Pros and Cons of owning a dog

Adding a dog to one’s family can be one of the most enriching experiences of one’s life. However, he is going to be a family member that will always be a child, and you will need to take care of him just the same, even when he grows old.

So, getting a dog is a big responsibility. It’s a 10-15 year long commitment. So, before you get a puppy, you should do a thorough introspection and discuss with other members of the family.

In this article, we will try to cover all the possible advantages and disadvantages of getting a dog. So, read on and see whether anyone of them is a deal breaker for you.

Table of Contents

• Pros of owning a dog
• Cons of owning a dog

Pros of owning a dog

Better lifestyle and health

Owning a dog will force you to adopt a better lifestyle and will definitely have a good effect on your health, both physically and psychologically. Let’s see some of the reasons why it’s so.

• Regular Walks - Do you hate walking and jogging? Well, that’s not going to be choice once you get a dog. You will have to take your dog out for a walk at least twice a day - early morning, and evening. Or else you run the risk of him doing his business at the home. Moreover, many a times dogs bluff you. They just want to go out and meet their other dog friends and you can’t tell whether it’s because of nature’s call or just because they want to roam around.

• Wake up early - If you hate waking up early, then think twice before getting a dog. I never used to get up before 8-9 AM. But after getting a dog, I started getting up at 6 AM and sometimes even before that. A dog has to get out early in the morning. You cannot avoid that. And he will make you do so - he will bark, pull your bed sheets, ride up your bed and jump on you and lick you, unless you take him out for a walk. You get an idea.

• As you will start waking up early, and start getting regular walks (and sometimes jogs!) yourself, it will definitely have a good impact on your health - decreased blood pressure issues, low cholesterol, healthier lungs and less chances of vascular and heart diseases.

• Psychological health - Getting a dog is a sure shot way of curing loneliness, stress, anxiety and depression. A dog does so much naughty stuff and dumb things, that you cannot help getting amused. Also, they make very good buddies. As per some psychological studies, dog owners live a healthier life and have longer life-spans than other people. It’s not surprising, as having a dog forces you to take care of them, and taking care of someone or loving and helping someone else always fills you with good emotions and that has a deep impact on our body. A depressed person is often lethargic and does not want to meet other people. But having a dog will force him to go out for a walk, meet other people and yes feel valued. Believe me, a dog can make you feel as if you are the most important person in the world.

So, hopefully you get a rough picture of how your life is going to be once you own a dog. Well, unless you delegate all of the above tasks to someone else in your family or your servants.

Note

Though you may also contract some diseases from your dog, e.g rabies, some tick infections etc. But these are rare and you can avoid most of them by getting your dog vaccinated.

Safety

Having a dog makes you feel safer. While big dogs can even attack any suspicious men entering your house, even small dogs are very effective, as they raise an alarm and that can deter any thief.

Note

I have seen many documentaries wherein thieves tell how they zero in a house to target. And whether the house has a dog or not is a big factor in their planning.

Cons of owning a dog

Need to invest a lot of time in training

Dogs, especially in their initial years, require a lot of our attention. Also, we need to train them, so that they know the basic dos and don’ts, e.g. potty training, what not to chew, where not to sit etc.

They should also be trained how to behave in front of other people and dogs. So, do not keep your dog tied down all the time. Give him enough time to socialize with members of your family and even outsiders too.

Expenses in pet care

As already mentioned, having a puppy is like adopting a child. Your expenses will definitely increase when you get a dog. Though they may vary a lot depending on the breed that you get, especially depending on whether it’s a large dog or a small one.

The most common expenses that you will have to endure are:

• Food
• Healthcare - medicines, vaccines, sterilization etc.
• Grooming apparatus - combs, shampoo, etc.
• Other apparatuses - leash, collar, toys, maybe a dog house.

Medical Issues

You dog will invariably have some medical issues in his or her life-time. So, you should identify a good vet in your area and make sure you have means to carry your dog there.

Moreover, it would be a good idea on your part to read some articles on basic healthcare and diet requirements of dogs. There are many diseases that you may avoid, if you are giving good diet to your dog and ensuring that he’s not eating anything unhealthy or unhygienic outside.

Also, keep in mind that many dogs are smart enough to treat themselves in case of minor ailments like some digestive problems. You will see many dogs eating grass when they feel problems in their stomach. It’s a thing they do to treat themselves.

