A Puppy or a Dog - A Male or a Female?

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     You may already have considered what breed of dog you would like to get, but have you given much thought to the age of the dog. Do you want a small puppy that is from 8 to 10 weeks old, one that is 6 months old or even one that is a year or older? Although many people usually are looking for a puppy when they consider getting a pet, some do not care if the dog is between the small puppy stage and adult stage.

A full grown dog can be less maintenance. They are not fed as many times as puppies. They do not have to go through the monthly check up or at least every 6 weeks that most veterinarians want the puppies to go through. Sometimes you might luck out and get a dog that has already been trained or partially trained. On the other hand, you might get one that has had no training whatsoever.

A puppy is so cute and they whimper like babies and everyone feels the need to mother this puppy. That is generally what is associated with buying a puppy. Sometimes, unless you have patience that is abundant, a new puppy can be frustrating. They often will cry all night because they miss their brothers and sisters and their mother, they are in a strange place, they want to be held and cuddled and the list can go on and on.

So, unless you are up for the all-nighters and the constant cleaning after a puppy, you might be better off to go with an older dog. Puppies also have to go through all the vaccinations whereas an older dog may just need a booster every now and then. Puppies will need to be fed several times a day just like babies.

Puppy proofing your home will be another part of bringing home a new puppy. They are notorious for chewing on everything within sight and you may want to purchase a crate and begin training him right away. An adult dog can benefit from a crate as well, but they are not typically chewing everything unless you get one that is just a chewer.

The question of male or female is another thing that will have to be considered. Unless it just does not matter to you one way or another so you choose the one that stands out in the crowd without a though of whether you are getting a male puppy or a female puppy. There are some people who want a certain kind so unless there is a particular reason, you may not care either way.

Many times a particular sex is chosen because the owners had this sex before in a pet. They may have had a really good experience with this pet and feel that they would like to have another female puppy or another male for this reason. Regardless of whether you get a female or a male, a puppy or a full grown dog, the responsibility is still the same.