Don’t get a dog

[Manyandyoucanwalkover]

Dogs are really hard work. They don’t come house trained, so expect to have wee and poo all over your floors. They will eat stuff they shouldn’t and then they vomit. They can be very noisy, they bark and they whine. Some keep you awake half the night. The vet’s bills are horrendous. £75 for a consultation, then medication on top of that. They need regular medication for worms, ticks and fleas. Many dogs need trips to the dog groomer, factor in about £50 every six weeks. This is for 10 years or more. Then they break your heart. 🐾💔

Please don’t get a dog, unless you have thought about all the above.

I have to admit I will never get a dog. Had one growing up as a child/teen. (Parents always had one or two dogs.) But I couldn't be arsed with the faff, the whining, the noise, the smell, the excessive vet bills, and the general tie - and restriction that goes with having dogs. You can't leave them when you go away, and if you have them boarded, it costs multiple 100s of £££. You have to walk them 2-3 times a day, (no matter what the weather,) your house is never clean, it always smells, and they damage furniture/ carpets/ doorframes/skirtings etc...

I met a woman when I was on a walk the other week who was walking 2 dogs, and she asked me why I don't have dogs. I said 'I don't want them.' She said 'you should get them, they get you out walking...' As if I can't go out walking without a fucking dog.

I said 'I go for loads of walks, and don't really need a dog to go for walks.' She said 'but it forces you to go for 3 walks a day.' I thought 'why the fuck do I want to go for 3 walks a day?' I go for one 3 mile walk a day. I don't need any more. Also, I walk quite quickly - and if I had a dog, they would keep stopping to sniff stuff, and piss, and fuck about.

No dogs here thanks. I said to this woman 'I am happy with my little cat.' She said 'oooh I hate cats. Horrible things.' 😐 At that point I said '.......anyway........' and walked off. Annoying arrogant woman!

Can I add that the difference between having 1 dog and having a couple of dogs is MASSIVE.

I booked/planned a puppy as I’d lost my 15 year old dog (still heartbroken). By the time it was ready to collect I somehow managed to be pursuaded into buying an unsold sibling - now don’t get me wrong, I love this dog and don’t regret it, but the cost is DOUBLE, the mess is DOUBLE, the noise is probably TRIPLE ! Also, you can take 1 dog out with you pretty much anywhere- but not 2 - 2 is a pack. Walking 2 can be a pain too with their stupid leads getting tangled, and the multiple poo pickups mean walking isn’t a relaxing experience like 1 is. Also, every food shop now includes dog food so less money for wine.
Be warned people - a MASSIVE difference.

I'm currently watching a couple I've known for years split up after one of them brought a reactive, hyper, ball and toy-fixated collie home during lockdown. She was a farm dog reject, due to be destroyed for her anti-social behaviour, and won't pee or poo in their garden so every couple of hours they have to take her out for a walk. She can't be let off the lead: just runs for miles as if fleeing something. They built their life around her during lockdown to an unhealthy degree, but both are now finding the constant vigilance and walking and managing (she has bitten several people/ other dogs) too much. They're not prepared to rehome or have her put down so they're taking their frustration out on each other. They are planning to live separately and each will have the dog for a fortnight at a time. I don't know how the dog will react to this, but I doubt it will find it easy. I imagine that both owners secretly hope that the other one will assume full responsibility.

My sister has a Romanian stray that she sadly, after seven years of ownership, has admitted is a very unrewarding dog to live with. It seems to have been lobotomised. They originally assumed its very flat, unresponsive personality was depression caused by the trauma it had been through, but after years of gentle encouragement nothing has changed. It has never played, never wagged its tail, never shown any enthusiasm for anyone in the family, never barked or joined in with other dogs. It goes for a walk, plods about as if it's not sure what to do, relieves itself, ignores other dogs and people, comes home, eats and sleeps. It's a dog that seems to prefer to be left on its own for hours and doesn't want physical contact. My sister has said that they've discussed having it put down because they don't think it finds any pleasure in being alive. She suspects it spent the first years of its life alone, locked in a building or yard, without much human contact, and that living in a house with a family is the dog's idea of hell. Very sad.

Too late 😁🐕

Treatment for worms, tick and fleas are choices you make for your pet and you deal with the consequences.

I am convinced the new tick/flea treatment we gave our dog when he was around 5 caused him damage - his pupil fully dilated a few days later in one eye (MRI showed a swelling on the optical nerve).

We never gave him flea or tick treatment after that and never had any problems with ticks or fleas. Our family dog never had any flea or tick treatment either. We had a tick remover if needed and checked him after every walk, and would have dealt with fleas if we had that problem.

Especially rescue cats! Best cats ever 💕

Oooh, love a Border. (Now look what you've done, I've said no more dogs and you've got me googling Border Terrier rescue).

It was me, I never said they didn't need reglular treatment for worms, just ticks and fleas. Ticks and fleas can be treated IF they get them. The preventative monthly treatment that the person I was responding to is using from the vets can actually do more harm than good and doesn't actually stop the fleas and ticks biting in the first place. Dogs have had seizures and died from that treatment.

I bet it's harder work than having 2 kids! 😁

I know a few people with 3+ dogs. One woman has 5. Not a massive garden either. (40 X 30 feet.) Whenever we have been to her house, at least one of them shits on the laminate flooring, and another one will piss. She seems to be always clearing up after them, there is hair everywhere, and I can't even imagine the cost of keeping them/feeding them. And the vet bills!!!

Her house stinks like an elephant house too, and is frankly, a pigsty... Always dirty, stuff broken and chewed, and random dogshits in random corners.

Yeah fuck that.

