Getting a dog

Regardless of which country you live in, there are lots of things you need to take into consideration before deciding to get a dog. The time commitments, costs (including unforesee) and whether it fits in with your lifestyle. You can find lots of general advice on getting a dog online, but here are some tips and advice specific to the Netherlands.

The initial cost of buying a dog can vary greatly depending on what sort of dog you would like and where you get it from. One option is to rescue a dog from an animal shelter. There are lots of animal shelters (dierenasiels) in the Netherlands, some are part of larger organisations, like Dierenbescherming and Stichting Dierenasiels, and others are run by independent organisations and charities. The cost of adopting a dog ranges from €75 up to €150, but most dogs will have been checked over by a vet, have a pet passport, micro-chip, and vaccinations and are often also spayed/neutered.

Shelter dogs tend to be on the older side, often put up for new homes because of changing circumstances, or behavioural problems, so it is important to visit the shelter and meet with the dogs and see how they interact with you and other animals. Asylum staff can be very helpful answering questions, and if you let them know what you are looking for (dog that is good with cats, small children etc) they can help advise on possible dogs. If you don’t find a dog right away ask if they can note down your details and contact you if something suitable comes in. If you are set on a puppy you will have more luck looking elsewere, as they do not often come into shelters. The same goes if you would like a specific breed; it can take a long time to find pure breeds through a shelter.

Another option is to look in local newspapers or on Marktplaats.nl for individuals selling dogs, or you can google for a breeder (fokker). For a puppy without official breed paperwork you will be looking at spending €200 – €500 depending on the breed. For a puppy with official breed paperwork (stamboom) you will normally have to pay €1000+ depending on the breed and its parentage. If you are getting a dog from an individual or breeder you really must do some homework on what to look out for in a dog, like condition, possible signs of health conditions etc. If you are getting a puppy you should at least see the mother, and if possible the father too. You should never ideally take home a puppy that is younger than 8 weeks old, and it can be good to visit a few times before you take your puppy home to check its health is good. Many dog training schools also offer the service to go with you to check a puppy out, check its condition and give you advice in a discrete way.

As well as the initial cost of getting a dog you need to think about the cost of equipment, vet bills (including unforeseen bills), training classes and possibly ‘dog tax’ (hondenbelasting) depending on where you live.

In the next issue of Connections I am going to talk a bit about the first few months with our puppy, Appa. Our experience of puppy training classes, and best places to buy equipment for your dog here in the Netherlands.

Dieren Bescherming, ikzoekbaas.dierenbescherming.nl
Stichting Dierenasiels, www.dierenasiels.com

Read part 2 here.