I'm thinking about adopting a dog (Shiba Inu), why should I not go through with this?

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virtualpc1234

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No this is not a loaded question, I can think of a number of reasons why I would like to adopt a dog but I want to make sure I'd be able to take care of him.

It would be really cool to play with him, chase him around the house and stuff. Plus, Shibas are insanely cute too!

I know I would need to take him out for a walk each day and keep him from getting into trouble with the other dogs in the neighborhood. And, while I'm not too crazy about having to do this in bad weather, I'm able and willing to do so. I also know that getting a dog means that I would no longer be able to spontaneously leave my house for an extended period of time (like for a weekend).

What am I missing, what other things do I need to consider and plan out before I make this decision? What are some reasons why I shouldn't adopt a dog?
 
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Unfortunately, I can't advise anything because I've never taken care about a dog. 😔
But I can wish you good luck! 💞😊
Please don't forget to share your feelings with us when you'll adopt a Shiba ☺️
 
Since you made the post on an animal sex site, I will describe that adopted dogs are often neutered. Also, the shiba inu is a medium size breed, so sexual penetration can also be a problem.
 
That's a good point, I've noticed that many adoption sites neuter/fix them as they come in. I found a few posts on Craigslist where people are looking to re-home their pets and some of them have not been fixed. Since I'm still on the fence about this I realize these particular offers might not be available for very long.

Though, tbh I haven't stopped thinking about this since I posted a few days ago. Maybe that's a sign that I should go through with this...
 
Things to think about. Vet bills aren't cheap, training effort, is it already crate trained, pre existing health problems they aren't telling you, pet sitters and boarding isn't cheap when you have to go away, your life schedule will change like waking earlier , after work attention and walks, shouldn't leave more than 6 hours at a time as an adult, much shorter as a puppy.

How old is the dog if youndont mind, a lot depends on that also. Also so as was said think about its neuter or spay status if you were planning on a sexual relationship.
 
Growing up with dogs and from having my own pet, here are a few things that I can think of to pick your brain when it comes to adopting a dog:

What is your plan for the dog when you need to leave for an extended amount of time? Leave them with family? Pet sitter(is this someone you trust?) Boarding? how much will it cost? (this will likely eventually happen)

How much can you afford for vet bills - how much are you willing to spend on your pets health? - consider starting a health fund for your pet

Are you financially stable? Is this a long term stability?

Do you own or are you renting?

Follow up for renting: What is it like trying to rent or find a pet friendly accommodation in your chosen area? What are the pet laws/rules/rights? How much is a pet damage deposit?

How much are you willing to spend on monthly expenses?, ie. Food, poop bags, toys, treats - is this a reasonable amount to be spending?

How much time/energy do you have after your typical life-maintenance stuff?(ie. Work, working out, cleaning, social time with friends, etc) is this enough time to spend with the dog? Walking, training, leisure
 
erphy said:
Things to think about. Vet bills aren't cheap, training effort, is it already crate trained, pre existing health problems they aren't telling you, pet sitters and boarding isn't cheap when you have to go away, your life schedule will change like waking earlier , after work attention and walks, shouldn't leave more than 6 hours at a time as an adult, much shorter as a puppy.

How old is the dog if you don't mind, a lot depends on that also. Also so as was said think about its neuter or spay status if you were planning on a sexual relationship.
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You bring up some good points, thanks! I've been talking with the owner off-and-on today and I've asked a few questions about the dog's routine and stuff (he's still available!). Though I hadn't thought to ask about his health.

It turns out the current owners have him in his crate most of the time, which is one of the reasons why they're trying to find a him a new home. Definitely understand the importance of not leaving him alone for too long either, I have a couple short trips planned for later this year (longest is for 6 days) and I'm thinking I would board him if I was able to adopt him.

Right now he's about a year and a half and he has not been neutered yet. Tbh, while I would be curious about seeing what he's got, I'm actually not looking for anything sexual right now. I would want him to get accustomed to me and his new environment before I even consider anything like that.
 
FtmKnotLover said:
Growing up with dogs and from having my own pet, here are a few things that I can think of to pick your brain when it comes to adopting a dog:

What is your plan for the dog when you need to leave for an extended amount of time? Leave them with family? Pet sitter(is this someone you trust?) Boarding? how much will it cost? (this will likely eventually happen)

How much can you afford for vet bills - how much are you willing to spend on your pets health? - consider starting a health fund for your pet

Are you financially stable? Is this a long term stability?

Do you own or are you renting?

Follow up for renting: What is it like trying to rent or find a pet friendly accommodation in your chosen area? What are the pet laws/rules/rights? How much is a pet damage deposit?

How much are you willing to spend on monthly expenses?, ie. Food, poop bags, toys, treats - is this a reasonable amount to be spending?

How much time/energy do you have after your typical life-maintenance stuff?(ie. Work, working out, cleaning, social time with friends, etc) is this enough time to spend with the dog? Walking, training, leisure
Click to expand...
Thank you for the feedback, and the thoughtful points you bring up.

My plan would be to board him when I need to leave home for an extended period of time. I own my house and I'm currently saving about 50-55% of my take-home pay each month, so while I don't have an explicit "pet fund" I'm already living below my means and could easily set one up when needed. Obviously I would want to minimize the monthly expenses on pet supplies where reasonable, but I would want to set aside a budget for extra treats and stuff.

Your point about time/energy is a good one, I generally don't do much outside of work but because I work from home most days I figure he would be a welcome change from my day-to-day routine. I'll be honest, I am a little apprehensive about committing to walking him every day but it's not like it's something I can't do - it's just never been part of my routine before.
 
Walking and playing with your dog are some.of the most enjoyable times you will have. If you have time and money taken care of, just bring love and caring with a willingness to learn about dog care and training and you will be set. Then when the time is right if ever you can explore intimacy if you like.
 
Not sure if you got him already, but this is a fantastic video to check out about the Shiba specifically - https://youtu.be/oq5NL9DLInc

This is a dog that you have to be very dedicated to training. They were originally bred to hunt, so prey drive is another thing you have to watch out for. This video ( https://youtu.be/bJP7XuHjp-Q ) is a larger in depth "about" video. If it's your first dog, I would advise caution. I won't warn you away, as people say all the time no one should get a Belgian Malinois for their first dog, but I'm doing fine with mine, because I'm putting in the work with him. Robert Cabral, Upstate Canine Academy, and Nate Schoemer are 3 fantastic resources for dog training on YouTube, and I have used all 3 channels for training my dog.
 
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