Puppies. We all love puppies. Puppies are adorable, fun, playful and cuddly. WE ALL LOVE PUPPIES. Recently an acquaintance’s dogs had an accidental litter. They live out in the “country” on a large ranch with lots of animals. Don’t get me started on the spay/neuter deal, because you all know how I feel about it. But they did have a litter of puppies nonetheless. So, of course, we were offered a free puppy. However, after lots of thought, I turned down the offer to adopt a new puppy…
These puppies are precious. They are Red Heeler/Rottweiler mixes. It was easy to fall in love with the photos, but my head kept churning with several different thoughts.
It would break up my harmonious household.
I have three small, low maintenance dogs. They are all adults and fairly mellow. I think throwing an energetic puppy into the fray would disturb the peace. I also have to think of my cats, especially my disabled guy.
Puppies are a lot of freaking work.
I’m not one to make impulse decisions, which is something I pride myself in. I believe way too many people make impulse decisions when it comes to pets, and that’s why so many end up in shelters. Puppies require constant training. Potty training, obedience training, crate training… They have to go through lots of initial vet appointments and a spay or neuter surgery. Puppies go through a teething phase and they need lots of attention. And if you don’t keep them busy, they will chew shoes and walls.
Time is an issue…believe it or not.
Yes, I work from home. Yes, I’m a pet blogger, but that doesn’t mean I have endless time for puppies. I have my hands full with six animals, one of which is still a kitten. I quit my part time job as a marketing director to focus 100% on my blog and e-course launch. Bringing a puppy into our family would be counterproductive. My old part time job hours would go toward puppy training…
A Red Heeler.
When I think “Heelers,” I think energy. While we absolutely have the house and yard for a large, active dog, I don’t necessarily have the energy to keep up with one. I do want a medium-large dog one day, especially since we do have the space. A dog like a Heeler needs a constant job. (Do your breed research, people!) I have to be honest with myself. I enjoy having dogs that do fine with fetch and playtime in the backyard, daily walks and some agility. My right hip is not in good shape. I shouldn’t kid myself.
Another expense.
Pets are expensive if you take care of them properly. Again, we have six animals already. That’s lots of food/vet/toys/treat bills!
Stress.
Adding a new pet to the household can be stressful for everyone involved. I don’t want my animals to get stressed out with a puppy in the house. That would just cause more stress for me in the end.
Quality time.
Right now I feel like I have the perfect amount of time to spend with all my animals. I’m sure if I had to adjust it, I could. But we’re all comfortable with the current situation, so I don’t want to ruin that routine.
For this particular situation, the cons outweighed the pros. I honestly tried really hard to justify it in my head, but I just couldn’t. The only real “pro” was since Matt and I have been wanting a large dog, this would be the perfect opportunity. The puppies are just turning eight weeks old, and it’s the perfect age to start raising a pup around my small dogs and cats. The good news is, the puppies don’t NEED homes. They will be staying on that ranch unless a friend or family member wants one.
I SO wish that more people would go through a lengthy thought process when it comes to getting new animals. They are lifelong commitments, and I think it’s easy to get distracted from that facts when there are cute baby animals in your face.
Well, there you have it. I turned down a puppy 🙁 The good news is, there are always dogs that need adopting. When we’re ready for another one, we will find the perfect baby to add to our family! At this point in time I’d be much more likely to adopt another small, adult dog. I’ve also wanted a disabled dog for a long time. I will know when the time is right 🙂
Lara Elizabeth says
Bravo! Wonderful description of your thought process, one I wish more people would undertake.
People always tease me that I will end up with a third dog working in rescue, but I know for all the reasons you stated above that won’t happen. Two is my perfect number.
Amanda says
I hate how pets can be such “impulse buys” for people. Imagine how many animals would never see the inside of an animal shelter if everyone took some time to think about the decision?! The biggest things for me is the fact that all 6 of my animals get along. I know I’m lucky, so I don’t want to ruin it.
Linda says
O I agree with your feelings one hundred percent. Keep on loving your babies.