Bringing a dog into your life is about far more than daily walks, a good-quality diet, and a cozy place to sleep. For new dog owners, the excitement often comes with a flood of questions and information to navigate before a dog ever sets paw in your home. Whether you’re adopting from a shelter or rescue, or welcoming a puppy from a breeder, understanding what lies ahead is key to starting your life together on the right foot.
Aside from the normal things you need to know about training, etc. what else should you understand before becoming a dog owner?

Breed Traits and Individual Needs

It’s not about stereotyping your dog; it’s about understanding how their natural breed traits will influence their behavior. A beagle, for example, needs stimulation with lots of scent work and long walks they can sniff on to appease this part of their behavior.

A high-drive dog from working lines, for example, will need far more than a couple of daily walks and a comfortable spot on the sofa. These dogs are bred for purpose and thrive on structure, stimulation, and meaningful activity.

When a dog’s natural instincts and energy levels aren’t properly channeled, they tend to find their own outlets—and that’s where problems arise. Unmet needs can lead to behaviors like herding or nipping in herding breeds, or serious household destruction in highly driven dogs such as Belgian Malinois, who require both physical exercise and mental engagement to stay balanced.

Toxic Foods, Plants, and Household Risks

As well as knowing what is good for your dog, you also need to know what poses a risk to their health. Everyone knows chocolate and grapes are a huge no-no for dogs, but did you know about xylitol, often found in sugar-free gum or described as birch gum in some foods, which is also toxic for dogs? Then there are onions, sago palms in yards, or lilies that can cause kidney failure in pets.

But it’s not just food and plants; essential oil diffusers can be dangerous to dogs, too, as can human medications such as ibuprofen. Knowing these things means you can do your best to keep them out of reach of your dog and, more importantly, get the right type of help fast should they accidentally ingest any toxins.

How to Get Emergency Care

Much like humans, dogs experience medical emergencies out of hours. And while you might have a good vet, if they don’t offer out-of-office emergency services or they can’t fit you in during the day with an emergency, you’re stuck.

Make it your business to know where you can get emergency care, the distance from your home, and the costs and services included. Even better, see if there is an emergency vet near you who offers mobile services if you don’t have access to transport to get you to an emergency vet office.

Subtle Changes

Pet owners become attuned to the normal behavior of their pets after some time. This is completely natural. But it’s worth knowing the importance of any changes to usual behaviors or activity levels.

• Increased lethargy or excessive sleeping can be an indicator of health issues
• Aggression over things they have never been aggressive over in the past
• Posture changes can indicate pain
• Drinking more water, weight changes, appetite shifts, and changes in stool consistency can all be indicators of health issues

From minor short-term ailments to longer-lasting, more serious concerns. The more attention you pay to their behavior, the easier it will be to tell when something isn’t quite right.