John & Kate Plus 8 and 2 Puppies

I have to admit I, like every other American, have been inclined to watch Jon and Kate once or twice. I usually enjoy watching Jon and Kate attempt to take on their eight children but I found a recent episode a bit alarming. John and Kate decided to get not one but two German Shepherd puppies for Christmas. A puppy should never be a present. Deciding to add a dog to your family should be a well thought out decision. A puppy is a huge, long-lasting and costly commitment. It was completely irresponsible of Jon and Kate to be so unprepared and bringing home two dogs on a whim. There are so many things to consider before you even think of adopting or purchasing a dog.

You should first ask yourself why you want a pet. You need to consider that a dog can live for 10 to 20 years. Adopting a dog because your kids have been bugging you for one can end up being a huge mistake. Jon and Kate have two eight year olds and six four year olds. Children this young will not be able to care for those two puppies on their own. You have to understand that you will be responsible for your dogs care for their own life. This can be quite expensive, especially if your dog becomes ill.

Dogs, especially puppies, can get into a lot of trouble if they are not supervised properly. The Gosselins apparently have a problem with that since shortly after they bought their dogs home their female pup, Nala, ended up having surgery because she ate one of the kid's toys. It was quite obvious that Jon was not listening to the vets after surgery care instructions for Nala. After bringing Nala home she was allowed to go outside and wrestle with Shooka, the male pup, unsupervised. Any good pet owner knows that playing, running, or anything that could rip stitches is a big no-no after surgery.

A puppy should never be an impulse buy. You should research different breeds and if decide to get a purebred dog you should always research breeders. You should never get a dog from a backyard breeder like Jon and Kate did. Just being AKC registered is not enough. A good breeder respects that getting a dog is an extremely important decision and will not push you to take a puppy home. Jon and Kate could have used this opportunity to adopt a shelter dog. According to PetFinder.com there are over 7,000 German Shepard and German Shepard mixes available for adoption. With so many shelter dogs waiting for a forever home prospective pet owners should think about checking out their local animal shelter before buying from a breeder.

Deciding to add a dog to your family is a wonderful but stressful event. You should always make sure that you have the room, time, and financial means to care for your pet through their life. Jon and Kate have set the perfect example of how not to get a puppy. For more information on how to properly adopt a pet you can visit Pet Finder or contact your local animal rescue organization. Once you have made the decision to get a dog or puppy, you can find everything you need and more from dog collars to dog clothesat Doggie Vogue.