Planning to dive into the ‘paw-renting’ world? Here are some terms and concepts every aspiring dog parent must know!
1. Pet Adoption
Pet adoption is the most compassionate, responsible and ethical way of bringing home a pet! To ‘adopt’ your pet dog, you can either visit an animal shelter that has rescued these dogs or adopt from us at ‘Be A Petizen’! We partner with animal shelters and create engaging, honest and detailed profiles for their dogs to help you choose a pet most compatible to your lifestyle. Wondering why we called ‘adoption’ an ethical option? Read on…
2. Adopt Don’t Shop
#AdoptDontShop is a worldwide movement to promote the practice of adoption of pets from animal shelters and rescue organizations while also raising awareness about the problematic and unethical backyard breeding and puppy mills industry. This movement, also known as #AdoptDontBuy, throws light on the various malpractices of breeders in the interest of making a profit off poorly bred dogs.
Through this movement, multiple organizations like animal shelters, rescue organizations, and companies like us at ‘Be A Petizen’ highlight the various advantages of adopting a pet as well as busting myths about rescued animals.
3. Animal Shelters
It is an organization with a physical presence that rescues and provides temporary or permanent residence to stray, lost, injured, abused, abandoned or owner-surrendered animals. These shelters are either funded by the Government or are registered NGOs that are funded through trusts or donations.
Be A Petizen, partners with credible animal shelters to find loving homes for their beautiful animals. If you are thinking of adopting a dog, you can check out our cute doggos that are up for adoption.
4. Backyard Breeding
You must have seen people bring home a puppy from a friend’s or relative’s dog’s litter? It is an extremely common practice in India. A backyard or hobby breeder is a person who owns a dog and allows them to get pregnant, either intentionally or unintentionally, to sell or distribute the offspring from the litter. They usually operate out of their homes.
They aren’t always interested in making a profit. If you are thinking of getting a dog, we recommend you to avoid this route. Why? Because, these breeders have little to no knowledge about the science of breeding! They rarely know the genetic disposition of the parent dogs which can lead to illnesses and weaknesses being passed on to the litter.
You could end up getting a puppy that seems healthy but may start showing signs of weak immunity, recurring skin issues and even behavioral problems! At ‘Be A Petizen’, we also find this form of breeding irresponsible as it contributes to the overpopulation of dogs in India.
5. Puppy Mills
The most heinous and cruel forms of them all…puppy mills! These operate in a ‘factory-like set-up’. In a puppy-mill, the dogs are kept crammed in cages and crates with little to no space for them to even stand and stretch properly. A puppy mill’s sole objective is to earn a profit from the sale of the puppies. Since it is a ‘mill’ with the main purpose of churning out puppies at a fast rate to meet the demand for ‘breed’ dogs, they indulge in highly unethical and cruel methods to impregnate the dog.
They use ‘middle men’ or ‘brokers’ and offer services like ‘puppy drop offs’ at your home. They will always meet you at a different location to show you the puppy or only send you pictures of the puppy. You will never be allowed to visit their location and see the mother. If you are looking to bring home a pet dog and are engaging with a ‘broker’ or any of the above sound familiar to you, then we strongly urge you to reconsider!
Similar to backyard breeding, you are bound to end up with a puppy that has problematic genes or underlying behavioral or health issues due to the shortcuts and unscientific approach that these breeders use. More so, this industry is extremely shady and cruel and we hope you choose not to be a part of it. When the demand stops, the supply stops.
6. Sterilization
Whether you buy your dog from a pet shop, a broker, a friend, relative or adopt from a shelter or us, you should ensure to have your dog sterilized! Sterilization is the surgical removal of the reproductive organs of the dog, both male and female. Also called ‘spaying’ for females and ‘neutering’ for males. It has great medical, behavioral and societal benefits!
Sterilization reduces the risk of uterine/testicular cancer, tumors and infections which can be fatal to your dog and extremely heavy on your wallet! Sterilization is also known to reduce aggression. When dogs are in ‘heat’ they tend to run away from home to find a mate or other dogs are attracted to your house if you have a female dog, all this can be fixed with sterilization.
As a responsible pet parent, if you sterilize, it also reduces the chances of unwanted litters which can add to the existing crisis of homeless dogs in India. At ‘Be A Petizen’, we list the Sterilization Status of all the dogs on our website.
7. Foster
If you are thinking of getting a dog or cat but are not 100% convinced if you are ready for the work and commitment, then the best thing to do is to foster! Fostering means to volunteer to give temporary residence to a dog/cat that has been rescued by an animal shelter or a rescuer in your area.
You can foster for a certain period that is convenient for you or till they can find a permanent home for the dog. This gives you the opportunity to see what it’s like to have a pet at home and gives the dog/cat a chance to socialize with humans. More often than not, the animal shelters sponsor their food and medications, if any.
They are also available to help you with any hiccups that you may face. Fostering is a big help to shelters as it frees up space in their shelters to care for another animal in dire need.
8. Veterinarian
A person that will be an integral part of your life, if you are thinking of bringing home a pet! A ‘vet’ is a doctor for animals. They vaccinate your dogs against lethal diseases and are your go-to for regular check-ups for your pet or when your pet is unwell.
9. Pet Boarding
Thinking of getting a pet but are worried that may put an end to your travel plans? Don’t worry, boarding centers to the rescue! If you are planning to go to a place that isn’t pet friendly, you can always leave your pet at a credible boarding center. A boarding center takes care of your pet while you are away – they feed your pet and take care of their daily exercise.
You may not be able to leave a puppy at a boarding, as they need constant attention and care. Boarding centers usually ask to see your pet’s medical card to ensure their vaccinations are up to date. Before you leave your pet at a boarding center, ensure your dog doesn’t have any Separation Anxiety i.e. anxiety of being away from you or being left alone.
This can really stress the dog out! At ‘Be A Petizen’, we list if the dogs have any Separation Anxiety to help you make an informed decision to choose the dog most compatible with your lifestyle.
10. Dog Trainer and Behaviorist
While these may seem similar, off late they have grown into very separate and distinct streams. A trainer trains your dog to do a certain task or activity or not to do it. Example, walking on a leash, not jumping on guests, commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘drop’. A behaviorist on the other hand will try to understand why your dog is behaving a certain way and help you make changes to alter that behavior. They could help you resolve aggression and reactivity in your dog.
Bring Home your Dog
Having a dog in your life is a beautiful and enriching experience! We at Be A Petizen are sure you want to start the journey by bringing home your dog in the ‘Petizen’ way, by ‘adopting’. To step into the awesome world of ‘pawrenting’, check out the dogs available for adoption with us! Happy adopting! 
