Thinking About Adopting a Puppy? Read This First!

Posted by Calvin on January 07, 2025

Countless puppies around the world need a loving home. Here’s what you want to avoid: Getting a puppy because they look “cute” but realizing you weren’t ready for the commitment, which can often be 10+ years. Thankfully, this doesn’t have to happen if you’re well-informed on puppy facts. 🐶 Let’s go over everything you need to know about the massive responsibility of adopting a puppy:

Puppies Are Babies

Puppies are literal babies. 🥺 Depending on the breed, dogs are considered “puppies” if younger than one or two years old. They learn new info every day and need constant care. Puppy guardians are in a similar situation to parents of human babies, so you must be ready for this exhausting lifestyle. As soon as you leave that shelter, you’re 100% responsible for your puppy’s life experience for as long as they live (usually up to 10-15 years).

Raising a Puppy is a Huge Commitment

Adopting an adult dog is a big time commitment—adopting a puppy is a whole new level. Like parents of human babies, you’d go through sleepless nights. You’d clean up poop everywhere, all the time. You’d also be responsible for training the puppy (PSA: NEVER keep your puppy in a crate—confining them to a cramped space for hours is inhumane and damaging to their mental health.) Many folks end up dumping their puppies in shelters after realizing how much work they are—don’t find yourself in this situation!

Take Your Time Thinking About It

There are a ton of other factors to consider before adopting a puppy. Do you live in an apartment or a house with a yard? Will you travel a lot while the puppy is young? Can you count on your roommates not to keep dangerous items out or leave doors open? Puppies deserve to live in safe homes where they can thrive, so ensure you’re completely set up for them before adopting.

Consider the Cost of a Puppy

Puppies require a lot of care which can add up financially. They need regular veterinary visits (and possibly emergency veterinary trips, one of which can cost thousands of dollars), bedding, a collar, a leash and harness, a brush, food, toys, medicine, etc. According to one study, the lifetime cost of their care can range from $20K to $55K.¹ 😮

Adopt, Don’t Shop

If you have the time, money, and energy needed to care for a puppy, adopting one is crucial—NOT buying one. Buying a puppy from a “pet” store or breeder means a puppy at a shelter misses out on a chance to get a home. Plus, most puppies sold at “pet” stores were bred in puppy mills where they were neglected and treated as objects—buying one of these puppies causes another to be bred into misery in their place. Srsly: Adopt, don’t shop!

Have Your Puppy Spayed/Neutered

Besides adopting, the best way to combat animal homelessness is to spay or neuter your puppy. You’ll help ensure more puppies aren’t born into a world that doesn’t have enough homes for them. The procedure is safe and can help prevent your puppy from experiencing health problems like reproductive cancers.

Make Sure They’re IDed

You never know if or when an accident or disaster could separate you from your puppy, so make sure they’re IDed. Get them microchipped, and make sure they wear a nice collar with proper tags that have their name and at least two ways to contact you or your fam. 📳

Care for Their Health

Your puppy’s health is your responsibility. Brush their teeth several times a week and put money aside for regular dental cleanings, which can cost up to $1,000 or more.² Trim their nails regularly so they don’t break or get snagged on something. Help protect them from heartworms, fleas, and ticks by giving them medication and other preventive products from your veterinarian.

Feed Them the Right Stuff

Be sure to shop for puppy food rather than dog food until your companion animal reaches adulthood. Obesity causes major health problems in dogs and makes them super-uncomfy, so be careful not to overfeed them.

Give Them Exercise and Stimulation

Puppies will play with pretty much anything, so keep your prized possessions and dangerous items like chemicals, electrical wiring, and sharp objects stored away. As for actual toys, don’t get anything that could be a choking hazard. Leave safely-sized chew toys around your home, and set aside plenty of time for playing, exercising, and socializing. If you don’t give them enough mental and physical stimulation, they’ll figure out a way to do it themselves – and you won’t like it when that means they’ve chewed up your prized collectibles and your couch!

Be sure to talk to a reputable trainer or behaviorist who uses positive-reinforcement, fear-free, humane training methods about how best to socialize your “baby” so they learn how to safely interact with the world around them from an early age. Puppies who aren’t socialized develop significant psychological and behavioral issues like separation anxiety. And if anyone suggests using an electronic shock collar, choke chain, or prong collar, say NO!

Treat Your Puppy Like Fam

Your puppy is a member of your fam, so don’t treat them as anything less. Don’t leave them in a hot car—temps can skyrocket and kill them in minutes—and report any dog you see locked inside a hot car ASAP. 🚨 Similarly, don’t leave your puppy chained outdoors, and speak up for those who are always chained in your neighborhood. You wouldn’t leave your parent, grandparent, sibling, or a human baby to suffer like this—your puppy deserves the same respect.

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If you’re committed to the massive responsibility of adopting a puppy, don’t break their trust by sending them to be mutilated. Tail docking and ear cropping are unnecessary procedures that can harm your companion.

References:

1. The True Cost of Owning a Pet. News Direct. (2022, January 14). https://newsdirect.com/news/the-true-cost-of-owning-a-pet-605606585

2. Morris, M. S. (2024, June 21). How much will it cost to get my dog’s teeth cleaned? GoodRx. https://www.goodrx.com/pet-health/dog/teeth-cleaning-costs