I want to get a dog. Is it alot of work raising one like people say?

Answer 1

Yes - you are responsible for every aspect of their life, from proper diet to hygene to reproductive health. You must make every decision for them until the end of their days.

Humans are the creators, and therefor the guardians of our pets. When they are in your care, it is your obligation to them to keep them healthy, safe, and happy.

Answer 2

Some more than others. Alot depends on the breed you get. They do require your time and when it comes to baths, walks, not to mention some necessary and deserved attention. They also require money...besides the purchase price of a dog you have regular vet bills because dogs need regular vaccinations and heartworm and flea and tick preventative, so you can add a couple hundred a year for that (more if your dog gets sick)
Speaking of "getting sick", you should STAY AWAY from pet stores. 99.9% of pet store puppies are from puppy mills and not only would that make you a supporter of puppy mills but it is practically a guarantee that you aren't getting a quality puppy. You see, puppy mills have one thing in mind and that is making as many puppies as they can, usually in deplorable conditions, and don't take necessary things into consideration when breeding (in-breeding, hips, temperament, etc)...so if you want to get a quality dog that has less of a chance to get sick....go to a reputable breeder. Besides, they aren't usually more expensive than a pet store and the quality is MUCH better. If you don't know where to look go to AKC.com and I think they have a referral service (if you are looking for a golden retriever, I have a GREAT breeder)

But to answer your question, if your dog is treated like a member of the family, YES, they will be quite a bit of work...but if you raise a puppy right it becomes a well behaved dog...they are truly worth it. You get unconditional love from a dog.
Do research on the various breeds because dogs have very different personalities and well bred dogs are usually very true to the breed characteristics that you read on AKC.com (a badly bred dog may be very different from those characteristics...another reason to stay away from pet shop/puppy mill puppies)
Good Luck

Answer 3

Yes...cats are much easier. If you want a dog and don't want a lot of bother then get an older dog that would rather sleep all day or get a small breed of dog that doesn't need a lot of exercise. One of my elderly clients has a Shizoo (spelling?) and it is mainly just a house pet. She has a spare room set up for it with papers on the floor...it is paper trained. The dog is great company for her and she spoils it rotten but the dog also wants to be with her all the time and if she goes anywhere and leaves the dog at home, the dog cries until she comes back.

Answer 4

Don't forget you need to brush your dogs teeth 3x a week and take the dog to the vet 2x a year to get a teeth cleaning from the vet Doctor.
You also need to brush your dog everyday if she has long hair and you need to trim her nails which most vets do for $15 every month or you can do it yourself.also dogs need to go to a pro dog groomer once a month for the rest of their life.
you need to give her flea and tick drops EVERY month! and Heartworm gaurd for the rest of her life.

if you get a puppy she will have accidents all over your house because she is a baby puppy and won't know right from wrong so you will be busy cleaning more often.
You will want to buy a crate to keep her in while you go up to the store for 15 min so she doesn't harm herself while she is exploring the house alone because no one is watching her.
You have to pick up her "doggie no no" when she is outside in the yard and put it in a bag and when she goes in the house.

You need top of the line dog food every month which is very expansive.
You have to plan on setting aside thousands of dollars incase something happens to your puppy and she needs to go to the vet for a emergency.

Whoever you buy your puppy or dog from make sure they are NOT a BACKYARD Breeder
or a PUPPYMILL!

Owning a dog is very expansive...and if you get a puppy you are babysiting all day and all night long.



Good Luck and research your breed of choice and buy many books and read everything you can learn about the dog you want so you know what to expect the dog to be like.

Answer 5

Well, if you get a puppy there will be a lot of hard work training it. It's just like a baby. You have to make sure they have food, take them out, etc. If you get an older dog from a shelter or something a lot of times they will already be trained and that's not so hard. You just have to be prepared to take on a responsibility. It is also sometimes hard financially with Vet visits and stuff like that .. it's so expensive these days. Just give it a lot of thought and if you put your mind to it then nothing will be too terribly hard.

Answer 6

I Wouldnt Say Its A Lot Of Work..Its A Lot Of Responsabilty And When Its A Puupy There Will Be Work..Its More Like A Life Style Change

Answer 7

Sadly yes, But hey Its Easy if you got the time! Theirs nothing better than a have a dog by your side. Just make sure their not a full bred dog, Cause they all have a Certain purpose. what ever you do don't get a beagle trust me their A LOT OF WORK and the get lost very easy and you always need them tied up well good luck!

Answer 8

Yes. You must walk them 2 or 3 times every single day at least a mile each walk! The food bill adds up depending on the dog size. Big dogs will eat several thousands of $ in their life while small dogs one third or less that. Then the vet bills can be huge if your dog gets hit by a car or gets sick.

Answer 9

Depends on breed and size. First pet should be calm and small to medium. Stay away from large breeds, and very active big dogs. You are not ready. The small to medium easy going pets are best to start with. AKC will match you with right pet much better that breeders. Research dogs temperment and need for exercise. Stay away from Jack Russels, bull dogs, and hyper active terriers as first dog. Then you will not have any trouble.

Answer 10

Definitely!!
Just to give you an idea:
Food -10$
Water
Bowls-10$
Leashes/collars-15-20$
Training-100$
Puppy pads-10$
Backyard
Medicine/veterinary care- no telling
Spay/nueter-20$

Not to mention lots and lots of time!!
You have to properly socialize them,house-train,and love them!!
It's just like raising a baby.
If you do get a dog,I suggest you get one from an animal shelter.It's a lot cheaper then buying from a breeder,plus you're saving a life!!
Good luck with it!!

Answer 11

oh yeah, (if it's a puppy) it's like having a baby without labor. they cry, mess everywhere, and need extra attention! not to mention the razor sharp baby teeth! it's worth it to have a great dog, but unless your ready for that you might want to rethink it. Make sure you really want it and you can devote years of your life to it. if you want companionship without a lot of the work you might want to look for an older dog that is housebroken. people give them away free in the newspaper all of the time or you can adopt.