Tell me what you hate about having a dog

[Worriedagainmum]

As I really want to get one for emotional support, but I know it’s such a big decision

As well as all the above it’s been the ‘accidents’. Ours got run over as a puppy - luckily no serious harm, someone left a gate open by mistake. I’ve also had to call the fire brigade to fish her out of a fast flowing river - think she’d run after a rat, again luckily she’d managed to stabilise herself on a big of a bank so didn’t get washed away. And even though house trained there are still a lot of poo accidents when she’s got an upset stomach.

The walks. I have to force myself most days because I know it's not fair to not give him a proper walk everyday. I committed to doing it when I got a dog. But I hate the daily walk!
Also not being able to just book a night away without finding a dog sitter.

Agreed.

I would’ve agreed with most of the points on this thread until I got my present dog. He’s small, so I mostly go away with him in my camper van, so no kennels and cheaper holidays (into Europe too). He has kept me sane through a time of great stress. Walking him gives me the greatest joy because he’s a rescue who clearly hadn’t been walked, so his enthusiasm for walks is immense.

His breath is a bit stinky though 😁.

My puppy (1 year) is in heat. I have a neutered male (7 yrs). She has spent the last few days with her vag in his face and he is being very obliging and cleaning off all her blood. They have absolutely no shame or boundaries.

Loss of freedom. Feel like I’ve given up my life for the dog. Can’t just go anywhere when I want to as have to consider the dog. Can’t just go out for dinner or to the cinema without planning for the dog. Cant even just go to the shops if I’m the only one at home.

Loss of time. Min two hours walking every day. No matter how busy I am with work or studying or what the weather is like.

Loss of personal space. She follows me everywhere. I am her person. Sometimes I just want it be alone. Am never alone.

Makes holidays or weekends away very difficult/impossible. Have no one to leave her with so we only holiday with the dog now. It’s fine but not as enjoyable and I can’t see the point a lot of the time as is stressful.

I do love her, have committed to her and she’s been good for my dd’s anxiety so would never give her up and she has a lovely life but I would NEVER get another dog. On balance I was much happier before we had the dog. So my advice would be don’t do it. It has not been good for my mental health at all. Just made life far more stressful than it was before.

Only being able to go out for four hours unless you have help.

That is the worst thing by far.

Our dog is fine to be left but id not want to leave him more than four hours at a time. He needs company.

We actually left home from 7.30-1am New Year's Eve and he was fine but it has take three years building up to this. He is fine with fireworks.

We are very lucky he can be left out and won't damage anything apart from the back of the sofa near the window which he has claimed. There is now a huge boxer shaped dent in it.

There are problems specific to this dog but leaving them is the biggest problem for every dog.

Granted the dog is DH’s and it’s old and I don’t think he trained it well. I have zero experience of dogs before this. Here’s my list-
The howling when we’re in bed, the hair everywhere ( like I find it in the grooves of the kitchen cupboard doors), the sniffing round all the time begging for food, the bin getting ransacked and rubbish all over the kitchen floor, it doing random piles of poo and vomit in the house ( 2 nights ago I’d just finished a long shift and was about to go to bed and it vomited a massive pile of chunks all over my living room carpet), looking out on our ( would be nice) garden to see ten steaming turds that dh hasn’t bothered to pick up. Once DD kicked a football into a turd and it splattered all over the sliding glass doors at the back. Disgusting.

Nothing other than putting him in kennels when we go away

Mud, mud, mud and more mud. And hair, hair and more hair. You can overcome the hair with a cockerpoo. One of mine is a cockerpoo and doesn't shed at all. The pay off is they need combing and grooming.

Beside that, my dogs have kept me sane. I wouldn't be without them.

I can't pick up the poo, hence no dog.

Their expectations... sad when you go out, so happy when you come home. Ideally you should be retired and spend all day with them, as far as they are concerned. How about finding a neighbour with a dog and offering to have it over at your place if they go away?

I don't hate anything about having a dog but the sheer amount of black fur that falls off my Labrador when she's malting is like nothing I've ever seen! I could make another dog with it, literally piles and I have to hoover twice a day.

