5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE ADOPTING A DOG

I like to think of it as his old man bow tie. Let's just cut that. Hey, and welcome to the channel. Today we're gonna be talking about the things I wish I knew before adopting a dog. Adopting a dog can be amazing and wonderful and really fulfilling, but there are some things that I was not anticipating that hit me like a slap in the face. So I'm gonna let you know what those things are so that you can be better prepared when you get your rescue dog. If you do have a rescue dog already and you can relate to any of these experiences or if you have anything new that you think that I missed, please leave that in the comments section below. I would love to hear about it. Make sure that you subscribe to our channel and hit that notification bell so that you know when we upload new videos. So let's get to those points. I wish that I would have known how expensive a dog is. First of all, there's the cost of actually adopting him, which is a couple hundred bucks. Then there's the vet bills, the food, the toys, the yearly checkups, the pet sitting and the dog walks from when I'm gone. There's just, it goes on and on. And of course, expensive is a relative term, but for a 20-something who's recently out of university, it's kind of expensive. So make sure that you do look into how much it costs to have a dog per year so that you can factor that into your budget before you bring your dog home. Some people will opt into pet insurance for if there's any medical emergencies for their dog, and this is a great idea, but do remember that this doesn't cover pre-existing conditions. Other people will open up a bank account that's specifically for their dog, and that's also a really great option. Having a dog takes up a lot of time. It's like having a part-time job. You need to walk them, you need to feed them, keep them stimulated throughout the day, give them tons and tons of cuddles. It really takes up a huge chunk of your day. So make sure that before you get your dog, you're prepared to devote all that time that they need in order to have a happy life. You'll have to sacrifice some of your social life. Gone are the days where I used to go to school, then go to the gym, and then go hang out with friends all in one day, keeping it super busy. Now, I have to factor my dog into that to make sure that he's getting the care that he needs. So more often than not, what I'll do is I'll invite friends over to my house, or then I suggest that we go to a place that's pet-friendly so that I could care for him, but also get that social time in. And I will be the first to admit that before getting a dog, my social life wasn't particularly hectic. So for me, getting a dog meant that I always had a friend around. So if you're a homebody, then having a dog and having that excuse to stay home will be perfect for you. You'll never sleep in ever again. Dogs like to wake up with the sun, and they don't like to hang around while you get your beauty sleep. Django wakes up at about 7.30 every morning, in which time he will come to the bed, bark in my face, and then jump up on the bed to wake me up until I take him for his walk. So if you like to sleep in, make sure that you're prepared to shift your schedule to accommodate your dog, even if that means taking him out for a walk and then jumping back under the covers. Luckily for me, I am a morning person, so I appreciate that little alarm clock, even if it's a bark in my face. You're going to hate your dog sometimes, and that's okay. There's gonna be times that you feel like your dog is holding you back, you're gonna be tired, you're gonna be frustrated, and sometimes you're just gonna hate your dog. It's okay to admit it, it doesn't make you a bad dog owner, and as long as the love outweighs the frustration, then I think you're in a pretty good place. Thanks for watching. If you're thinking about adopting a dog, make sure that you know what you're getting into before you bring the dog home. And if you have a dog already and you can relate to any of these things, make sure that you give this video a thumbs up and subscribe to the channel. Me and Jango will see you next time.