Have you decided you're going to adopt a dog from the shelter? More than 3 million dogs arrive at the shelter each year for all kinds of reasons. Choosing to adopt from a shelter instead of purchasing from a puppy mill is ideal because you're potentially saving the life of an animal that may have otherwise been euthanized due to overcrowding at these shelters. Now that you're ready to bring a four-legged friend into your home, there are a few important things you should consider getting so that you're ready for your pet.

Get a Custom Dog ID Tag

Start by choosing the perfect tag to put on your dog. The purpose of the identification tag is to make it easier for people to bring your dog back to your home if the dog accidentally got loose and ran off somewhere throughout the neighborhood. If a good Samaritan were to find your pet, they'd be able to contact you because your phone number would be engraved on the custom dog ID tag, making it easier for you to reconnect with your beloved pet.

Even if you're planning to keep your dog on a leash at all times, it's still important to have a custom tag made for the animal because you just never know what can happen. These are some of the things you'll need to decide on when choosing the right tag for your pet:

• Color
• Shape
• Design
• Size

Custom tags are available in tons of different colors, shapes, designs, and sizes. You can choose an option based on the style you prefer. Once you've selected the perfect tag, you'll be able to choose what you want to have engraved on it. Most people put the name of the dog, their address, and a phone number where people can contact them if someone were to find their pet.

Invest in a Spacious Dog Crate

Although optional, a dog crate may come in handy for you as a new dog owner. Some adopted dogs are slightly destructive in the beginning. Although it's common, most of these dogs break out of the bad habits with a bit of house training and practice with commands. If you're worried about the dog scratching up furniture, going through trash, or doing other destructive things while you're at work, you could place the dog in the crate until you get back home. Keep the crate comfortable for your pet so that the animal sees it as a safe spot to sleep and relax instead of as a punishment. You can add comfortable padded mats inside of the crate to increase your dog's comfort when the animal is inside of the crate.

Purchase the Best Food For Your New Pet

There are some dog owners who don't understand how important it is to purchase high-quality food for the animals. They may choose to buy the most affordable food they can find because they want to save money. Although saving money is ideal, you don't want to feed your dog food containing tons of fillers. Some dog food brands contain lots of filler ingredients, such as grains. These ingredients don't have much to offer dogs when it comes to nutrition. It's for that exact reason you should read the ingredient labels to make sure you're selecting a brand of food that has plenty of protein without all the grains. Once you find a brand that is known for its quality products for dogs, you can start searching online for coupons to get even better deals on these products.

If you've decided you're going to adopt a dog from the shelter, you're doing a wonderful thing for an animal that may have needed a home for some time. Before you bring your pet home, there are some items you should invest in, including a custom dog tag, a spacious crate with a comfortable mat, and high-quality food for your new pet to eat.