When becoming a pet parent you not only take on the responsibility of another living animal, but you sign up to be the first person they see in the morning and the last they see at night too.

Without realizing it, owners become the center of their pet’s life, and understanding your pet’s behavior is critical to being a responsible owner.

By purchasing your dog or animal companion, you sign up to be their caretaker and should be held responsible for giving them a healthy life. People need to notice a certain number of critical elements in order to create a good environment for their pet.

There are cases where students feel like they can handle the responsibility of a pet but resort to rehoming or abandoning their animal when they realize they can’t take care of them.

“Think of dog’s behavior — it is similar to 2-year-old toddlers,” said Leticia Fanucchi, clinical instructor in veterinary clinical sciences at WSU. “They both have no sense of awareness and need basic guidance in order to live a basic life.”

You must make time for your companion. Students can have very busy schedules; sometimes we might not have time to care for a pet.

Fanucchi suggests waiting until you do have time, maybe after college or whenever you are ready for the commitment.

While you are figuring the right time to purchase or adopt a pet you should do your research on different breeds that best fit your lifestyle. This is a critical step in finding a good companion for your home.

If anything, it is better to not have a pet than to struggle to take care of one. There is no excuse for failing to notice what your pet needs in order to be able to live a healthy, comfortable life in favor of your own schedule.

Balance in life is something we all try to achieve, but throwing on the responsibility of owning a pet offsets people’s normal balance. In order for pet ownership to work you have to put in research and commitment. You must invest, use common sense and prepare your pet for any situation they might face.

“For someone who is looking to add a pet to their home,” Fanucchi said, “make sure to do more research and make sure that breed or type of animal fits into your schedule and your daily life.”

Pets cannot make decisions for themselves, and it is the parent or pet owner’s responsibility to do so in a way that promotes their mental and physical wellbeing.

When abandoning a dog, you take them out of their normal familiarity. This puts them in a situation where they are forced to adapt to a new environment and leave the people and other little things they have already familiarized themselves with.

The main reason some owners may feel like they need to abandon their dog is that they feel hopeless or have tried everything they could to care for their pet, Fanucchi said.

Pets need forever homes they can attach to since they live a short life compared to humans, so let’s stop impulsively buying puppies based off their adorable looks.

Put more effort into your research of owning a pet so you find one that fits you and your lifestyle. Don’t take on things you can’t handle, because it hurts those you dispose of and reflects poorly on your character.