The First Dog Checklist: Making Sure You’re Really Ready

• Before we dive into our first dog checklist let me guess how you must be feeling. Aren’t you super excited over buying/adopting your first pup? I totally get the feeling of the butterflies fluttering in your belly! How beautiful and perfect is life now going to be with a little warm pooch of your very own! You’ll no more just have to pet the cute pooches of passers-by. Followed by the age-old sigh, “if only I could have my own!” You have finally decided to end that longing and are feeling totally pumped up in anticipation. You’re just crossing the dates on the calendar, dreaming about the cuddles you would be sharing with your first ever, very own, lil fur ball!

• Everything seems perfect now, but in order to ensure that this perfection doesn’t cease with time, I have a first-dog checklist. Which will make sure you know that you are making the best decision for yourself and your baby. Please take time to thoroughly check the below mentioned pointers. Because it often happens, where the initial euphoria clashes with people’s ability to practically plan for a long term. Which unfortunately results in a lot of chaos and unpleasant, if not detrimental consequences, soon after or in the long run. After all this baby is no different than a human one, his life is totally dependent on you. In fact a human baby can sustain himself after a certain age. But this fur kid is going to be entirely dependent on you throughout their life.

• Needless to say it’s very important to ensure that you actually are going to be there for him for the next 15 years (on an average). And not end up giving him away once you realize you aren’t as ready as you had expected yourself to be. Which would be something devastating for the emotional health of a dog. As they just wouldn’t understand what they did wrong to have been abandoned by their family.

The First Dog Checklist: Are You Truly Ready?

Are You Financially Prepared for a Dog? Here’s What It Costs

General cost of living:

• The most important check box in our first dog checklist would undoubtedly be finance. You need to be financially stable in order to afford proper nourishment, a variety of accessories, dog sitting/boarding facilities, training and medical care for your pup. There is going to be a good amount of expense involved and the list won’t probably be as short as you might expect. Once you get a pup there is going to follow quite a lot of routine vaccination and de-worming sessions for the first year and boosters for the rest. Little pups have little immunity, which may require frequent vet visits as well due to petty issues like a cold or an upset stomach. As they grow stronger these visits may lessen in frequency saving you the consultation fees and medication costs over time.

The estimate:

• According to a report from moneyunder30.com, the total first-year cost of having a dog is $1,270. For another detailed estimate of the monthly/annual cost of a dog (according to rover.com), I have added a link below. Please keep in mind that this is just a general estimate. Hence, it varies largely based on your location, lifestyle and availability/quality of services. Check it out here.

Unexpected expenses:

• Also another advice would be to always have some saving handy, in case there arises some urgency due to any unforeseen mishap/accident. And once your pup advances to a senior dog, you should again expect a rise in the vet visits for various age related ailments that follow. Please don’t be worried as you won’t necessarily have to deal with everything above. So many pups hardly suffer from any serious health issue throughout their lives. Be it the puppy phase or the senior stage, specially if they are bred responsibly by a reputed breeder and lead a healthy lifestyle. But because you cannot foresee the future, being prepared for anything is the way to go.

Can You Dedicate Enough Time to Your Pooch?

Why is it important?

• Your availability at home is another very essential element that is often not paid enough attention to. Dogs are very social creatures. Of course the degree varies according to the breed you choose to bring home. But irrespective of it every dog needs their parent or at least one of the members to be present in the house most of the time. An occasional staying alone at home is fine, but if it is something that is going to happen every single day, for extensive hours, you do have a reason to worry.

What happens otherwise?

• If you’re planning to leave your dog alone, for hours at a stretch daily, you better seriously reconsider your decision. It is because dogs can have very bad ‘separation anxiety‘! Yes, the level varies as per the breed or the temperament of the particular dog but they are bound to experience some or the other form of depression at some point of time. And dogs do not cry in a corner like humans if they are upset. Instead they’ll bark for hours at a stretch, making your neighbors turn bitter to you and/or they’ll get destructive. Shredding paper, tearing cloth, damaging your furniture and digging up your mattresses would then become everyday annoyances.

