by Mary Lake

Created on: September 24, 2008

When considering adding a new pet to the family, the Humane Society and Rescue Groups are two great options. Adopting a dog can be one of the most rewarding and frustrating experiences a person can go through, especially once the adoptee arrives home. Many factors should be taken into consideration before you adopt, a dog should not be chosen because it "looks cute." Making a decision based on appearance rather than education can have disastrous consequences. Before you consider adopting a dog, you first need to make some determinations about your current lifestyle. It is not fair to adopt a dog and realize after the adoption is complete that you can not provide for its needs, devote adequate time, money, or training. Chances are these are the factors that were not taken into consideration by the previous owner and are the reason the dog is up for adoption.

The biggest issue of any pet ownership is being able to afford the needs of the pet. This includes annual vet bills, unexpected visits to the vet, training, food, toys, and anything else that may arise. Dogs are not only time consuming, but they are also expensive. If you can not take care of its needs, it is not fair to the dog.
Now you need to determine if you can devote adequate time to fit the needs of a dog. They are not low maintenance pets by any stretch of the imagination, and rely completely on their owner to take care of them. The breed of dog chosen usually determines the amount of time that an owner will have to take out of their day. For example a Jack Russell owner will need to take more time for care out of their day than an owner of a Bulldog. Understand that no matter how tired you are at the beginning or end of the day they still need a walk, time to be taken out for the bathroom, and playtime. Dogs that do not receive enough care and attention eventually become destructive, creating an unhappy situation for you and your new pet.
Once you determine you have the time and resources to care for a dog, the next decision to make is the type of dog you should adopt. Age, size, coat, breed, and temperament all have to be taken into consideration.
Younger dogs are not always better because they require a ton of time for care, more vet visits and training. Older dogs usually have some training, and do not have the same energy level as a puppy. Be aware some dogs have issues that may have caused them to be put up for adoption. Some have been abused or can be more aggressive than others. If a dog

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