will cheer me up. They are truly emotional support and they don't want anything. They are the purest relationship we as human can ever have. 

My dog sadly is very promtly to get sick, so I have to spend a lot of money on him. So be aware that as animals get older you have to be there to medical appointments. It's like taking care of the grandpa or our dads when they get olders. Is just that is sooner. So its a bit heartbreaking to see his last years. Though I have many memories of him younger.

Finally, the only downside is travelling. My dog is very connected to me (emotionally) so I avoid leaving too much time. I live with my parents so he stays here with them, but he tends to get sad. Also at least where I live I can't travel with him on subways or buses so I have to pay for a Uber/ride-hailing to move. Also, in many restaurants they don't accept animals so Its a bit frustrating to go out to eat sometimes. Other than that is just amazing. Hope I can help and feel free to ask anything! If you ask me, I'd adopt her. Your life and hers will change forever 

 

[theweekend]

4 hours ago, The Next Day said:

The most important thing is time. A lot of time. In the beginning at least a few days where you don't leave the house so your pet can learn to trust his new home. After that, I'm a bit biased: I would never leave a dog/pet at home alone again. I had two cats at my mother's, I feel like they handled being alone quite well. I had a dog at my father's, different story. My grandparents took care of him during the day cause we couldn't leave him alone. So either there is a person who can help caring for your pet 24/7 or you get at least two. But I'm not an expert, I just think pets are a luxury that you need to be able to afford.

 

That doesn't even cover the topic of money. Pets are expensive. My family isn't poor, but the medical bills that came in as our pets grew older were definetly a huge expense over the years. And that includes the regular bills, not sth elaborate like operations. I don't want you to not adopt, but this is a decision that should be made with a lot of caution.

Isn't there pet insurance in your country? Here you can pay $10 for general checks/vaccines with 24/7 covering or $20 if you want to include surgery expenses and medical specialities. there's no difference in price due to age so I think it's worth it since medical expenses are high!

 

also the rescuers want me to stay with her for a short-term until she gets adopted while they pay for every expense for her. I really don't mind about the money but I think that would be a great way to deal with the long-term commitment which has had me avoiding to adopt a pet.

 

3 hours ago, getBusy said:

Definitely time is a big part of this. Not only from a training perspective (unless the dog is already trained) but also the way you manage your own free time and make it compatible with your dog's needs (going on walks, playing, etc). I never leave my dog alone for longer than 5 hours, which is usually not a problem because most of my social life happens within a 30 min radius of where I live. And I work from home.

 

Also, PATIENCE. Be prepared lol. I had several meltdowns during the first few weeks with my dog because I felt overwhelmed and thought I wasn't doing a good job. 

lmao i see my boyfriend having some kind of meltdown but since I have 'free' time and I'm always at home I think I can handle it well.

 

3 hours ago, Venice B said:

I have two dogs and the beggining is a little tricky because your house becomes a whole new universe for them. My first dog for example wouldn't get past the living room for the first couple weeks and I had to stay up with him on the living room until like 5am because he wouldn't sleep alone  but once you get things sorted out and he learns the basics it's not rocket science, you just need to reserve some of your time for walks and to spend some time with them ofc. It also depends how much training you want to give them. 

 

I also avoid letting them alone because my oldest dog HATES being alone, he was raised on a full house so when I have to leave him alone now he makes a fuss and won't stop barking and I'm afraid the neighbours will complain  but when I do leave them alone is just for a couple hours tops. Some dogs don't mind being alone so that's something you'll have to sort out too.

poor you, you've taken a pet and hot a newborn baby lmao

 

 

2 hours ago, Subzero said:

I have a cat and a dog and while I love them both and make sure they are well taken care of, I will most likely never have a dog again after he's gone. They require too much energy, training and constantly have to go out to use the bathroom and so your plans & routine have to work around taking care of your dog which for my way life is too restricting/stressful. So just think about that if you plan to get a dog, they're a lot of responsibility and require (and deserve) lots of attention & love.

 

Cats are much more self reliant and fit more with my personality and way of living. If you feel this dog is a perfect fit for you, you should definitely give it a shot! As long as you're prepared to shift things so that she's getting the attention and care she needs and you put in the time to get to understand her and get a natural flow going, everything should work out.

 

But again, only do it if you're serious and willing to put in the hard work. Don't do something you're not 100% ready & willing to do because it's not just a responsibility but that pet is going to be depending on you for its survival as well as affection & building a bond. Just be cautious, very patient and as aware as possible and things should work out!

 

Good luck! 

 

i will schedule a meeting to know her this week and we will sort out more about her personality, though the rescuers guaranteed she fits what I've required for them telling about my personality and lifestyle. so they don't let you adopt if they don't conclude there's a personality match.

 

1 hour ago, Clauss said:

Hi! I own three dogs and all of them were rescued. They are the most loving and loyal animals there can be. Its like they know you stopped their suffering and are forever grateful. They bring so much joy into our house and my feelins. My dog will always receive me with the happiest dancing even if I were gone a mere 5 minutes. I can have the worst day and he will cheer me up. They are truly emotional support and they don't want anything. They are the purest relationship we as human can ever have. 

My dog sadly is very promtly to get sick, so I have to spend a lot of money on him. So be aware that as animals get older you have to be there to medical appointments. It's like taking care of the grandpa or our dads when they get olders. Is just that is sooner. So its a bit heartbreaking to see his last years. Though I have many memories of him younger.

