Why Dogs Are Given Up & Mistakes Owners Make
One of the biggest reasons I hear why people get rid of their pet is because the children wanted the animal and now won't take care of it. Parents should not get a pet for their children. They should get a pet for the whole family. I get so upset when I hear parents say, "I am getting a pet to teach my children responsibility." And why must it be a pet? Is this the only way to teach children responsibilities? Have your children clean the house, do the dishes, take out the trash, clean their room... to teach them responsibility.
It is also best for the parents to pick out the pet. After all, parents are going to be the primary care giver for this pet. The parents should be the ones to decide how big of a pet they want in the house. The parents will be the ones paying for the feed and veterinary care. I have seen brothers and sisters arguing over which puppy to get. Everyone picks out a different puppy then expects to have that puppy.
When dealing with mix breed dogs, you can never estimate how big or small that dog will be or how much shedding it will do. If there is multiple breeds in a puppy then it could be the size of any of those breeds. The size of the paws is no indication. Believe me, I know. Paw size means nothing. For example, have you seen how big the paws are on Basset hounds? They are not tall dogs but they have large feet. I have seen my share of small dogs with large feet. They look funny but cute. If size is important then get a pure bred dog. That is the only way you can have a guarantee on the size.
Hair length and shedding is another consideration. Some people seem to think that certain breeds shed more than others. Unless the dog is a pure bred that is known not to shed such as; Poodles, Bichons... then expect shedding. German Shepherds, Huskies, Labs, Dobermans... all shed just the same. It is just a matter of long hair falling on your floor or short hair falling on your floor. If the dog is a mix breed then it will probably shed even if a non shedding breed is mixed in. If you are lucky the dog will take after the non shedding mix and not shed but don't count on it. If you can not stand the though of a dog shedding and leaving hair all over your house then either don't get a dog or get only a true non shedding breed.
Bathing your dog twice a month and brushing him daily does cut down on shedding. You have to be dedicated to brushing him every day and not a day here and a day there. Just make a habit of brushing your dog once every day and you won't believe how much less he will shed.
Bad behavior is another reason people give up their pet. I find that 75% of the time the bad behavior is the owners fault. Before you get a pet go to the library and read as much as you can about teaching and training your pet. There are many great books on dog obedience and training. If your dog is bad it is probably because you are doing something wrong. If your dog chews it is because you left him unattended. Puppies feel that everything within their reach is their new chew toy. They do not understand until you teach them. If you don't want them chewing something then remove it from their reach or limit them to certain rooms until they are better trained.
Just remember, a new dog or puppy will have potty accidents in your house until they understand the rules and what you expect of them. Even a housetrained adult dog will have a few accidents in their new home until they understand what you expect from them. Remember, a dog has the mentality of a 2 or 3 year old child forever.
Getting a pet is a life long commitment. You owe it to your pet to care for him for life and not just until the novelty wears off. If you are not prepared to stick with it for the long haul then do not get a pet. It is not fair to the pet. He learns to love and trust you only to be betrayed by you. How very sad and cruel. You make time for your pet. It is too easy for people to say, "I must give up my pet. I just don't have enough time for it." This is the easy way out of your commitment and an unfair one.