Zoonotic infection

Zoonotic infection is a name given to infectious diseases transmitted from an animal (including dogs) to humans. Though it’s not that common, but you may get sick because of your dog. People under 5 years of age or those over 60 are more vulnerable due to weak immune system.

Even more alarming fact is that your dog may be asymptomatic, i.e. he may just be a carrier of the bacteria, fungus, parasite or virus, and show no signs of illness himself. Some diseases that you may contract from a dog are:

• tuberculosis
• rabies
• hepatitis e
• lyme disease
• diphtheria

One of the best prevention methods is regular hand washing, especially after you touch your dog and get down to eat anything. Don’t let your dog lick your mouth and scratch you.

Accidents

Yes, dogs cause a lot of accidents. They often keep on falling themselves, and they often make their owners trip as they like to follow their owners a lot. So, the possibility of stepping on your dog, and hurting him or yourself, is always there. If you have kids, elderly people or pregnant women in your house, you will have to be much more vigilant.

They often get into fights with other dogs and can cause road accidents as they sometimes run hastily onto the roads. They may even bite other people if they are irritated or in a bad mood. So, be ready to pay some fines once in a while.

Legal issues

You may also have to encounter some legal issues and may have to do some paper work and pay fees and fines from time to time.

Some breeds are not allowed in some countries, e.g. pitbulls. There are various restrictions on dogs (and pets in general) in public transport and hotels. If you are planning on a trip to a new state or a country with your dog, do check the law of the land regarding dogs.

If you are living in an enclosed society, there might be restrictions on the usage of lift and where you can take your dog for a walk. There are many beaches where dogs are not allowed.

Impact on Social life

Having a dog is a lot of responsibility. You will have to make many changes in your lifestyle once you have a dog. Some of them have been listed below:

• Cannot wake up late as you need to take your dog on a morning walk. It means no late-night parties.
• Cannot go on long trips or stay out of home for long. Dogs are herd animals and they do not like living alone. Leave them alone and they will let you know how much they hate it, by excessive barking, chewing out stuff etc. It’s something you must keep in mind before you get a dog, especially if you do not have a good dog-care nearby or any friend/relative to take care of them in your absence. In fact, this is one of the most prevalent reason why people abandon their dogs midway. It may be traumatizing for a dog. Please, never do that!

Breeding headaches

If you get a dog and a bitch, you will have to handle dog pregnancy and delivery issues in future. Also, as bitches give birth to a lot of puppies (sometimes 5 to 10) at a time, you may have to make a decision regarding their life. Most people cannot manage to take care of so many dogs at their home. While culling/killing them is a very cruel thing to do, giving them to someone else or selling them is no less traumatizing, especially to the new mother. So, make a wise decision.

To avoid it, some people only adopt male dogs. But soon he will get lonely and his sexual urges will force him to try to mate with other bitches outside, sometimes stray ones. It might make him prone to various parasites and diseases. Also, I personally find keeping a dog devoid of a mate pretty cruel thing to do. But you have to make your own call!

Short life-span

This is one of the biggest and unavoidable downsides of owning a dog. Their life-spans are short and once a dog dies, it hurts as much as the death of a family member. I know many people who owned a dog, but now they don’t even think about getting a dog again, because the death of their dog took a heavy toll on them, more than they anticipated when they brought a puppy home.

So, get a dog if you think you are mature enough to understand that death is inevitable. If you have kids, it will sure impact them too psychologically, and give them an early lesson on treating your loved ones with care till they are with us.

Winding Up

Once you know all the possible positives and negatives, as well as the challenges and responsibilities of having a pet dog, you may now make an informed decision. Consult all the family members, and even your servants/maids before you bring home a puppy. It’s a must that all the members in the family are mentally prepared to make this long-term commitment.

Also, dogs need some open space to play around. It’s even more essential for bigger dogs. So, get a dog only if you have a big house or some open spaces like garden, lobby etc. where he can play. Keeping your dog tied up at the same place, say on your balcony, may not be that good for his mental health. And yes, do not forget to take permission or read the rules of the society/campus/colony you are living in.

Once you have made up your mind and you are confident that you can manage it, go ahead. It will definitely enrich your life. Believe me, you are gonna have a ton of fun!