6 Questions to Ask Before You Adopt a Dog With Your Partner

Adopting a dog can be exciting but it is not something you should jump into without careful consideration – especially if you are adopting the dog with a significant other. To ensure that your dog gets the care he deserves there are some simple questions you should ask before adopting a dog – keep reading to learn what they are.

What Should You Ask Before Adopting a Dog?

If you are adopting a dog with your partner, there are a few practical questions you should ask first – you will find a list of these questions below:

1. Does your relationship have long-term potential? If you can’t picture yourself with your partner many years down the road, it is probably not a good idea to make a long-term commitment like adopting a dog. Most dogs live a minimum of 10 years so don’t adopt unless you can care for your dog for his entire life.

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1. Do you have the time to devote to a dog? Not only is owning a dog a long-term commitment, but you have to give up a lot of time every day for feeding, walking, and training. Having a dog will also mean giving up some of your spontaneity because you’ll have to come home to let the dog out.
2. Are you able to talk about money comfortably? Owning a dog is an expensive endeavor when you tally up the costs for food, toys, and veterinary care. You will need to be able to talk freely about finances with your partner to ensure that your dog’s needs are met.
3. What kind of dog do you want? Everyone has different preferences so you and your partner will need to come to some kind of agreement regarding the type of dog you adopt. What is your priority – a dog that doesn’t shed much, an active breed, an intelligent dog that will be easy to train?

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1. Who is going to be responsible for training the dog? While you will both share the responsibility of owning and caring for the dog, it generally works best when one person does the majority of the training – at least until your dog gets the handle of the basics.
2. What will you do when you go on vacation? When you and your partner go out of town, who is going to watch the dog? Will you take him to a kennel, hire a pet sitter, or leave him with a friend? You need to have a plan before you commit to getting a dog.

It’s wonderful that you want to add another member to your happy family – just be sure the two of you are ready for the next level of commitment.