The psychology behind it:

• And you won’t really be able to blame them, because that is how canines relieve themselves of the anxiety/stress, caused by the fear of your abandoning them. Yes, dogs get really worried every time they see you going out the door leaving them all alone. Their world revolves around you and their biggest fear is being left alone or worse abandoned.

Balancing Work and Pup Care: Do You Have the Energy?

• Your willingness and effort to maintain a healthy routine for them is equally important. You need to allot a specific time daily to take them out to relieve themselves, so they don’t have accidents indoor. Also a walk or a run or a little game of fetch every day requires time and effort on your part. You need to feed them at regular intervals too, which again requires dedication of time. Dogs don’t understand our language but they grasp the concept of habituation very well. Once you designate a particular time for their meals, relieving of bowel and bladder, and play, they will set themselves up smoothly in accordance to this routine. And all this without any need of formal training, making both your lives so much easier. Consistency is all it’s going to take.

How Travel Habits Impact Dog Parenthood

• Another major consideration should be the frequency of your travels. If you need to travel frequently for work, you should make sure that you have a family member staying together. Someone who is not only enthusiastic but also dependable enough to take care of your precious baby while you are away. In case you choose to opt for professional pet sitters, you’ll first need to thoroughly investigate their trustworthiness, which unfortunately is easier said than done.

Dog boarding or Pet sitting services:

• These dog care options may not be a very dependable either. Less because of the finances involved and much more due to the availability or quality of care.
• While convenient, they can pose several hazards if not carefully vetted. In boarding facilities, overcrowding, insufficient supervision, or poor hygiene standards can lead to stress, injuries, or the spread of illnesses among dogs. Lack of personalized attention may also result in emotional distress, especially for dogs with separation anxiety or specific needs.
• Similarly, pet sitting services depend heavily on the sitter’s qualifications and commitment. Untrained or inattentive sitters might overlook critical care routines, mishandle emergencies, or fail to provide adequate exercise and mental stimulation. Choosing the wrong service can compromise your dog’s physical health and emotional well-being, emphasizing the need for thorough research and recommendations.
• Here’s a tragic case highlighting the perils of poorly managed dog daycare facilities, where negligence led to the unfortunate death of a dog.
• Here’s another on the lack of regulation in pet boarding services that can have devastating consequences, as seen in this case involving an unlicensed facility and multiple dog deaths.

Does Your Living Situation Allow for a Dog?

• Yet another thing to consider would be the ownership of your accommodation. If you own a house it’s going to be much easier as compared to it’s rented counterpart. Because otherwise you may be compelled to act as per the preferences of the owner, who may not be dog-friendly. Specially, if your job requires you to transfer at regular intervals, this would be something you will have to deal with every time you relocate.

Your Marital Status and Its Role in Dog Parenthood

• And lastly, are you likely to get married anytime after you decide to bring in your fur-baby? Do think beforehand of the consequences, in case your spouse turns out to be adverse to dogs! Also, even if not initially, after you have your first human baby, they may still suddenly change stance. Discuss these things well in advance.

• Your first dog checklist all marked? Now that you have a thorough understanding of the basic prerequisites, none but you yourself are the best judge to decide if this is the best time to get yourself your first furry bundle of joy. Please take time and make your decision carefully and wisely.
• If you feel you are all set, just go ahead and leap in to enjoy the most ‘paw’some experience of a lifetime! Here’s our list of essentials you might want to keep ready before welcoming your furchild.
• If not, wait a little longer preparing yourself, to be blessed as soon as the time is ripe. Because a dog is a lifelong commitment and we can’t risk pampering them with anything short of the absolute best! Can we?

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Srijana Saha

Srijana, founder of Godly Dog, brings 12+ years of experience caring for dogs, including her 6 fur kids: a Labrador, 2 Spitz, and 3 Indie rescues. She has studied natural dog nutrition and behavior to better understand and care for them. A passionate advocate for strays and a dedicated volunteer, she believes dogs embody godliness, inspiring unconditional love and selflessness. Through Godly Dog, she shares practical advice to ensure every dog gets the love, care, and respect they deserve.