A puppy is a living being
who has a need for love and proper care for the rest of his
life. A puppy is especially vulnerable to broken bones and
other injuries from careless treatment.
A
puppy is not a teaching aid
A puppy should not be
obtained to instill a sense of responsibility in children.
It is unfair to place an animal's entire well being in the
hands of children. Feeding, grooming, housebreaking, and
discipline training of an animal should be the principal
responsibilities of adults. Responsibility training of
children is better left for household tasks, where a
helpless animal's needs are not at stake.
A
puppy is not cheap
Purchase price is a mere
pittance compared to the cost of veterinary care for routine
and emergency treatment over a dog's life, as well as
licensing fees and damages to personal property which are
bound to occur.
A
puppy is not a gift or a spur-of-the-moment commitment
Animal shelters are
overrun with dogs who were acquired for the wrong reasons or
without sufficient investigation and personal commitment.
A
puppy is not self cleaning
A
puppy is not an adult dog
Having neither the
physical nor the mental abilities of an adult dog, a puppy
cannot wait long periods of time before relieving himself,
nor differentiate between what is a toy, and what isn't, nor
distinguish between digestible and dangerous objects. They
require patience, understanding, and supervision just as
with human infants and young children. A puppy doesn't
mature into an adult dog for at least two years. If you work
and don't have time for training and play, get an older dog.
A
puppy is not a puppy forever
