Lifestyle Fit: What is your lifestyle like? It is really worth thinking about getting a breed that complements your lifestyle. High-energy dogs could be a great fit if you are extremely active, have access to large open spaces and have time on your hands to train & work a high active bread. If your pace of life is a little slower & time is more precious then considering a less active bread would suit.
It’s important to be honest matching a bread with your lifestyle in our opinion strengthens the bond within the family relationship.
A raw pet food diet is also something to consider at this point. Feed for the lifestyle you wish & with a raw pet food diet it is easy to Taylor a diet to every need. Highly active, high energy or Low activity, low energy. It is also an extremely easy diet to build natural enrichment into, matching your pet’s natural behaviours to balance their lifestyle too.
Working from home? You can read some helpful advice in our article here.
Long-Term Commitment: Dogs live for many years. Are you ready for the commitment? It’s not just about the here and now but the future too. With the right mindset, a dog can absolutely be a rewarding part of your life and the families too. It seems sad to think about often the safest of events but with small breads living for often over 15 years & larger breads with slightly less life expectancy - it is a point to consider.
Time Commitment: Dogs need a lot of time and attention, especially puppies. Socialising a puppy is a vital element that is often over looked when it comes to owning a new pet. Make sure you have the time to properly care for and socialise your new pet. It is very closely linked to the two above but a point worth considering on its own.
Puppy socialisation is a vital period, you are investing in your puppy & helping support a well balanced & well rounded puppy. An investment that contributes to your long term happiness & theirs.
Daily exercise, not all breads need as much exercise as others & with a raw diet there are defiantly ways that you can Taylor a diet to match their energy levels & support their energy needs but this does not compensate for the time that they need from you on a daily basis.
Financial Responsibility: Dogs can be expensive to take care of when you factor in food, vet visits, grooming, dog walking, kennels and health issues.
This is not something to put you off owning a pet but a vital element to consider. Again with Nurturing by Nature’s experience of feeding many Dogs & Cats the financial costs can sometimes come at a cost. A 50-60kg large bread is the same as feeding another family member. Smaller breads will eat less but tend to live longer in general.
Nurturing by Nature do offer Raw Pet Food in Bulk Selection Packs & by feeding a naturally healthier diet it is now being understood that their is a strong argument that a healthier, fitter dog leads to less trips to the vets.
Living Situation: Is your living space appropriate for a dog. Some breeds require more space and exercise than others & if you're renting then you will need to check if dogs are allowed.
If you are living in the countryside with wide open spaces then this is different to living in the city where space may be more restricted, however in the countryside facilities like pet sitters & dog walkers may be further away.
