Before you buy a dog

The decision to get a dog is not something to be taken lightly. An adorable puppy can tug at our heartstrings but, in the end, will require a significant investment of your time and money for a significant number of years. Socializing and training a new puppy is time consuming and, occasionally, frustrating. It can increase the amount of stress on the family, and the dog, working to provide the constant supervision, socialization, and training …

…and are examples of what you must be willing to deal with when you decide to get a dog. It is true, that many behavioral issues can be solved through training and sufficient activity and exercise, some of these traits are inherent enough to be recurring and frustrating to owners. If digging, chewing, etc. are likely to result in your packing your dog off to a shelter, please reconsider your decision to get a dog.