5 Signs You’re Ready to Adopt a Puppy, Plus a Supply Checklist

5 Signs You’re Ready to Adopt a Puppy

Being able to fawn over an adorable, chubby ball of fur is not the sole requirement to adopt a puppy.

You’ve got to be in this for the long haul. You’ve got to be cool with owning an adult dog. (Because that’s where all this puppy business leads…)

Here are 5 signs that you’re ready to adopt a puppy.

Do you have time for house training? What about obedience training?

It’s cute right now when the puppy tries to climb onto the couch, but do you want a full grown creature on your couch all the time? Do you want it jumping on your great-grandma and bruising her legs when she walks in the door?

Spending the time and money on a good dog obedience school is critical to a well-behaved pet and a stress-free owner.

People who are gone 12-14 hours a day can’t really give a dog a good life. If you want to adopt a puppy, you need to be around for the puppy to be in your life.

Working from home has become popular, and if you’ve got little kids at home, chances home there’s someone around for that puppy.

How about when the puppy is an adult? Will your life be different in five years, and not good for a dog?

First, you will need money saved for spaying or neutering. That’s an absolute must for any responsible pet owner. These run $150-200.

Pet boarding fees are significant, so if you like to travel, you need to ensure you can afford safe, reliable boarding for your puppy.

Pet boarding fees range from $25-50/night per dog, and can go up from there if your dog has special needs. Multiply that by a 10 day vacation, and that’s no small amount of change!

Vet bills come around yearly, at a minimum, and are usually a few hundred dollars for a typical visit, which includes the vet fee, immunizations, flea and tic prevention, and any other items your dog might need.

And if your dog gets sick or injured, do you have the money to cover that?

You don’t need dog experience to adopt a puppy, but jumping into your first foray at pet ownership with a dog might be too much.

I you’ve had cats, fish, snakes, birds or any other type of pet, you might be a great candidate for puppy ownership.

You understand the time and energy that goes into having a pet. You remember what you loved about it, and what you didn’t.

Many people get a dog and assume it’ll just lay in the corner and ask for the occasional pat on the head.

DOGS NEED LOVE AND ATTENTION.

Remember the adorable puppy in the feature image above? He’s 6 now. He’s 80 lbs. He belongs to our senior editor and he is her family’s absolute favorite creature on the planet.

He also pulls like a maniac on walks. He’s an anxious mess on car rides for family vacation.

And he loves to bark at squirrels like it’s nobody’s business. They have to let him out several times a day to pee and bark at said squirrels. And then chase him around the yard half the time so he will come in and stop barking.

He destroys expensive dog toys in about 15 minutes, and they are constantly tripping over the ones he doesn’t ruin.

His dog food is pricey, too, because he has skin allergies.

The dude is expensive and requires everyone’s attention.

But they wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you would, though, you should rethink getting a puppy until you’re ready.

Before you Adopt a Puppy, Consider Fostering

One option that didn’t immediately occur to me was fostering a puppy or dog.

Instead of signing up for a lifetime of pet ownership, you can foster to get a dose of puppy love.

Fostering requires an application process. Local places with foster programs include

• Humane Society of West Michigan
• Hearts of Hope Dog Rescue
• Michele’s Rescue

My friend’s daughter was obsessed with owning a bunny, so my friend fostered a bunny through the Humane Society.

Her daughter was in charge of the bunny for two weeks. After the second day, her daughter no longer wanted a bunny. It was way more work than she realized and her bedroom smelled like a barn.

I Want to Adopt a Puppy. Where can I Find One?

There are three main ways you can adopt a puppy or dog in West Michigan.

Adopting a pet is usually a long process, whether you go through a breeder, shelter or foster organization. (A responsible dog breeder or rescuer will have an application process, and often even home visits.)

Here are the three common ways people adopt puppies in West Michigan:

1) Adopt a Purebred from a Reputable Breeder

Our last dog was a Golden Retriever and she was the sweetest dog ever. Good dogs come from good homes – if we go for an AKC dog, we’ll check to see we’re working with a responsible breeder.

The most reputable breeders will offer to take the dog back if it doesn’t work out (no money back, but they care about their animals and want them in forever homes).

Breeders should be knowledgeable about the character traits of their dogs and ask that you will be able to accommodate the specific needs of that breed.

Some will participate in programs like the AKC’s Bred With H.E.A.R.T. Program. If the breeder doesn’t even ask where you live or what kind of accommodations you have for a dog, that’s a red flag.

Breeders don’t sell dogs at a moment’s notice.

Responsible, reputable breeders often don’t have puppies available until months or weeks out. Litters are often spoken for before the mother has even given birth. And then you have to wait at least 10 weeks before the pup can come home. 

But sometimes, you may just find that golden puppy who hasn’t been claimed yet! Also, a breeder may occasionally have an older dog that’s looking for a home.

2) Rescue a Dog From an Animal Shelter

The Humane Society of West Michigan is a great place for adoptions. 

Here’s where you can find their adoptable dogs.

Kent County Animal Shelter is offering dog adoption and they also accept foster families for their current shelter pets.

Sometimes foster families opt to adopt the dog they are fostering. Other times they can find a match for that dog through friends and family (while practicing safe social distancing).

You can look for KCAS pets through Petfinder. 

3) Adopt a Puppy or Dog from a Foster Organization

Foster volunteers are passionate about the dogs they care for and are strict about who adopts their puppies and dogs.

Foster volunteers want to be sure that you are the right family for this dog; they ardently seek permanent homes for their fosters. 

Because of this, many have an extensive vetting process that includes home visits. 

Foster organizations also require that these pets are spayed or neutered before being rehomed. 

Here are some of our favorite foster dog organizations. They all have different situations during the pandemic, so check their Facebook pages for up-to-date info before reaching out to them. 

• Hearts of Hope Dog Rescue
• Homeward Bound
• Luvnpupz
• Michele’s Rescue
• Mosh Pit Rescue
• Pet Tales Rescue
• Vicky’s Pet Connection

A Few Other Things You’ll Need for Your Puppy

• A Vet for Your Puppy: Vets are very busy right now – if you’re getting a puppy, call to set up your first appointment as soon as you know the puppy will be joining your family.
• Puppy Kindergarten: Socializing and training your puppy is important. There are often waitlists for these classes. Call now to make an appointment.