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If you go on to Instagram and other social media sites, it won’t take you long to find images of happy dog owners living the dream with their canine buddies by their side. However, these images do not reflect reality (lets be honest, few images on social media reflect reality). They’re the Hollywood version of dog ownership. There’s much more to bringing a dog into your home and life than people who are thinking about doing that realize. Below, we take a look at some of these “under the radar” aspects of dog ownership.
They Need Love…Lots of It
There’s no such thing as a part-time dog. If you’re going to adopt, then you need to prepare yourself for one full-on, fun ride. You might have many things – such as a job, friends, children – and so on in your life, but to your dog, you’re everything. You’re their whole world! So as you can expect, they need a fair amount of love. Actually, forget that: they need a lot of love, and attention. Even when you’re tired and just want to hit the hay, you might have to put on the rain gear and go for a walk.
They Can Find Trouble
Your home might be an ordered, cozy retreat from the outside world. But that’s not how it appears to a dog. To them, it’s an adventure playground, Just ask Bitly and Buffer! And so, they often have no trouble sniffing out trouble. However, this is problematic for everyone involved. Before you bring home a dog, you’ll want to get pet safety tips from House Method to make sure your dog can’t injure him or herself. You’ll also be well-served by keeping your most valuable belongings out of sight, especially if they look tasty and chewable to a dog! And double, no, triple check, that all cords are tucked up and out of those pupper teeth! I lost more than a few phone chargers to certain furballs that shall not be named. *cough* Buffer *cough cough*
There are Unexpected Costs
It’s easy enough to factor in the cost of dog food, which, overall, isn’t that expensive anyway and can normally readily be absorbed into the monthly budget. However, that’s not the only costs you’ll face. When you’re a dog owner, you’ll spend money on much more than food! There’s also the matter of pet insurance, vaccinations, trips to the vet, and the cost of putting them into boarding when you’re traveling. We’ve had vet emergencies and if we hadn’t added our pets to the budget, we would have been in financial trouble! It’s good practice to take your dog budget and then double it: you never know what would happen!
They Bring a Lot of Benefits
It’s not hard to see the obvious benefits – such as companionship – of owning a dog. But did you know that they also bring a bunch of benefits that are more “hidden”? Having a dog in your life has been shown to improve social lives, reduce stress, and get you exercising more. So dogs don’t just bring the love: they’re also going to improve your life in subtle, but powerful ways. And I am living proof! My girls, have definitely improved our quality of life!
Dog ownership isn’t always a bunch of roses, but its always worth it. They might have you busier than you expected but you’ll always be grateful for your efforts when you’re greeted at home by a lovable canine!
