Need a Puppy!!

If you decide you really want a puppy (they are A LOT of work, and hyper), look on www.petfinder.com. You can see all of the puppies and dogs available at local shelters and from rescue groups. There are thousands of homeless animals in our area that need families. I am telling you, from experience, that puppies require a lot of dedication. You can not take impromptu day trips, as someone has to be able to take the puppy out to the bathroom. You may want to consider an older dog that is already house trained. Puppies pee all over the floor. If you got a smaller breed, your kids might think it is a puppy. Honestly, though, really assess if your lifestyle can handle the needs of a dog. Cats are much easier to care for. Also, keep in mind that even if you find a "free" puppy..or cat for that matter, they are not free at all. Any young animal needs to go to the vet 3 times for their visits and immunizations. This can quickly add up to $400.00. Also, unless you want more puppies in the future, you will have to pay for the spay or neuter surgery. Just some things to think about.

I would suggest going to your local animal shelter or rescue league. There are so many dogs out there that need homes. There WILL be some sort of fee for vaccinations or spaying, neutering etc etc, but it is normally pretty minimal.
If you do get a puppy for free, please keep in mind that the maintenace and responsibility of a pet will cost you money throughout it's lifetime, but it will be worth it in the long run. Good luck!

Hi S.,
I would suggest going to your local humane society (tricountyhumane.org & hspb.org are both great) or shelter. There are so many fabulous dogs that need homes. I got my dog at a local rescue shelter www.rescuerehabhome.org, she is the best dog, great with kids (I have 5 month old) and has realy become part of the family. While they are not free (tough to find a free dog, especially puppy), they only charge a small adoption fee, typically between $50-$150, much much cheaper than puppy stores. Just make sure you spend a lot of time with the dog/puppy at the shelter and have your kids spend time with the dog before you decide to adopt to make sure it's the right fit and type of dog for your family. Good luck and have fun with your new pup!

Hi S.,

I would think really hard about getting a puppy. There A LOT of work and dedication... You have to potty train them, get them through the chewing stages, deal with them being really hyper, and A LOT of attention and disipline. After you think about all of that and still decide you want one, I would 100% adopt from a Rescue, Humane Society ( Palm Beach Humane Society or Broward County Humane Society). or you can go to www.petfinder.com and look for a dog that fits the best match of your family. Maybe a dog thats house broken and 2 or 3 years old would be good for your family. We just adopted a dog that was 4 years old and she's the BEST.. I didn't have to deal with her having potty accidents all over my house and she's already calm... GOOD LUCK!!!