5 Steps to a Successful Puppy Adoption

In honor of this year’s National Puppy Day, Aimee Gilbreath, Executive Director of Found Animals has a few tips to help you make an informed decision about choosing your next family member.

1.  Consider the Benefits of Adopting a Puppy

The mere presence of a puppy can melt your heart immediately, so it is very important to understand that your new pup will require a lot of time, energy and patience before making any decisions.

With that in mind, puppies (and pets in general) can be amazing lifelong companions that give unconditional love to their owners and often times become an integral part of the family. In short, be prepared to fall in love, but know what you are signing up for.

2. Find Your Puppy

With so many places and ways to look for a puppy, the options alone can be overwhelming. An online database, like Adopt-a-Pet.com is a great place to start. Adopt-a-Pet.com has over 13,600 animal shelters, humane societies, SPCAs, pet rescue groups, and pet adoption agencies advertise their homeless pets to millions of adopters a month. All of these groups offer pets that have been properly vaccinated, spayed/neutered, microchipped, and ready to go which makes the adoption process a littler simpler.

3. Choose the Right Puppy for You

Adopting a dog is a long-term commitment, so don’t rush it. While the cute can be overwhelming, the key to finding the right match is making sure that you bond with the puppy and his/her unique personality. Each puppy has their own disposition and needs so make sure it complements you and your family. For example, one factor to consider is the puppy’s energy level. Additionally, be sure to introduce everyone in your household to your potential new friend to make sure it is the best decision for the whole family.

4. Understand Your New Companion

Every animal is unique, which at times may mean troublesome behaviors. These behaviors are just their way of communicating their needs. Once those needs are met, harmony will be restored with your puppy and you can get back to enjoying their cute and lovable ways. Puppies have lots of energy and need to play; therefore, providing them with toys, outlets to explore and other pets to play with is a simple way to meet their natural need to socialize, run and have fun.

5. Keep Your Puppy Healthy and Safe

Once you find “the one,” it is important to keep them both healthy and safe. Make sure to schedule regular veterinary checkups to ensure your puppy is always up to date on their vaccinations and in good health. Keep your dog in a closed off area, provide them with an I.D. tag with contact information and if possible, microchip them to ensure they are never lost for good. A microchip is a permanent device that is about the size of a grain of rice and contains a unique serial number that can be linked to your name and contact information through a microchip registry database in the event that they get lost. It is one of the best ways to prevent your pet from ending up in an animal shelter. Now that you have them, you want to make sure to keep them!

About the Author

Based in Tustin, Calif., animal lover Kristina N. Lotz is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and works as a full time trainer. She also owns her own custom pet products company, A Fairytail House, where she makes personalized collars, leashes, beds, keepsake pillows and blankets, and anything else your imagine can think up. In her spare time, she trains and competes in herding, agility, obedience, rally, and conformation with her Shetland Sheepdogs.