Is Your Family Ready For a Puppy?

You've got kids and you've got a house with a yard, so you should get a puppy, right? Actually, a puppy is not right for everyone, especially if time is something you have a short supply of at the moment. Is your family ready for a puppy?

When you have big changes coming up, such as a new baby or a move to a new home, a new puppy isn't the best idea. Puppies need a lot of care and attention. Potty training, obedience training and cuddle time are all time consuming. You don't want to end up neglecting the puppy and having it grow up to be an ill- mannered or unhappy dog.

If your family's motto is “Have passport, will travel,” you should think twice about buying a puppy. Constant trips to a kennel are not high on most dogs' to-do lists. While you can hire a sitter instead of taking the dog out of a familiar environment, your pup will still miss interacting with the family while you are traveling.

Finally, some people simply don't enjoy having their belongings ruined by puppy teeth or accidents. If this is the case, but you still want a dog, you may want to consider looking for an older animal. Many adult dogs in need of a new family have lovely dispositions and are already housebroken. Puppyfind.com often has listings for adult dogs that breeders are trying to re-home as well as listings for new puppies.