I think around your mid 20s you start getting an itch for a puppy. You definitely don’t want kids because you’re not ready for that. However, a cute puppy to cuddle with, a companion to have around the apartment, and a reason to change your lifestyle, all sound very appealing to most 20-somethings I know. It sure sounded appealing to us! Dave and I talked about getting a dog for over a year before we decided to commit to Samson. He’s been the best dog for us in many ways, however, it’s not always sweet snuggles and puppy dog eyes. He is a living, breathing, biting teething animal after all and that, can be a lot of work.

If you’re thinking about getting a puppy, here are some things that we thought about before committing to our furry little friend. I hope this helps you decide if you are ready for that new puppy you’ve always wanted. After all, I really do think dogs are the best companions (sorry, cat people).

1.) Can you devote time to your puppy?

Puppies require a lot of time and energy. I think it’s really important to think about how the puppy will fit into your lifestyle. Are you able to be home during the day to let him out, feed him and give him the attention he needs? Do you have time to train him? Do you travel a lot? Do you have a yard? And if not, are you willing to take the puppy out on walks? I know the travel thing was huge for us. Dave and I like to travel and we try to travel as often as we can. This was the biggest concern for me, but after hearing all the outreach from family and friends saying they’d watch our pup, it really put my mind at ease knowing that he would be in good hands while we were out of town.

2.) Do the pros outweigh the cons?

I think it’s always helpful to write a pro/con list when making big decisions. However, in this case, our cons outweighed the pros. Our BIG pro was “a cute and cuddly friend to always play with” but this was outweighed by, “vet bills, good quality dog food is expensive, dogs need lots of attention, etc.” It’s that heart vs. head battle thing, you know? We were able to come up with a few solid solutions to the cons, like eating out less and cutting back on coffee runs. These small solutions helped us decide that the cons weren’t actually cons, they were just ways we needed to adjust our lifestyle in order to have our puppy.

3.) Is a puppy top of mind?

Are you constantly thinking about what life would be like with a doggie friend? Getting a puppy was SO top of mind for us. Dave and I love going on walks downtown. I don’t think there was one walk we took pre-Samson without saying, “Aw, how fun would this walk be if we had a puppy to share it with!”

4.) What’s your motivation for getting a dog?

Dogs bring a lot of good laughs and a lot of cute pictures to post on Instagram, but more than that, I really wanted a dog so that I could have a companion around the house. With Dave working late in the evenings, it gets lonely and I simply wanted a friend to keep me company.

5.) Are you financially ready to support a dog?

The truth is, puppies are money. You know you’re ready for a puppy if you’re financially off the ramen noodle diet and have some money you’re willing to spare on a pup. I’m going to be totally honest and transparent here, since getting Samson we’ve spent a total of $1,739.87 on him. He’s expensive, huh? And we’ve only had him for 2 months! I know, some of it could have been cut out, like the doggie sweater vests, but I don’t think we’ve gone too overboard on his expenses. Most of it turned out to be vet bills and making sure he got his puppy shots.

6.) Is there really ever going to be the “right” time?

I know there are so many things to consider before getting a puppy, but to be honest, when it came down to deciding whether we were going to get a dog, we looked at each other and said, “there’s never going to be a perfect time.” Sometimes, you just have to go for it. We started 2015 in a rough spot, we were going through an extremely difficult time and had a lot of hurdles thrown our way. This year, we said to ourselves we’d start 2016 in a good spot and if that meant getting a puppy, we would do it. All because it makes us happy. And besides, coming home to a wagging tail is the BEST thing ever.

So now, who’s thinking of getting a new puppy?

Also, if you want a dog but your apartment doesn’t allow for one, check out this cool app that lets you borrow dogs. Brilliant idea, right?!