Hair everywhere
cost of special dog food (£80pm)
up at 6 to walk her before work and again when I get home in the evening
worrying about her when we are away.
having to organise care / dog walking if we want to go away.
the thought of losing her (she’s 13) I will be heartbroken as she’s my baby

I need to look at this list the next time I’m tempted to get another one

Unplanned time away is impossible.

And picking up dog shit isn't my favourite job either.

And it's really really shit when they die.

But all of the benefits and good times outweigh any downsides.

You never know if your dog will be prone to anxiety and if you end up with one with separation anxiety it will ruin your fucking life

The barking
Standing in my way/getting under my feet at home
The guilt
The muddy walks on days like today
The expense
Another thing to have to organise for - dog sitting/insurance/training/vets etc
The dirtier house/more cleaning
That one day you'll have to take them to the vets to have them put to sleep
Every walk with a poo bag (or two!)
God knows what germs my dog carries
Not being able to eat anything or move around the house without being watched all.the.time
Bad for the environment- I love my dog and she's a proper rescue (I'm not one of those idiots who think buying a puppy from
a horrible puppy farm is 'rescuing them') but there's no denying dog ownership has an impact locally & globally

Ours has separation anxiety and we haven’t been able to leave him for 5 minutes - luckily there’s always someone in our family who can take him, but it’s a PITA. I’m also not fond of the walks in the peeing rain (although love them when it’s dry). Other than that, nothing - I love him with all my heart and the thought of him not being here makes me want to cry.

Having to put my coat and wellies on numerous times a day/night when it's raining because my 6 month old pup point blank refuses to have a wee/poo on the garden when it's raining, even if I go and stand on the back garden with her. Take her to the grass on the front and she goes immediately 🙄 she will not go for a proper walk in the rain though. I suppose I should be grateful because she's been fully house trained since 10wks 😁

Honestly having a dog is the best thing in the world for me, I could never be without one. All of the positives far outweigh the negatives.

I meant to say there is a shortage of trainers for Guide dogs for the Blind. There's also BorrowmyDoggy although I never had any luck with that

I've cried with laughter at some of the stories above. I have a 8 year old lab springer cross and 1 year old cockapoo (as well as two older cats). I kept most after I separated from my ex and acquired the cockapoo from an elderly person who struggled with him.

Anyone who is havering over getting a dog, or isn't keen on the poop, sick, stinky, shedding, embarrassing expect of dogs, please don't get a lab springer cross. She put me through the ringer as a pup (and still as an older dog) with the upset stomachs, vomming, rolling, accidents which end it large vets bills, shedding enormous amounts of hair, stealing any food and generally being a nightmare. It's endless and as a 8 year old, you'd think she grown out of it, but nope. Apparently not. She's still a very high energy dog, prone to running through everything and eating anything or everything, yet gets the shits if you change her actual dog food. I had no idea just how hard she had been until I got the cockapoo who has been nothing short of saintly in comparison. Quick to learn, no stomach upsets, never eaten socks or beading from a blind, he's a country mile away from my lab springer cross at the same age.

My honest opinion is do your research if you want to get a dog. They are beautiful wonderful creatures, but breeds vary in how much exercise they need and some of their better or worse personality traits.

Forgot - worrying about her getting injured or run over.
Happened to my Mums dog, we all saw it (dog survived) but it was horrific and I swear we all have PTSD from that

He used to happily sit in a pub while we had a drink or lunch (with treats or a licky mat if it was a long time) but he is now scared of many other dogs (no idea why, possibly brought on through changes during lockdown) so we can't take him anywhere aahe growls and barks if he is near to them which means we can't really go anywhere if its more than a couple of hours away from home.

Absolutely nothing.

I adore my dog. He’s loyal, friendly, happy and great company. I’ve suffered with low mood over the years and I feel SO much better since having him. The amount of people I’ve met and chatted with because of him is amazing. He’s always pleased to see me (unlike the teens…)

We go away quite often and there are loads of hotels that allow dogs so he’s never yet stopped us from doing anything.

The shit. Honestly, it's the worst.