When bringing a dog into your life, it’s really worth thinking carefully about whether this new living being truly fits into your life.
Unfortunately, it usually takes more than just a month or two to integrate a dog into your daily routine. Depending on where the dog comes from (breeder, second-hand, rescue, etc.), the integration can take much longer than expected — and often requires a lot of patience. That’s why it’s so important to ask yourself the following questions in advance:
- Am I truly ready to give up “everything” in the first few weeks (or months)? That means no going out, no fun with friends, no sports training, no guests at home and much more — because the dog won’t be able to stay alone right away and might have an issue with strangers?
- Am I willing to organize my daily life so that the dog isn’t left alone, and I can give it the time it does need to truly settle in?
- Am I ready to invest the necessary time — and sometimes a lot of money — into proper training, so my dog can learn step by step what is expected of them, and to work on possible bigger behavior issues?
- Do I have the emotional resilience to hear critical or judgmental comments from others (because there will be some if your dog shows behaviors society doesn’t approve of), to smile through it, and keep going?
- What will I do if I feel overwhelmed? Do I have a support system — people around me who can help and walk this path with me? (Because feeling overwhelmed happens to almost everyone with a “new” dog.)
- What happens if I already have the dog and realize that some of the points above don’t work for me and I don’t want the dog anymore?
This is often where the problem begins — not for you as the human, but for your four-legged friend.
The dog is rehomed. If they’re lucky, the new home works out and they can stay. But sometimes, the new person is also lacking time, feels overwhelmed, or can’t afford the financial cost.
Then what? Then the dog is rehomed again. And again. And again.
For dogs, this is incredibly difficult because in each new home, everything is different. The expectations change constantly, the training methods vary, and of course the whole environment shifts — the location, the smells, the people, and more. Even though dogs are incredibly adaptable, this repeated rehoming will, over time, break the dog completely. Eventually, they won’t know where they belong, what is expected of them, what is allowed and what isn’t. And if they had only a few behavior issues before, they will almost certainly become major problems now. Then the dog has to go again.
To me, this is one of the saddest things that exists in the dog world.
Yes — there are sometimes unavoidable situations that force a rehoming. But that should truly be the exception.
Please don’t treat your dog like an old pair of jeans that you just replace when they no longer fit or suit you.
PLEASE think it through first and get professional advice. Professionals can offer valuable insights and information that help you get clear on whether a dog is truly right for your life.
