1 So you want a Dog
STOP. Examine your reasons carefully. If they sound like “My child really wants one” or “I will get more exercise if I had a dog”, then be sure it’s the most common reasons people get dogs and subsequently fail at making it successful. The dog is abandoned and this action creates further problems for the residents of our city. Speak to our contacts and they will help you really examine your desire to have dogs. For example, you could be the perfect candidate to foster a dog first or babysit some else’s dog when they go out on vacation. This will give you a reality check and you can be doubly sure before signing up to a commitment for up to 14+ years. If you are so sure you really want a dog, read the below to ensure you have the ability to care for one. Yes, we will be judged if we abandon our pet anytime during the lifetime of our pet just as we would be judged if we abandoned our child.
2 Considerations
- Who is the primary Caretaker: Unless your child is a miraculous exception, you as a parent will be the primary caretaker. This means taking the dog for atleast 2 walks, picking up poop, going for occasional vet visits, ensuring right food for the dog and handling any illnesses as you would for your child.
- Size of Dog: The bigger the dog, the longer the walk and greater the poop. Outdoor garden space would be great but not mandatory.
- Shedding hair: Pretty much all dogs shed hair but some do more than others. This gets on couches and clothes. One definitely needs to be on top of housecleaning.
- Healthy Dogs: Healthy Dogs mean dogs that have “attention”. Engaging with them, playing, petting and talking to keeps them mentally happy while exercise and appropriate food keeps them physically so.
- Safety around the Dog: Dogs are in the end animals and have teeth that can bite. But over time it has been proven that dogs that are cared for will really not bite unless severely provoked. Small children must be guided so they learn early on how to engage with a dog. Pulling tails, poking eyes or stepping on their foot will be responded to with a bite.
- Your Time availability: If your hours are erratic, the house often locked up then reconsider if you are a good setup to bring home a dog.
- Your Discipline: There are no holidays. The dog is yours forever. Just like children. You wake up everyday with the surety that you will be taking care of your dog.
- When you travel: You will need to find a pet sitter or friends to care for your dog when you travel. If you travel a lot and have no one home to be your backup when you travel, reconsider if you should really get a dog.
- Costs of having a pet: Vaccinations, Neutering, Grooming and Food costs add up.
- Adoption vs Purchase: Simply accept what we say here. Just NEVER PURCHASE. Purchasing is the worst contribution you can make to the pet world.
- Speak to Someone: If you are unsure after having read all this, please write to hello@whitefieldrising.org and we will have someone call you
3 You still want a dog.
Congratulations. You are really ready now, undeterred by all the above considerations. The rewards of a life with a pet is unparalleled. Its almost like they make you “complete”. You get unconditional exuberant trust and physically expressed love every day, many times a day. There are even studies to show how your own health benefits are numerous. And with the modern age of social media, your online support structure is a wonderful one too.
4 Where to get a Dog from
In our context, the best dogs to bring home are those that are needing homes right now. At any given time, there are many of them. Around the world, it is common practice to adopt from a shelter. Visit a shelter – CUPA is one Join Bombat Dawgs and Dumas Facebook pages Foster first as a trial.
One can go and select a dog from the shelter – CUPA Second Chance Adoption Centre. Please contact CUPA Second Chance Adoption Centre, MAHESH+91 91132 12658
5 Misconceptions
- Dogs are bad for pregnancy and small babies – false. Completely false.
- Their hair is bad for allergies – false.
- They can always be given away if it doesn’t work out – FALSE. They become so attached within days that they will feel abandoned. Don’t be that type of person
- Only expensive breed dogs are good – FALSE. This is shallow thinking. Our indies are the hardiest and best suited to the Indian setting. Exotic foreign breeds often come with numerous health problems.
- High cost of purchasing implies good quality dog – Nothing could be more FALSE. We have everyday examples of purebred dogs that are abandoned on the streets with various health issues besides reports from numerous pet parents about problems they are seeing with their pets due to issues like inbreeding by unscrupulous breeders.
- The breeder I know seems very good – On the surface they may seem good. You will have to dig deep to find the rot. Why go there when there are so many many many pets available to adopt. Do the right thing.
6 Resources
Bombat Dawgs