I agree, we started using the regular flea and tick treatment (spot of noxious fluid on the back of the neck stuff) but our dogs absolutely hated it and seemed unwell and distressed afterwards, so we stopped. In 18 years of dog ownership we had to treat for fleas once, when a visiting dog brought them into the house. We spotted the problem early and the whole situation was sorted out very quickly and cheaply. We occasionally found ticks on them and took them off with a tick remover. They were both dogs who could be handled easily and liked having tick inspections: don't know what you'd do if you had a dog that didn't.

@pearpporridge I survived just over a year without one. I said the same thing. 🤣

I’ve got a very old and old fashioned vet who advises only doing stuff when its necessary so no regular worming or flea treatments (Unless your dog has a regular problem and we are in central London). My current dog is 3 and has been to the vets a few times - for fleas but just charged for the treatment and he’s a bit prone to colitis (from eating something weird probably) so a couple of times for that but we know to restrict his diet if he gets it as a first step. Probably spent £200 at the most at the vets. I think you need to work out if your dog really needs regular treatments. Moreover as far as I know they are bad for the environment so shouldn’t be used excessively.

She’s beautiful. Such a gorgeous girl. This is Gladys who has brought more love into my life than I ever thought possible. She’s nearly five and will undoubtedly bring heartbreak at some point but it will be absolutely worth it.

My thoughts will be with you next week @TheMudWasWorthIt. 💐

I agree op that said having now got a dog I can't imagine ever not having one 🤦‍♀️

The pros still out weigh the cons for me.

Pros.
Unconditional love, my boy loves me and would follow me to the ends of the Earth.
Exercise, I am out walking at least 1-2 hours every day.
Company and socialising, meeting other dog owners and doing dog related activities such as agility.
Exploring new places that I can take the dog to, have found loads of lovely places that I didn't know existed pre dog.
It's bought dd and I closer together especially through the teen years, he was a common interest and something we both love.

Cons
Money, food, vet bills, insurance, pet plan etc all add up.
Having to think ahead if we want to do anything or go somewhere that's not dog friendly.

That said I know we've been lucky with our dog who is clever, easy to train, biddable and I can take him anywhere. I appreciate not all dogs are that easy, getting a dog is a bit like having a baby - you never really know what personality you're going to get!

A good terrier is one of the best companions you can have in life. They are so bright and communicative in the best possible way. Mine didn't shed much, didn't drool and didn't smell. The dog who died recently was a Border cross and spent much of his life with a wire-haired fox terrier bitch as his companion. They were great friends and spent hours rabbiting and swimming and having adventures every day. It was impossible to feel miserable for long with them around. I can't be too sad about them because they had such wonderful lives.

I've always had dogs. Maybe seven or so in my lifetime? Never had my floors been covered with pee or poo. Maybe one or two little accidents. Had one who got car sick and that was difficult but he grew out of it. Only once recall one of them chewing something they shouldn't. I've never had one whine or bark overmuch. Why? They've been all different breeds from labradors to golden retrievers to German shepherds to labradoodles to mutts. Some were got as puppies some were adults. Could it be because I got the right breed for my living situation (so would not get a border collie in a city) and trained them from the first day home?
Vet bills are par for the course and really comes down to luck.

My pup is a dream. She is a first time dog owners sort of dog. Lovely and calm and easy to train. She has her moments but in general is easy. Compare her to my gsd pup a decade ago and she’s a piece of cake. GSD nearly broke me. But then hit adulthood and she was amazing.

Despite having dream pup she still requires constant work and input. Training. Walking. Playing. Cleaning up after. Worming. Feeding. Putting down for naps. Grooming. Food and treats and treatment and vets all cost a fortune. She has just torn up her new toy and there is fluff everywhere.. my fault for leaving it with her.

Unfortunately see a lot of rehoming of the larger breeds because they are lovely and cute and bouncy but frigging hard work. They can’t just be picked up when they are being hardwork.

A healthy well bred housecat is a breeze compared to a DOG!

We have farm cats, they are very easy. Eat mice and take care of themselves. They have an insulated house but refuse to use it, preferring to sleep in the piles of hay,

However, cost a fortune in vet fees because they seem to constantly hurl themselves off the barn rafters and injure themselves. Easy but expensive. Not sure their ability to catch mice so I don’t have to lay traps, is actually saving us worth it.

One of my younger relatives volunteers for a charity which offers dog walking for people who can't walk their own dog (e.g. due to disability). She takes an adorable shitzu out for regular walks for a disabled lady. Strikes me as a win-win, for the owner and for my relative, who clearly loves dogs and enjoys their company. Maybe something to consider if you want to enjoy being with a dog without the accompanying expense etc.

Also if you plan to work and leave your dog for periods during the day remember you then have to spend the majority of your free time with it. I.e you can’t lock it up again while you go the gym/yoga/see a friend in the evening. So many people do not factor this in!

Pearporridge I have a feeling you will have a new Border very soon 😁

This is very true, plus when you go on a long journey, everyone else in the car gets to go and have a coffee in the motorway services and you’re having to wander around outside. Then you reach your destination and it’s straight out for a walk😫

Our vets only charge £45 or a consultation though.

I would never ever get a dog, it is almost the same commitment as having a child of course a dog does not grow up and hopefully leave home. I would hate to have to go out every single day come rain, snow, wind, hail or heat to walk them because of course you must do this for them. I would puke when I had to pick up the poo because of course you must do that for the sake of other people. I don't even like dogs very much even though my family has one when I was growing up, I hated the fur, that "doggy" smell, and the barking. She was a very nice dog but I learnt at an early age that dogs were not for me. I do like and have had cats but now I am pet free and it's good. No expense, no worry about their health and well being. A lot of my family and friends have pets and I do like spending time with them and hearing about their antics but I know myself and I know that I do not want a pet. I am not heartless, I abhor and detest cruelty to animals and I think that for many people having a pet truly enhances their lives but it is not for me