Finally, the only downside is travelling. My dog is very connected to me (emotionally) so I avoid leaving too much time. I live with my parents so he stays here with them, but he tends to get sad. Also at least where I live I can't travel with him on subways or buses so I have to pay for a Uber/ride-hailing to move. Also, in many restaurants they don't accept animals so Its a bit frustrating to go out to eat sometimes. Other than that is just amazing. Hope I can help and feel free to ask anything! If you ask me, I'd adopt her. Your life and hers will change forever 

 

for me that's the biggest deal of it and the longterm commitment it's what has got a huge hold on me of doing it because I really don't know what's going to happen next and it really gives me a little anxiety if I wouldn't be there for him.

 

as they've shown to me the possibility to be a temporary home for her until she gets the final adoption I do think that truly erases my 'avoidings' to adopt and actually matches my will to 'adopt' and to help dogs temporarily as long as I can since my company is becoming more demanding of me and traveling will be a reality for me in the net years (last year I travelled more than 8 times which I don't think would be positive to own a pet in this situation tbh)

[theweekend]

 

for the ones who might be curious about cleo. here she is. she is so buteeeeee 

[getBusy]

6 minutes ago, theweekend said:

 

for the ones who might be curious about cleo. here she is. she is so buteeeeee 

absolutely adorable

[The Next Day]

41 minutes ago, theweekend said:

Isn't there pet insurance in your country? Here you can pay $10 for general checks/vaccines with 24/7 covering or $20 if you want to include surgery expenses and medical specialities. there's no difference in price due to age so I think it's worth it since medical expenses are high!

 

also the rescuers want me to stay with her for a short-term until she gets adopted while they pay for every expense for her. I really don't mind about the money but I think that would be a great way to deal with the long-term commitment which has had me avoiding to adopt a pet.

My father mentioned sth like an insurance recently, but the thing with insurance is that you need to start early to get sth out of it. When the dog was just born about 13 years ago, we didn't think of that. It does sound good for a long-term commitment tho.

 

Regarding your expenses, that sounds like a good deal. If money isn't the issue, then it only comes down to your personal commitment. If you love having your pet, you will get used to routines like feeding and walking. But as I said, I wouldn't let my pet alone for more than like two hours a day. They are social creatures just like us, loneliness harms them. That's my personal opinion tho. Are you able to arrange that? In that case I think you will love your new friend.

[Venice B]

2 hours ago, theweekend said:

 

for the ones who might be curious about cleo. here she is. she is so buteeeeee 

so cute, she looks like a little fox 

[A.R.L]

1- How can someone seriously dump a pet. This is something I will never understand, some people are evil and heartless.

 

2 - Please if you want to adopt this beautiful dog only to give her away later don't do it otherwise if you do give her a forever home, trust me she will really change your life for better. 

If you need a pure heart to feel you, listen to you, give you all the love you need and express their happiness when they see you, then a dog is your best friend.

I have both dogs and cats, while both are lovely but cats will never be part of the family, because they don’t want to, they could care less  (I'm talking about my cats, there can be exceptions) but in general, dogs are famous for wanting to be part of the family, they show it, that alone makes a huge difference and for this reason they are called man’s best friends. 

Also, dogs will get you moving and getting some fresh air at least twice a day (you will thank them for that later), if you're not free then a 10 minute walk in the morning and the evening is fine for them in order to do their things outside,  that will be more than satisfying for them. But when you have time, you should take them to dog parks in order to play with other dogs especially when they’re young. 

 

On the other hand, with cats, there is a serious problem with smell, if you are the type of person who likes to keep a good smelly place and you can't stand bad smells for a few minutes, then you should prepare for this because you will need to clean your cat litter box and trust me no matter how many expensive products you use to avoid the smell, the bad smell will always be there, cat's urine smells very strong, stronger than any product that you can buy. Also cats cost way more. 
 

Also, another issue with cats is their hair, cats have a lighter lighter lighter hair that you will find everywhere in your home and in the air and sometimes in your clothes and food,  so if you are allergic to it, this is a serious problem for you. Hairy dogs have this problem only once a year, during the spring time when they change their hair, and even when this happens, their hair still goes down to the ground and doesn’t  spread everywhere in the air.

 

Also, dogs are usually calmer indoors with their toys and prefer to sit and sleep several times a day, you can have a dog sleep with you on bed all night long without any problem, while cats are more curious and will have no problem throwing your belongings and no way they will sleep all night long. 

My story with cats is that my partner brought them when they were little because his friend didn’t want them as he already has many of them. So, we decided to take care of them instead of giving them to an adoption center, they are beautiful but they can never be closer enough to us than our beautiful dogs.
 

And for this reason, we decided to give those cats we have their best life with plenty of food and toys just like what we do for our dogs, but I don’t see myself facing the same challenges ever with cats because they require a lot of patience and challenges, otherwise I can see myself having dogs my entire life. 🐶♥️

Edited April 7, 2023 by A.R.L

[Navy4Life]

Please know that it can get really expensive. Last year alone my dogs medical bills + insurance hit close to 10000€ (he’s a senior dog). 

[A.R.L]

1 hour ago, Navy4Life said:

Please know that it can get really expensive. Last year alone my dogs medical bills + insurance hit close to 10000€ (he’s a senior dog). 

If your dog is facing a heath problem, I’m so sorry to know that, but no way every dog requires that big amount of money in one year even when they’re old

Edited April 7, 2023 by A.R.L