A dog is my spirit animal. If I were Khaleesi then instead of dragons, i would have prefered to have my fur babies. More than human kids, it’s the puppies that make my heart flutter and turn the inside all gooey. And i belive that the tribe of canine lovers is expanding, especially in India. What’s more, I have read about few women, who defying their biological clocks, picked up fur-babies to rear and to nurture. So if you are like me, who wants to mother dozens of dogs in future ( human babies notwithstanding), the following 5 points may come as a handy guidebook.
- Eat, read and sleep dogs ( not literally)
Before a baby is born, what a prospective, Google-loving mother does? Obviously, she will go through countless articles, forums, blogs that document A-Z information related baby. Whether its baby care to baby psychology, you won’t leave any stone unturned to be fully prepared before your bundle of joy arrives at your lap. Won’t you do same for your dog baby? In order to become a mom of a dog ( or dogs), who can make learned decisions, one must do an extensive research in the internet. Maintaining your own pet related blog will make it easier for you to connect with other dog moms.
2. Adopt or buy?
Unlike human babies, adopting your fur babies is the new trend that is sweeping the dog world right now. Personally speaking, I am all for adopting a cute doggie who is looking for a safe home and some stability in life. There are plenty of Facebook pages dedicated to ‘pet adoption’ and they are run at metros in India. Based on your current location, you can join such a page. I have gone through posts of dog owners who have adopted their four-legged baby from shelter homes and each of them expressed pure bliss and contentment through this decision.
On the other hand, if you are hell-bent on buying, do buy from a breed that is adaptable in the hot weather of India. Watching a husky , sticking his/her tongue out in a hot city park, is quite a pathetic sight.
3. Ask yourself some pertinent questions
Are you a working from home or commuting to office on a daily basis? Is your partner on the same page regarding bringing up a dog? Can you arrange for a dog sitter while both of you are away? Do you have any basic idea about the monthly dog expenses? These are few questions you need to answer first before you even think about bringing your furry bundle of joy. Also, who will take your pup for monthly vet visits? Is your partner comfortable with giving him/her a bath, brushing hair or taking your dog for a walk?
4. Make a list of things you need to buy for your dog
Bites, shampoo, meds, cot bed, brushes, towel- phew! The list is too long when it comes to provide your fur progeny with a good standard of living. Just like would be mommies and daddies go for shopping spree to welcome human babies, in similar fashion, your dog baby has a plethora necessities too. If you are tight on budget, then DIY projects for dog owners or sites selling second-hand dog commodities can be your life savers.
5. Make some room for your dog in your life
I have read few advice columns for women, who are not much sure about whether to have biological babies or not. For them, it is advised to do some voluntary work in nursery schools or babysit friends’ children. It is a good way to test patience and committment required to withstand a baby 24*7. In similar fashion, if you are in two minds regarding having a dog baby or not, you may test the waters by fostering your friend’s or neighbour’s dog in her absence, or may go for volunteering in a dog’s shelter home.
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