Things No One Tells You About Owning a Dog
Owning a dog can be one of the greatest joys in the world. It is so fulling beyond belief that regardless how you’re feeling the joy a dog can have on your mood is nothing but pure jubilation. Your dog doesn’t care if you’re having a good day or bad day. They are just so happy to see you and spend time with you. They are Present when with you. This is the stuff most people brag about when they own a dog. So.
What about the stuff people don’t tell you about owning a dog? That’s a whole other story. It can be pretty eye opening stuff. Some of these you may haven’t thought about, some you may have known, or known about it but didn’t take too seriously. Shut up, Steven. Here you go without further ado, quick top 3 of things people don’t tell you about owning a dog. Kicking this off.
1) Genetics matter
Like people dogs come in all shapes, sizes, temperaments, strengths and weaknesses. So please don’t get any dog from just anywhere. Go through a breeder. And not just a self proclaimed breeder either, not some backyard breeder who had an ‘oops litter’. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Look locally or even state wide. I have said this before, but we got our dogs from Facebook marketplace and (I forget the site) but whatever the equivalent to craigslist is for dogs. Now with Ace we got lucky, even though he isn’t the highest of drives for a German Shepherd but for our first dog it worked out great. Ava is different story. We got her from the ghetto. Outside of photos and what the owners said about her lineage we never saw her parents or siblings. So things we were looking for immediately i.e. her look or drive. Not things that you don’t think about off the bat. For instance, their nerves, their insecurities, their fears. Things like that manifest later in life. However if you know what you are looking for you can see it when they are a pup. I’ve spoken at life about Ava’s fear of thunder on YouTube often so I wont bore with that here. But all this will determine how much you want to pull your hair out with your dog. Or how quickly you’ll turn gray or how long you have to spend time training and reenforcing certain behaviors. Speaking of time spent.
2) It’s an investment of time and money
You can’t get around talking about this one. I’m sure your parents have spoken to you about this. But pets can be expensive. So your dog that you’re looking to go get is going to cost you. Let’s start with time. Remember the days when you and your buddies would go and get a couple of brewskies after a long shift. Well if you don’t have someone to let your dog out you have a responsibility, a duty, an obligation to let your dog out so they can relieve themselves. Here’s why I’m saying you do. First can you go an 8 hour shift without taking a piss? If you can, great for you. I’m jealous. And if you can than add 3 beers on top of that, I beat you’ll want to break the seal then. Well that’s how your dog feels who’s been pinching it off all day because they know going in the house is a no no. So there’s that. Then there’s the time to walk your dog so they get ample amount of exercise. So all in all sacrifices will have to be made. Also there’s the time spent training, developing and bonding with your new pup. But since you love your new little fur face you wont mind that part.
Then there’s the investment of money. I’ll go ahead and say it. Raising a dog cost more than you think. So whatever you think it’s going to cost, say you budgeted and ran the numbers like a responsible adult, go ahead and add an extra 50% on the conservative side of things. But if you wanna take in account inflation add 60% to your overall figure. Now these number are a rough estimation, but it all costs more than you think. So get comfortable with that notion. For instance there’s the food cost. And as your dog grows or if you have a large size dog, ever heard how much a growing boy eats? Well… So there’s food, how about training, if you don’t know what to do or if they have behavior issues. You can see a local specialized trainer. If you can’t afford the cost you can always join my more than affordable member site. Or watch my YouTube videos that go more in depth than your average dog trainer. Sorry, couldn’t resist a shameless plug. Then there’s the unexpected vet bill. Like kids accidents happen. There are skin issues, stomach issues, overall health issues and because you’re a responsible parent you go on the dog equivalent of WebMD and see that your world’s about to end. So you take them in to an emergency vet which cost hundred of dollars and there’s the medication.
PRO TIP: if you got family members who understand how much you love your dog and how they are an integral part of the family, go ahead on birthdays or Christmas’, ask for things for your dog. Their favorite toys or an extra bag of food. All of it goes a long way.
Say you want to go out for the day. You and your significant other or friends want to go to a theme park, beach, or whatever it is you do. Then there’s the cost of say a dog walker because you’re away and you have no one to let them out during the day. Or you want to take a vacay but can’t bring them. There’s the cost of boarding. But maybe a friend watches them but because you’re a good friend you compensate them with food or a nice bottle of wine. You get the point. I can’t do every scenario for you. But the hidden cost can add up that you aren’t expecting. But because you love your dog you’ll do whatever it takes.
3) They will drive you crazy and test your patience at the worst of times
You read that right. At your worst possible moment. At your most tiresome. At your most hangreyest (however you spell it). At your not so much finest hour, your dog will test you. And without thinking, without no remorse. Just your selfish, instinctual, impatient self will give in and do something stupid. Plan and simple. GET OVER IT. We all do it. Anyone who says they haven’t done something stupid with their dog is lying. So as a precursor please don’t hit or over correct your dog in your moment of weakness. Do your best to stay calm, cool and collected. But they will test you. Not listen. be disobedient, trying to see what they can get away with. Break from the routine that you have created for them. That’s when it matters. Take those extra moments and stay calm and out stubborn the stubbedness that your dog wants to put up.
Here’s a Bonus. Something to end on a positive note.
They live up to the hype. They really do.
They live so much in the present that unlike us, they enjoy the simplest of pleasures. Laying around isn’t a waste of a day. It’s a treat. And they are okay with that. Put it another way, on average, dogs only have 12 summers to spend with you. Put it another way, 1 day of a dog’s life is equivalent to 1 year. So when they are happy to see you or an excited about going out. They have a reason to. Remember that next time you want to be a dick towards your dog. Remember that when you are up against certain genetics. You have a dog in front of you. Love what’s in front of you. So what if they don’t do certain things on command. As long as they are well socialize to the best of their ability. So what if they cost a couple hundred dollars every now and then. So what if they cost you time cause you need to walk them or let them outside. How else were you gonna spend your time? Pounding your pecker? And if you feel like shit because you did something stupid, good, you probably should. But get over it. They outweigh all those things. Enjoy and love the ever loving shit out of your dog. They deserve it.
