The life expectancy of a dog is on average a good ten years, knowing that many of them happily exceed the age of 15 years. Its adoption is therefore a long-term commitment and the adopter must be aware that he will be responsible for his animal, its well-being, its health, its education but also for the damage it may cause. Adopting a dog should not be decided on a whim. You must be sure that you are ready but also that you will never fail in your duty towards this faithful companion. Before adopting a dog, it is therefore absolutely essential to find out about the obligations that this implies and the many disadvantages related to having a dog (yes, there are!).
1 – Having a dog means spending a lot of time with it
People who have an already busy schedule, whether for personal, family or professional reasons, and those who don’t want to disrupt their quiet little lives, should know that adopting a dog requires seriously review your scheduleand that for many years!
The animal needs to be cared for every day of the week and all year round. We do not deviate. Having a dog is time consuming and it is really necessary to be ready to invest daily because it is necessary of course to give him food and drink, to brush him, to take him out, to collect his droppings, to spend time to educate him, to play with him, to lead him to the veterinary for the visits of control and thus to wait sometimes a long time in the waiting room… To look after a dog requires two hours per day at the very least
2 – Adopting a puppy means teaching him not to do his business just anywhere
A dog is not a cat. His master must teach him cleanliness and this can very quickly become rock’n‘roll because in canines it’s not innate. According to the animal, it can take time before shouting victory… When it goes wrong, it does not need more to some people to give up, which promises for the continuation!
3 – Having a dog is a financial investment
In addition to the purchase price of the animal, the maintenance and health of a dog represent an important budget. It is necessary to be able to assume the multiple expenses following.
- Food,
- The equipment (cushion, leash, harness, collar, kennel, transport cage, bowls, toys), knowing that it is necessary to renew regularly a good part of it,
- The boarding during the holidays if one cannot take his dog with him,
- The education of the animal if it is entrusted to a professional,
- The insurance policy if care is taken to take out a contract with a pet insurance company, which is highly recommended,
- The costs associated with his health, especially if he is not covered by a dog health insurance policy.
The health center weighs very heavy in the balance because the least veterinary act costs very expensive, the tariffs being free in our country. It is thus necessary to spend money on multiple occasions and to be able to face the foreseeable acts as well as the unforeseen ones… Identification, vaccination, sterilization, deworming, antiparasitics, shampoo, lotions for the eyes, products of oral hygiene, consultations, follow-up of gestation if it is a not sterilized bitch…
If the animal has an accident or falls ill, the bill gets heavier because the management of a health problem in a dog implies numerous consultations with the veterinarian or a specialist, laboratory and imaging tests, and even many others, treatments that can be heavy, hospitalization, one or more surgical interventions, rehabilitation, and unfortunately we must also add to this pole the euthanasia and burial costs.
A Dog costs a lot of money and even more if it falls seriously ill. Before adopting a canine, it is necessary to know that that will involve several thousands of euros of expenditure.
4 – Welcoming a dog sometimes means having to change the way you spend your holidays
Dog owners who want to do everything with their dogs may be disappointed, as there are thousands of pet-friendly resorts.
Many vacation rentals are designed to allow pets to accompany their owners. But it is not always possible to take your dog with you everywhere because in many accommodations or resorts, it is forbidden. It is also complicated if you have to take the plane, knowing that some countries do not accept animals either… In many cases, the master must turn either to a pension for dogs or entrust the custody of his faithful companion to a foster family vacation time.
There is another solution: to call upon a person specialized in pet-sitting. A pet-sitter is a person who comes to take care of the animal at the master’s home and also takes care of walking it for several days (perfect for a weekend in a hotel where dogs are not allowed) or for a few hours, which allows you to go on a cultural outing (theatre, concert, cinema…), a meal in a restaurant, an afternoon of shopping, a session at the pool…
This is a great way to get to know your dog and to learn more about the world around you. paid services and it doesn’t come cheap. If the holiday budget was already limited, the pet owner may have to rethink his plans or even give up the vacation. When adopting a dog, That’s the kind of sacrifice you have to be able to make.
5 – Having a dog means having to go out in all weathers
The doggie needs to get some fresh air at least two or three times a day: early in the morning, in the middle of the day and in the evening. When the weather is fine, this is not really a problem. But if it’s raining hard, if there’s a windstorm, if it’s hailing, if there’s a thunderstorm, or if it’s really cold, you still have to take your dog out. It is a inconvenience which we cannot escape if we live in an apartment because in this case, the animal does not even have a small private garden to spend time in. It should also be noted that if the master is ill and no one else can take the dog out, it becomes very problematic.
6 – Adopting a dog means having to educate it
It’s not a question of leaving the animal to its own devices. The minimum is to teach him to obey basic commands. A master must ensure the socialization and the education of his little companion. Having an obedient dog is above all a question of safety. Of course, taking care of the education of a dog yourself is extremely time consuming. Moreover, it is better to have a minimum of tact as well as patience but also to be consistent to achieve a good result. It is essential to educate a dog well because it must not jeopardize the trust that he has in his master.
It may be necessary to entrust the task to a dog trainer If one does not feel able to tackle it or does not have the time. However, you must have a sufficient budget.
7 – Adopting a dog means giving up certain relationships
Not everyone wants to invite a friend over with their dog or even visit a friend or family member’s house because there is a dog in the house or apartment. It is not uncommon for a person who has this type of pet to be suddenly less solicited to participate in a convivial moment. The social circle seems to shrink somewhat. This is one of the disadvantages of owning a dog, and one must be prepared before adopting to become a unwanted person For allergy sufferers, phobics and those who don’t like animals.
8 – To welcome a dog is to make your cat unhappy
Cats and dogs don’t always get along. When you already have a kitty that has been in the house for a few years, the cohabitation with a new resident – in this case a dog – can go very badly. And it happens that the cold war lasts beyond the normal acclimatization period. If nothing is done, if the cat remains prostrate under a piece of furniture or even refuses to eat, a decision must be made. It is necessary to separate from one or the other…
9 – Adopting a dog means giving up on the hygiene of your home
I’m not a dog lover, unless you don’t allow your dog in the house. Between the wet paws on the tiles after a walk, the hair on the floor, the carpets, the kitchen counter, the drool on the sofa, the accidental pee and poo, the vomit on the bed when the dog is sick… the house, until now, takes a big hit.
One may be able to “pass the sponge” for a week, two at most, but can one bear the lack of hygiene for 10 or 15 years? Not so sure… The dirt the dog can make indoors is even more intolerable when very young children are confronted with it on a daily basis.
10 – Adopting a dog means making a commitment to never abandon it
This seems obvious! And yet, even if we don’t have precise statistics on abandonment species by species, we know that 100 0000 pets are abandoned each year. However, their masters had made the choice to adopt them. As what, many people change their mind very quickly. Before adopting a dog, it is necessary in any case to know that the abandonment is punished by law.