Dogs. Are you ready?

Dogs are the best. Just Saturday night at Friendsgiving we went around the table answering the question dogs or cats, and it was almost unanimous dogs 11/12. Millennials love dogs, and many of us will decide to get a dog prior to even thinking about children, but the responsibility should not be taken lightly.

I personally love dogs, however, I am currently only the (favorite) dog aunt. Therefore, I decided to reach out to the experts, and several of my dog owning friends have helped me come up with a list of pros and cons for ownership. 

Cons:

1. Money. It’s expensive. Not only is acquiring a dog expensive. Then you have food, check-up, training, dog sitter/boarding, replacing things they destroy. Plus, no matter how much you plan for, you never know when they’ll eat a sock and you’ll unexpectedly end up at the vet.
2. Travel. Leaving the house at all takes planning. Whether it’s a night out or a long trip. You have to have a plan. No more crashing at someone’s house last minute or going to visit a friend overnight without planning. Don’t forget the boarding costs. 
3. Poop. Not only do you have to often pick it up outside. Sometimes an accident happens and you end up literally scrubbing it out of the carpet, the dog’s fur, the walls, and crevices you didn’t know existed. 
4. Guilt. Crate guilt- whether it’s while you’re at work or while you’re with people. The dog can end up in the crate a lot, and that makes you feel guilty. Even going for happy hour after work may mean another hour your dog is locked up. 
5. Destruction. They may “chew up your life” and get into everything. Don’t have anything you aren’t worried about destroying. Whether it’s a couch or a pair of shoes or even your wall. 
6. Sleep. What’s sleeping in? Love to stay in bed until noon? Never going to happen again. 

Pros 

1. Cuddles. Cuddles. Cuddles. Cuddles. 
2. Comfort. Especially for my friends who lives alone or have a housemate that travels. It is nice to have something to come home to. 
3. Socialization. Need to meet new people. Never underestimate the power of the dog to meet other people in your neighborhood. 
4. Health. Dogs need exercise which means you’re often going along with them. They’re good for you, it’s science. 
5. Responsibility. You learn to take care of something other than yourself.
6. Love. Les put it best: I legitimately am starting to believe dogs are God on earth because they display such a physical example of reckless and unconditional love. And dog is literally God spelled backward so that’s crazy. 

Good luck in your decision making 🙂

Any wagers on how long until I get my own dog?