Introduction

We adopted our first dog, Jake, in 2012. We had been thinking about getting a dog for some time, but we wanted to make sure we were ready for the responsibility. When I got laid off in 2010 and started working from home as a freelancer, my wife and I decided it was finally time to welcome a furry friend into our household.

Our first dog, Jake

Our first dog was a Jack Russell Terrier named Jake. He was about 9 years old when we adopted him and came from a rescue organization in Colorado. Jake was the sweetest and most gentle dog, who loved to snuggle up next to you at night on the couch, occasionally waking you up by licking your face when he needed some water or bathroom breaks. Unfortunately, Jake died of natural causes in January 2015 after having been with us for just shy of two years.

The search

The search is the most important part of adopting a dog. It starts with looking at adoption agencies, shelters, and rescue groups to find a dog that fits your lifestyle and family.

• Search for an organization that supports your values and beliefs as well as a breed or mix of breeds that you enjoy.
• Once you’ve found some organizations in your area or online, reach out to them about their adoption process. Some may be willing to meet with you in person before allowing you to adopt from them, which can help them get a sense of what type of home environment would be best for the dog they have available (and vice versa). Some are willing to ship dogs across state lines if need be but many require adopters who live within driving distance so they can continue checking up on their pups after the adoption takes place.* Many shelters provide puppy socialization classes where puppies will learn basic obedience skills and play with other puppies their age—this helps reduce stressors like loneliness or confusion when being introduced into new environments later on in life!

The vet visit

Like any other pet, your dog will require regular vet visits. Before you bring TeddyBear to the vet for the first time, it’s important to prepare yourself and ensure that your dog is healthy and ready for this visit. Also make sure that you have all of the necessary information about him or her: name, age (younger than 1 year old), breed (if known), gender (male or female), weight (in pounds) and location where they were found.

The veterinary team will perform a physical exam on your dog to check their overall health status. You should bring along any medical records or history of your pet so that they can review them during the appointment. This will help them provide better care as well as determine if there are any underlying conditions that need treatment before adopting out TeddyBear into his forever home!

Adopting TeddyBear

TeddyBear is the name we chose for our dog.

I must say that it has been a great experience and the process was smooth. The dog we adopted seems to be happy with us, and he’s been a good addition to our family. We would do it again if we had to.

Finding a dog walker and dog trainer

Finding a dog walker and dog trainer can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Start by asking friends and family members if they know of anyone who could be a good fit for you. If that doesn’t work, look online at sites such as Yelp! or Angie’s List where people post their experiences with local businesses.

The next step is making sure your potential new hire is trustworthy and reliable. An employee should be able to provide references from past clients and ideally have experience with dogs in general, as well as your particular breed/mix (if applicable). They’ll also need to know the area well enough that they can find any hidden hazards when walking your pooch around town; they should also be comfortable with all kinds of weather conditions so that no matter what time of year it may be during walks there will always be options available for both human and canine companionship! Finally—and most importantly—your future employee needs

Having a dog has been one of the most rewarding experiences we’ve had.

Having a dog is a lot of work. Having a dog can be expensive. Having a dog can be stressful. And yet, having a dog can change your life for the better in ways you never imagined possible. It’s been almost five years since we adopted TeddyBear and he’s become one of our best friends and most cherished companions ever!

As we mentioned before, adopting TeddyBear was not something our family had planned on doing when he came into our lives as an emergency foster-to-adopt during Hurricane Sandy. We were already caring for another dog (a catahoula mix) at the time—and living in Brooklyn doesn’t offer much room for outdoor space for both dogs to run around together without getting tangled up in each other’s leashes or colliding into each other while playing fetch with their toys outside on the sidewalk—but it turned out that this special little guy had other plans: he would find his way back home with us whether we liked it or not!

Conclusion

We hope that this blog post has helped you learn more about the adoption process and what’s involved. We are lucky to have a dog in our family, and we would like to encourage everyone who is considering adopting their own furry friend! The benefits of having a dog are endless, but the best part is that they will be there for you no matter what happens.