Many people dream of having their own dog since childhood. But unfortunately, often the circumstances of life do not fit the dog desire, because a few requirements for dog ownership should already be met. A dog needs a lot of time, care and money. Therefore, you should rather think once too much about whether a dog fits your current living situation.

The most important points are:

• Are all family members positive about a dog? A dog can be very present and should therefore not be perceived as a disturbing factor by anyone in the household.
• Is at least one adult in your household willing to take primary responsibility for a dog? While children are often the ones who want a dog, they should not be expected to be able and willing to care for the dog for its entire life.
• Do you and/or your family enjoy being outdoors – even in bad weather? Even small dogs need daily exercise. Someone who is very sensitive to temperature or generally does not like to be outdoors should reconsider wanting a dog.
• Dogs are pack animals and by nature do not like to be alone. A few hours a day is of course still no problem for most dogs, but longer than about five hours a dog should only have to stay alone in exceptional cases. Therefore, you should consider in advance whether organizationally possible in their family.
• Does someone in your family tend to animal hair allergies? Then you should definitely have another allergy test for dog hair.
• Do you like to fly to distant countries on vacation? Then you should already consider before the acquisition, where then your dog will be accommodated. Of course, vacations with dogs are also possible, but they bring with them some restrictions regarding the means of travel, the accommodation and the destination.
• Does your housing situation allow you to keep a dog? If you live for rent, you should definitely clarify whether dog keeping has been prohibited in the rental agreement.
• Depending on the breed and character, it can take a lot of effort to train your dog to be a reliable companion. This can cost money, time and a lot of nerves.
• Once your dog is sick, the dog needs to see a veterinarian. If lengthy treatments, expensive medications or surgeries become necessary, it can quickly become expensive. It is best to always have an emergency budget for this.
• Puppies, illnesses and old age may also require them to do unpleasant chores such as cleaning up feces, urine or vomit. Likewise, they may have to administer pills, ointments or shots.