Five things to consider before adopting a dog

The American Humane Assocation has dubbed October as the national adopt-a-dog month, and there are multiple East County animal shelters and rescues to find a new family member and give a homeless dog a forever home. 

However, before you pick up a pup from the pound, here are five things to think about:

1. Try to choose a dog that fits your lifestyle. If you have a big yard, if you’re active — do your research. If you’re an avid runner or like to do things outside, breed mixes such as labs like to do things like that. Also consider a dog's age: older dogs are usually more calm and take less work to care for than puppies. 

2. Bring in your whole family — including other pets — to meet the potential dog at the shelter. The whole family needs to agree about the new addition. Many adoptable dogs are strays, so rescue staff may not know their histories. Sometimes the meet-and-greet is when staff finds out how a dog interacts with kids and other dogs; Depending on this, the dog may or may not be the right choice for your family.

3. Consider the time you have and how much you travel – if you don’t have a lot of time, think about how much you can contribute to your new dog. Think about finding a doggy daycare for days when you have to be gone for a large chunk of the day.

4. Check with your landlord or homeowners association before looking for a dog. It's not uncommon for either a landlord or HOA to impose breed or weight restrictions on the dogs allowed within a community. 

5. A dog is a lifetime commitment. Dogs can live to be 16 or 17, need regular veterinary care, and can cost $500 or more annually for basic needs. That doesn't include unexpected costs like an extraordinary illness or injury. Are you able to financially commit to another living being right now?

Lastly: Are you wavering on getting a dog, or still not sure about making the commitment? Consider being a foster. Most shelters and rescues have a program which allow people to temporarily keep a dog (or cat!) into their home when they are sick, injured or stressed, or when the shelter is too full. Some organizations will provide food, and most will cover any vet bills. 

Still not a dog person? Don't forget about cats! Nate's Honor Animal Rescue is having a special $5 adoption fee on cats in Octo-purr.

These tips were collected from Lori Belle, shelter manager for the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch and Karen Slomba, Associate Director at Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue.