I remember most of the dogs while growing up in my family's house, each one with their own unique name, normally Disney themed. They gave us great joy and headaches but they all have now crossed the rainbow bridge. There was Ariel, Captain Jack Sparrow, Belle, Sundae, and more. I can say there was always animals around growing up and they influenced my childhood greatly. They taught us how to care for another living creature, to feed, walk, and pick up poop. They also teach emotional lessons like unconditional love, joy for the little things, and even how to handle death.

Today, I want to share my 3 secrets to finding the perfect family pet. 

Let's dive into it! 

1) First, growing up my family had lots of ideas of what type of dog best suited them, Yellow labs, German shepherds, Boxers, Small dogs, mixed rescues, and others. They each taught varies lessons from potty training accidents, how many walks they need, and how much training they require to stop bad behaviors. This means that the first step for you when selecting the perfect family pet is deciding your NWWAM (Needs, Wants, Wounds, Authority, and Money)

To quickly address these, sit down with your family, roommates or yourself, if you're living alone, and ask these questions. 

Why do you need a dog at this moment?
What do you want to do, go, or achieve with this pet?
What problems or challenges have come up with past pets?
Who is going to be the leader or primary caretaker?
How much do you want to spend on breed, food, training, toys? 

P.S. It's a nice idea to make a kid the primary caretaker, but realistically they are better at supporting than leading, that means either mom or dad needs to take 100 percent responsibility to lead. Schedules and charts can help delegate, and yet ultimately the responsibility is the parents. No matter what a kid may have promised during an emotional moment.

2) Next, use google efficiently and search for low energy dogs or high energy dogs, dog activities and sports, training approaches and trainers, rescues or responsible breeders. This is just the beginning of your google searches, later they'll include can my dog eat xyz, best dog friendly hikes or restaurants, how to stop jumping, barking, pulling, etc. There are many stories online to learn from and it is important to take your time and find the temperament that suits you and your family.

3) Finally, block off at least 1 week or even 1 month to help your perfect family pet and you adjust. I want to warn you that there will be sleepless nights at first, accidents to clean, and a whole new way of life everyone will need to get used to. This is an experience and requires courage to stick with it, do power to overcome obstacles, and activity that you aren't used to yet. I know if you are here you already have all of these, now use them to guide this puppy to be everything you want!

P.S. The best gifts a dog can give are the ones we don't want but need. Remember, you can appreciate the moments that make you want to scream, just by noticing your breath and knowing someone else has overcome this challenge and so will you!