Before getting into our chat below about the how-to of finding the right pet, here is a “sort of” disclaimer. As a life-long pet rescuer, I feel I should let you all know that, more often than not–in rescue–the pet chooses you, and probably you have little to say about it. Because rescuers are hard-wired to save animals, and we don’t argue–we just step up and fill the need before us. I’m pretty sure the animals know this. We take them regardless their health, their bad habits, if we have room or not, if our house is already filled with animals, or what the cost may be financially and emotionally. And we just figure the rest out and deal with it as we go. So, to you rescuers–you know who you are–Cheers! And feel welcome to disregard this post. 🙂

Okay, on now to our match-making discussion.

How Do I Find The Ideal Match In A New Pet?

You’re thinking about getting a new pet and want to make sure you choose the right one. What are the most important things to look for? You’re tempted to buy from a breeder, but then you think about how many rescue pets at the shelter are just begging you to give them a chance and tugging at your heart. How do you decide?  There’s a lot more to consider than just how cute it is or how young it is, its pedigree, or even how desperate a shelter pet may be.  Before you can match yourself with the right pet, you need to answer some important questions – about yourself.

First, Check Your Budget.

Can I afford it?  There are financial costs that come with being a good pet parent. Food, dog tags, grooming, bedding, toys, training, veterinary exams, sometimes medications or surgeries if it has a health issue, cleaning supplies, petsitting if you need to be away and can’t include him, …  Go over your budget and be very sure you have discretionary funds enough to care for a new pet without cutting corners or neglecting its care.

Also, don’t forget this – some pets cost more to care for than others. For example, your food bill for a large dog is going to be a whole lot more than for a small dog. And grooming costs for a high-maintenance pet are much higher than for a lower maintenance pet. And if you want to provide them a good diet instead of bottom-shelf brands, be sure you figure that into your budget as well. You can be an excellent pet parent on a modest budget, but you still need to factor in those costs.

Be very honest with yourself — if you want a pet but can’t afford vet bills when they get sick, or annual vaccinations, or good food, do you believe that you’ll be giving that pet a good life?  If you have crunched the numbers and are confident that you have room in your life and bank account to give a pet a good life, whether modest or lavish, then let’s go find your ideal match!   🙂

So Many Breeds ~ How Do I Choose?

Most people don’t consider how certain breeds of cats and dogs will fit into their family and home. They see a darling little Maltese or Shih Tzu in the window and just can’t resist taking her home and dressing her up and cuddling with her and showing her off.  Or a gorgeous German Shepherd that might make a great watch dog for your home. Resist the “impulse adoption” until you know more about the pet. It’s important first to study up on different breeds and find out what it takes to care for them – and care for them well.

If you take that little Shih Tzu home on a whim, are you prepared to groom her appropriately every single day for the rest of her life? Because once a week or once a month and certainly once a year is NOT enough.  And give her lubricating eye drops every single day to protect the health of her eyes, even if she hates it and fights you?

Different Breeds Need Different Parenting.

Are you willing to spend time every day with your new Border Collie teaching him and training him in agility courses, etc.?  And to spend time exercising him every day to burn off pent-up energy? Because Border Collies are incredibly smart and active, and become bored quickly. If you’re not on top of his daily training and exercise, he can become neurotic and develop bad habits because of it. You don’t ignore a pet anymore than you would ignore a child, no matter how tired or “not in the mood” you may be. If you’re not up for making their every-day care a priority, then a high-maintenance breed is not a good match for you.

Same thing with Persian and Himalayan cats.  They are crazy gorgeous animals, and most people are captured by their beauty.  But they come with a lot of responsibility. Grooming and health care is a conscientious, EVERY-DAY commitment. If you’re the kind of person who may tolerate that in the very beginning but then start to resent the time it takes, then you absolutely should NOT get a high-maintenance dog or cat. Because think what will happen to that pet if you decide you don’t want to be bothered anymore?  You’ll take it to the shelter.  And there’s a really really good chance your pet may die there if it doesn’t find a new family willing to take on the commitment that you gave up on.

Don’t misunderstand me. The commitment of time and energy and money into your pet IS WORTH EVERY PENNY AND EVERY MOMENT, and pet parents love their pets deeply and don’t begrudge them their care.  But sometimes people don’t look far enough down the road to know if they’re making the right decision and to make sure their personality is suited for the long-term commitment.

How Active Is Your Family?

Is your family a bunch of go-getters, hiking every weekend, bike riding, swimming, road trips here and there, playing at the beach? Then a Border Collie or Jack Russell would be ideal for you, or a Boxer, or Beagle, or Golden Retriever. But definitely not an English bulldog, for example, who isn’t built to keep up with such high-energy activities, and whose inherent breathing challenges would put him at risk if pushed too hard. Your English Bulldog, or a Yellow Lab, would be perfect for a couch potato-type person; someone who watches a lot of TV, or works at home on the computer all day, or likes to read out on the patio on a sunny, breezy day, and prefers more leisurely daily walks around the neighborhood, or some light playtime tossing a chew toy.

You want to match your dog’s personality to your personality as best you can for the ideal relationship. Do you like to get down on the floor and wrestle with your dog, or just snuggle up with him on the couch? If you’re a low-key person, then a high-energy dog is going to get really bored really quick at your house, and now you’ve got a problem. And where will Fido end up if things don’t work out?  Yep, the shelter. Make sense? Plan for success.  Get familiar with the many different breeds by learning online – one great resource is the American Kennel Club website: www.akc.com. Its profiles include confirmation information – how the dog should be perfectly built – but you can skip over that and go right to the section about personalities, behavior, health issues, etc. Do your homework BEFORE going shopping for the pet so that you won’t be “talked into” adopting one that may not work out.

    

Will A New Pet Get Along With The Pets We Already Have?

If you already have other pets in your home, be sure that adding a new pet won’t ruin their quality of life and peace of mind.  Your first commitment to the pets already in your home should take priority and not be compromised. Making adjustments to accommodate a new pet is one thing, and that’s acceptable. But putting their welfare at risk is not. See my post at https://www.barefootpets.com/howmany/.

We Want To Rescue A Shelter Pet.

First thing I would say is God Bless You!  And also — how flexible can you be? Pets are usually turned into shelters because of bad habits. Their previous owner didn’t house train them, or litterbox train them, or train them not to jump up on people. Or maybe the dog is a barker, or maybe the cat won’t come out of hiding. If you’re flexible and willing to work with such issues, then probably you will have great success rescuing a shelter pet and giving him a better life. Or, if you have a picture in your head of the perfect pet and don’t feel that you can settle for anything less, or don’t feel equipped to re-train a pet with bad habits, then consider putting the new pet in professional training.

Certainly not all shelter pets have bad habits. Some are there because their owners left town and didn’t take them along. You could be getting a great dog or cat in that case. Go for it!  But let me tell you this — it can be a crap shoot whether you rescue from the shelter or buy from a breeder, so be prepared for that possibility regardless where you get your new pet.  And also know this – even if you get a pet that doesn’t totally behave or whose personality isn’t the best match with yours, you can still co-exist wonderfully, if you determine to make it happen.

The Most Important Ingredient.

Whatever you decide, resolve to give that new pet all the love you have in your heart.  With every bowl of food and treat you give her, and every stroke of the brush, care for her tenderly and diligently, and spend quality time with her every day. Remember – pets aren’t knick knacks that you just stick out in the yard or in a crate in the laundry room and forget about. They’re members of your family – always treat them as such.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008.  Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.