One thing I’ve never understood in my life is how the numbers of animals, especially puppies, in the shelter sky rockets after Christmas. I’ve never understood how someone can adopt a dog, bring it home, keep it for a few weeks, and then just give it up.
Adopting a puppy isn’t a small decision and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
You’re agreeing to care for this dog for the rest of it’s life. It isn’t something you get because it sounds like fun without actually considering the responsibility.
Owning any dog, but especially a puppy, is really hard. It takes a lot of work and patience. Puppies require a lot of training because they just don’t know any better. You have to actually be willing to put in the work.
Dogs that end up in shelters often end up with different problems. My shelter dog, who is predisposed to anxiety issues from her breed, now has terrible separation anxiety. We had to go through training and eventually get medication just for her to be okay to be home alone.
Sadly, this is something that can be very common in shelter dogs.
Dogs in shelters can also become depressed. While most shelters do everything they can to take good care of the dogs, the shelter isn’t the same as a home. The dogs have to spend their time in cages, often away from people for long periods of time.
On top of this, many shelters face overcrowding, which means dogs get even less one-on-one time with people.
After a while, dogs can develop depression or other health issues. The depression and stress can cause heart disease, hormone imbalances, and more. It can also lead to the dog not eating or wanting to be active.
Foster homes help with this but there isn’t enough fosters for every shelter dog.
Dogs also get depressed when they’re abandoned by their families. Dogs are living things with emotions, just like us. When their family leaves them and doesn’t come back, they can become extremely depressed.
On the other hand, you have people who try to give away their dogs on Facebook or some other online market.
We have another dog who got from a family on Facebook. She was a rescue from the shelter and they didn’t want to keep her. Luckily, we took her in but it could have been anyone.
Dog fighters often look on Facebook for dogs being given away for free or really cheap. Most people who give their dogs away online don’t do much screening either to make sure the animal is going to a good home.
A dog isn’t a Christmas gift. A dog is a living creature that you are deciding to bring into the family. You are claiming responsibility for this animal the second you adopt it. You can’t back out or give it away because it’s more work than you expected.
The decision to get a dog shouldn’t be made lightly. It’s one that you should really think over and decide if you have the time and energy to dedicate to an animal for the 10-15 years. If not, don’t get a dog.
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