getting a puppy

Following on from Bear's five minutes of fame, I thought it was only fair that Pepe got his chance to shine too. When Petplan got in touch and asked if I'd be interested sharing my #Pethoodstory, naturally I jumped at the chance to talk about my newest furry son.
I thought the best way to go about it (without just sitting here gushing about how great he is) was to talk about the highs and lows of getting a puppy, as well as a few things to note if you're thinking of doing the same.
So, a bit of a back story; I'd wanted a pug for what felt like forever, but in 2013 I stumbled upon Tako on Instagram and knew I needed one of these funny faced little friends first. I spent years planning, but with being at uni and living in rented housing, I could never take the plunge. Low and behold, whilst doing my weekly rounds on websites for Brussels Griffons, I found two lil lads in need of a new home. I rang my mum, flapping and of course was told not to be so ridiculous. Three weeks later, Pepe was in the back of my car on the way back to London.  *I'm going to pop in here that I was comfortably self employed at this point!
It all sounds pretty romantic, and to be honest it was. I've grown up with dogs so knew what to expect, and obviously I have had Bear for five years so was used to some responsibility, but then the reality of suddenly having a tiny furry puppy that needed constant love and affection hit. Having a dog is very different to a cat, it's a lot more work, a lot more walks and a fair amount more poop (sorry).  Things to consider when thinking if a puppy is right, right now:

• Can you be with him/her a lot? Puppies get separation anxiety if left alone a lot and need to build a routine. Usually not possible without a dog walker, or someone to look after them if you're employed full time.
• Are you ready to commit 10-20 years of your life? Nothing bothers me more than people getting pets for vanity reasons, and then later rehoming them or worse, abandoning them. They're a tiny member of the family and should be treated as such. As much as I'd like to have got rid of my sister, the premise is the same.
• Can you afford to insure, feed and pay for all the miscellaneous costs that come with a puppy? They're definitely not cheap! Insurance is a must in my opinion, as well as picking good food based on their size and requirements etc.

They're a few things to think about if you're about to take the plunge, and they're all totally worth it for the endless love and accidents on the carpet, promise! Pepe is an absolute joy, and honestly just seeing the smile he puts on everyone's faces is so worth it. I can't take him anywhere without someone stopping us to say hello, even if he does often woof in their face.

Now onto the fun stuff! Petplan have given me the chance to giveaway a £150 Amazon voucher (lots of good dog things on there) to one of you guys! They're asking you to share your Pethood Stories and fill in the below form. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is in collaboration but all love for small animals and views are my own!

lots of love xxx

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