Owning a dog is a major
commitment
A dog is not a miracle cure for mental illness. Owning a
dog is beneficial and comforting only for those who love and
appreciate domestic animals and have the time and money to keep a dog happy and
healthy. If you’re simply not a “dog person,” dog ownership is not going to
provide you with any health benefits or improve your life. For some people,
owning a cat requires less time and attention, and can be just as rewarding.
Even if you love dogs, it’s important to understand
everything that caring for a dog entails. Owning a dog is a commitment that
will last the lifetime of the animal, perhaps 10 or 15 years. And at the end of
that commitment, you’ll face the grief and mourning that comes with losing a
beloved companion.
Other drawbacks to owning a dog are:
- Dogs
require time and attention. As any dog owner will tell you,
there’s nothing beneficial to your mental health about coming home to a
dog who’s has been locked up in the house on his own all day long. Dogs
need daily exercise and mental stimulation to stay calm and well-balanced.
- Owning
a dog can curb some of your social activity. A dog can only be left
alone for a limited time. By training your dog, you’ll be able to take him
with you to visit friends, run errands, or sit outside a coffee shop, for
example, but you won’t be able to leave for a spur of the moment weekend
away without arranging care for your pet first.
- Dogs
can be destructive. Any dog can have an occasional accident at
home, especially if he’s sick or been left alone for too long, while some
dogs are prone to chewing shoes or destroying cushions. Training and
exercise can help eradicate negative, destructive behavior, but they
remain common in dogs left alone for long periods of time.
- Dogs
require responsibility. Most dogs, regardless of size and breed,
are capable of inflicting injury on people if not handled responsibly by
their owners. Dog owners need to be alert to any danger, especially around
children.
- Dogs
carry health risks for some people. While there are some diseases
that can be transmitted from dogs to their human handlers, allergies are
the most common health risk of dog ownership. If you or a family member
has been diagnosed with a pet allergy, carefully consider whether you can
live with the symptoms before committing to dog ownership. Also consider
that some friends or relatives with allergies may no longer be able to
visit your home if you have a dog.
Can
you afford a dog?
There’s no getting away from it: owning a dog costs money.
First, there is the cost of buying the dog. Adopting a dog from a shelter or
rescue group in the U.S. typically costs between $70 and $300,
depending on the age of the animal, while buying a puppy from a breeder can
cost several thousand dollars. Then there are the other costs of raising a
healthy dog:
- The ASCPA
estimates that it costs between $580 and $875 per year to take care of a
dog’s routine needs, depending on the size of the dog. That’s $50 to $70
per month. If you’re unemployed or elderly, on a limited fixed income, it
may be a struggle to cope with the expense of pet ownership.
- A puppy
requires spaying/neutering and vaccinations, although some shelters and
rescue groups include the cost of this in the adoption fee. Adult dogs
usually require monthly flea and tick prevention treatments as well as
vaccination boosters. Then there are food bills and the cost of a crate, bedding,
food and water bowls, collar and leash, toys, grooming, licenses, treats,
and boarding or pet-sitting fees.
- When a dog
gets sick, veterinary bills can mount up quickly. While certain dog breeds
are more prone to specific health problems, any dog can require emergency
care following an injury or illness. Whatever your intentions towards your
dog when you first bring him home, he will quickly become a cherished
companion. And if he becomes sick, you’re likely to do whatever it takes
to bring him back to health—even going into debt.
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