Advice before getting a dog

Getting a dog is a lot like having a child in the way it will change your life, except YOU have control over when a dog comes in to your life. A lot of people get a dog before thinking about all of these things that will change/become part of your life (including myself).

1. You will never be able to leave spur of the moment ANYWHERE. No more vacations because you want to, every vacation will have to be planned months in advance so you can afford a kennel or find a dogsitter.
2. You will be only away from your dog for the length of time they can control their bladder.
3. Everything you own will be covered in dog hair, no matter how hard you try to keep things clean.
4. Everything you treasure may and will become a chew toy. Don't get attached to objects.
5. You will never be alone. Forget private bathroom time, sleep time, or tv time.
6. There will be someone watching you have sex, no matter how disturbing you think that is. Its what dogs do
7. You will get jumped on, have to pick up dog poop, and wipe up unsightly messes on your brand new carpet.
8. You are a parent, and everything is your fault.
9. You will have to stand in snowstorms, rain storms and hail storms while your dog doesn't do their business.
10. You will have to watch them grow old and die, it is highly unlikely that a dog lives past 18. This also means that the next 18 years of your life will be spend with a furry tumor.

Also here are some things you should do before getting a dog.

1. Spend the whole night out without worrying what is happening back home (you will never be able to do this again)
2. Drive somewhere, park your car for 8 hours and leave the windows up
3. RESEARCH and be honest. Don't get a higher energy dog because you think it will motivate you to walk more. It won't, and you will be miserable.
4. Don't get a rescue dog unless you are willing to have a dog with baggage.
5. Don't get a puppy mill dog, unless you want it to die early and cost you a lot of money.
6. Think if you would be willing to live with yourself if you had to give away the dog, the dog died under your watch or you had to surrender your dog for any reason. At some point in your dog's life you will consider it, I promise you. Before I had a dog I couldn't fathom how people could just give their dogs away. Now I know that no matter how much you love dogs, if it isn't the right fit it never will be.