Adding a puppy or dog to a family is no small matter. The decision to do so will affect all family members, and the dog will be affected by everyone else in the home, humans and non-humans alike. Dogs have their own unique needs and behaviors, some of which conflict with human norms and desires. Therefore, to be fair to the dog and all other family members, everyone in the home needs to consider the following:
Are you ready to live with a companion that will be emotionally and cognitively equivalent to a human toddler its entire life? If you have any experience with human toddlers, you know that their innocence and curiosity can be charming and usually outweigh any mischievous or undesirable behavior. However, while most human toddlers mature into responsible adult humans, a puppy, or even an adult dog, does not. As your dog's parent, you will be responsible for your dog's happiness, good health, comfort, and safety for its entire life. If you have human children or other non-human family members, you also need to consider how a dog will affect their lives. For example:
• Do you have the time, energy, and knowledge to manage human and non-human
toddlers in your home?
• If you are living with elderly or family members with health issues, will a puppy or dog be a benefit or a nuisance?
• Is it fair to an existing dog or cat to bring a new dog into the home?
Do you accept that dogs have very specific behaviors they need to express, even if we don’t like them? Any animal denied the opportunity to express normal behavior will not be living its best life and may act out. These are normal behaviors for a dog: play-biting, chewing, barking, digging, eating, rolling in “yuck,” stealing, guarding food and other things, growling, sniffing the butts of other dogs, and more. Dogs are individuals, and the number and intensity of the behaviors I have listed will vary, but they are all normal. You cannot train a dog to stop being a dog and expect it to have a life worth living.
Are you willing to change your behavior if it negatively affects your dog? Just like us, a dog's temperament and behavior can change at any time. A negative or frightening experience, no matter what it was, can have lifelong consequences. For example, let’s say someone visiting your home frightens your dog so badly that it becomes reactive toward everyone except family members. Are you prepared to stop having guests over, or to set up your dog in a private room where it is comfortable for the rest of its life? If your dog gets ill and requires hospice-level care for the last several months of its life, will you be able to provide that care?
Do you have the time to care for a dog? Most of us get a dog for companionship, but that means taking the time to do things with your dog that you both enjoy regularly. This includes all the regular tasks associated with having a dog that take time: feeding it, taking it out to go to the bathroom, taking it to the vet, and playing with it. While a human toddler has similar needs, the toddler outgrows them; your dog will not.
Do you have the physical, mental, and emotional ability to care for a dog? As we grow older, our physical, mental, and emotional abilities can change; therefore, it is essential to consider where you are now versus where you will be 10 to 15 years later. Can you pick up your dog, carry it up and down the stairs, put it in the car, and get it out of the car? Can you comfortably play with your dog and take it on adventures? Dogs are very good at reading our emotional state, and if we’re depressed, they may become depressed too. Can you maintain a cheery outlook for your dog's benefit?
Do you have the financial ability to care for a dog? Caring for a dog is not inexpensive. Every dog needs veterinary care and a quality diet to minimize the need for veterinary care. Beyond basic veterinary care are surgery, emergency care, and possibly chemotherapy, all of which can be quite expensive. Then there are pet-sitting, daycare, boarding, and grooming costs. I’d rather you have one dog who gets the best care available than someone with multiple dogs who must settle for the bare minimum. While costs vary with a dog's size, breed, and overall health, studies indicate that the lifetime cost of veterinary care alone ranges from $22,000 to over $50,000 per dog.
Have you made plans for who will care for your dog if you can no longer do so, and have you ensured they have answered all of the above questions to your satisfaction? As many of you know, my dog Muppy recently passed. I’m 68 and hope to be around for many more years, but also recognize that fate can end a life at any time. Personally, I would not be comfortable leaving a pet behind unless I knew it would be loved and cared for as I had loved and cared for it.
Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop ( greenacreskennel.com ) and the founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB) and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). A Pet Professional Guild (PPG) member, Don serves on the Board of Directors, Steering Committee, and chairs the Advocacy Task Force and Shock-Free Coalition. The opinions in this article are those of Don Hanson. ©2026, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved