10 Things You Need to Know Before Getting a Pet Dog / Cat

Last Updated on 2022-10-08 , 11:47 am

Have you always wanted to own a furry pet? A cat after you watched all the Garfield movies, or a dog after sitting at the cinema crying like a kid at A Dog’s Purpose.

Yes, owning a dog or cat is all fun, but before you get yourself one, THINK about these 10 things.

Dogs Live For More Than 10 Years
Your little pup will be with you through its baby years, teenage life, adulthood and old age. Consider it like having a kid. You’re responsible for its care throughout its lifetime, and 10 years (and counting!) is a lot of time. Cats can live for up to 18 years, btw!

Pets Need Haircuts, Too
Yes, your dog or cat needs to be groomed once in a while to ensure that its fur is not matted up and knotted. You want your pet to look and feel good just like you do, right? Well, for some dogs and cats, grooming can cost S$30 onwards.

Does Having A Pet Suit You?
Are you someone who’s always coming back late after work and constantly out for meetups? You need to see if you have enough time to care for your dog (or cat) too. You don’t want to come back to your cushions torn to bits just because you left the fella alone, and he got frustrated, right?

Is There Enough Space for It?
Yes, your pet needs its own living quarters. Don’t forget that for dogs you’ll also need to make time to take it out for walks, if not it will get depressed.

Cleaning Up After The Poop
You have to do the dirty job of picking up your pet’s poop and disposing of it. You don’t want someone else to step on your dog’s poop and come after you, right?

Adopt La
There are many societies to adopt a pet from instead of purchasing. Adopting saves a life and also drops down the number of strays. But this would mean one thing: you don’t get to choose your breed as you desire. Are you prepared for that?

Permission for Dogs
You will need to comply with certain rules and regulations before getting a dog. For one, licensing is required. If you stay at an HDB and have a small breed dog without a license, you could be fined for up to S$4,000!

Train Your Pet
Dogs and cats can be trained, but it needs patience and a lot of love and well, treats too. The good thing is if you’ve toilet trained your pet, you don’t have to worry about it messing up your house la.

Food Costs
Yes, food is also going to cost you money, so it’s just right that you take note of it. You’re looking at S$75 onwards as a monthly dog food bill, depending on its size. Raw diets (which is better for your canine) start at S$200 onwards.

Health and Other Expenses
You’ve got to think of vaccination fees, sudden illnesses and spaying if need be. Then there are vitamins and dog shampoo to bathe your dog with. Ear solution to keep your cat’s ears clean. An annual cost of this runs to a few hundreds, but varies from one pet to another.

Yup, it’s a lot of things to think about. But truth be told, having a pet is a companion that brings really fun memories and lots of laughter.

So, do you want a cat or a dog? Or maybe you should ask yourself: can you afford the time and money to take care of one?

That cat or dog is your pet, but to it, you’re its everything.

Featured Image: Gladskikh Tatiana / Shutterstock.com