A PUPPY IS NOT A TOY
- A puppy is a living being whose physical demands must be constantly met
- A puppy needs more sleep than a human infant
- A puppy is breakable and harder to fix than a broken toy
A PUPPY IS NOT A TEACHING AID
- A puppy is not to be used to instill responsibility in children
A PUPPY IS NOT CHEAP
- A puppy incurs veterninary bills - both for routine vaccinations and exams and for emergencies
- A puppy can cause damage to your neighbor's property that need to be replaced/repaired
A PUPPY IS NOT A SPUR - OF - THE - MOMENT ACQUISITION
- A puppy has a distinct personality - every breed has charachteristics of temperment and some of these traits may not fit your lifestyle
- A puppy's breeding may be prone to physical problems such as hip dysplasia, ear cankers and eye anomalies - if you are aware of these problems, you can do a more intelligent job of selecting a pet
- A puppy needs to be planned for - animal shelters are bulging with dogs who were acquired for the wrong reasons or without sufficient thought or investigation
A PUPPY IS NOT A GIFT
- A puppy needs to be selected by his/her future owner rather than by someone else - it's a matter of chemistry, like love at first sight.
A PUPPY IS NOT SELF-CLEANING
- A puppy has a tendency to make a mess - puddles on the rugs, vomiting occasionally, dog hair on furniture and clothing
- A puppy may need to be groomed on a regular basis - even into adulthood
A PUPPY IS NOT AN ADULT DOG
- A puppy has neither the physical nor the mental ability to perform as an adult dog would
- A puppy cannot go for long periods of time without relieving himself/herself
- A puppy cannot tolerate harsh training methods nor can he/she differentiate between what is chewable and what is not
- A puppy cannot make any distinction between food and objects that should not be swallowed
- A puppy will cry during his/her first night or two in the new home - puppies require patience and understanding from everyone in the family
A PUPPY IS NOT A PUPPY FOR LONG
- A puppy will grow up very soon - first into a gangly unattractive adolescent, then into an adult: be sure that you will love the adult form just as much as you love the puppy form.
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