A retired persons best friend
Retirement is a time for big plans and new opportunities! Having more time and freedom means that you can enjoy new activities and change your life in many ways when you retire – whether you want to move to more suitable housing like these Gloucester park homes for sale or take up a new hobby, there are suddenly lots of opportunities open to you!
Something that many people look forward to once they aren’t out at work for long hours is the chance to have a dog. Dogs are loyal companions and are rewarding pets. They also will help to keep you fit into retirement as you will need to walk them every day! If this is something that you are planning on doing, here is a good guide to getting your new dog to share your retirement years with….
The first thing to consider when you are looking for a dog is your lifestyle as this will influence what sort of dog you should go for. Different breeds will have different requirements and energy levels, so it is a good idea to do some research into different breeds and not just base your choice on what they look like!
If you are getting a puppy, it is best to contact a breed club who will put you in touch with good breeders who will be able to give you more information. If you decide to go down the rescue route, the rescue will be able to match you with a dog that is suitable for your lifestyle.
You should also factor in the cost of owning a dog. As well as the obvious things such as food, there will be an initial expense for the equipment that you will need – for example a cage for the car if you plan on taking your dog out in it, bedding and toys etc. There are also the healthcare costs – it is a good idea to get insurance which will cover illness and injury, and most vets will do a package where you pay a set amount that covers vaccinations, microchipping and flea and worm treatments too.
Be aware that puppy farms are something that sadly exist, and dogs are kept in inhumane conditions and treated badly so that unscrupulous people can make money. Take care to avoid buying a dog from somewhere like this. It can be hard as they have become very good at creating convincing advertisements and websites for selling dogs, but there are often warning signs if you know what to look for that this could well be a puppy farm.
Training your dog is important as you will need them to be well behaved both in and out the home – look into local dog training classes that you can join. These are also a great way to meet other dog owners and learn new things.
