Can I keep the stray dog?

Most of the times it’s your child who comes home holding a bag of fur and eventually full of fleas. It’s not only the dog that will give you puppy eyes, begging for the animal to stay and be a member of the family. You are thus put in a difficult position of taking a hard decision. What should you do?

First of all think that the dog can be a runaway and some other kid is looking for his best friend. So make some posters and put them over the neighborhood, because he shouldn’t come from too far. Wait for someone to claim him, so that you don’t take someone else’s pet. If you make a phone call, explain to your child that it’s better for the dog to be with his first master, because otherwise he will suffer and no one wants a crying pet.

If nobody claims the dog, you can now decide of you want to keep him or not. It’s not a matter if you love animals but more of how will he be taken care of. Who will be the main caregiver? If it’s your child – most kids want to take care of their pets because they consider them more as best friends – think about what he knows about being a caregiver to a dog. Teach him what a dog needs - besides love: he needs to be fed and give water regularly, exercise and going to the vet. When I say exercise, I don’t mean only playing, but also walking him, playing Frisbee or even taking him to agility courses if you have the financial means. Exercise is necessary for his health, so don’t ignore it when you don’t have the time!

Taking in a stray dog means besides having one more family member. It means more responsibility, more money spent and time too. Before taking this decision, you should think about if he has an illness so take him as soon as possible to a vet to make the necessary tests and give him a shot. Besides all these things you should now be glad of your new companion, don’t think of him as extra costs but as an endless provider of unconditional love and devotion. If taken care well, he will live a healthy and happy life besides you!