What Is the Harsh Truth of Being a Dog Owner?

Dogs are incredible animals with lots of love, affection, emotions, intelligence, and a bit of sass. However, owning a dog is a significant commitment that requires time, energy, and almost undivided attention. A dog is not just a cuddly pet but a responsibility that potential dog owners should not ignore. While they enrich our lives in many ways, there are also drawbacks that need careful consideration.

Dog Lifespan

One of the most emotionally taxing aspects of owning a dog is their relatively short lifespan which typically ranges from 10 to 15 years. Watching them grow older and eventually dealing with their loss can be deeply challenging. It’s a heartbreaking reality dog parents have to come to terms with, but from another perspective, you will be there for your dog its entire life. 

Vet Visit Costs

Maintaining your dog’s well-being is both a moral responsibility and a financial one. Routine checkups, vaccinations, and emergency treatments can stack up to a hefty sum. In urban regions, the costs can be significantly higher due to dense population and high living costs.

The Time Investment

Owning a dog requires a significant amount of your time each day. You can’t press pause or move it to a later, more convenient time. A rough estimate points towards a commitment of about 3.5 hours per day spent feeding, exercising, and bonding with your pooch. This is an important factor to bear in mind, especially if you have various other life obligations.

Goodbye, Pristine Lawn

Saying goodbye to your perfect lawn is a common consequence of owning a dog. Dogs enjoy running around and playing, so your garden may not look its best. Keeping up a lovely yard becomes a never-ending struggle, complete with excavated flower beds and urine-stained grass patches.

Training Difficulties

Training your new canine companion isn’t a walk in the park. Expect patience-testing moments as you go through house training, obedience lessons, and socialization. These can be particularly tricky for first-time dog owners. However, steady consistency and positive reinforcement are necessary for ending up with a well-behaved dog.

Peeing Where They Shouldn’t

Nothing can test your patience like finding out your dog has used your new carpet as a bathroom. Housebreaking can be fiercely challenging, especially with puppies and older dogs. Although you may give your best to prevent this, accidents will happen in almost 99% cases. Having a good enzyme cleaner and a lot of patience on hand can be game-changers.

Affected Sleep

Early dog ownership comes with its fair share of sleepless nights. As a new pack leader, you’ll need to take care of house training mishaps, teething troubles, and constant cries for attention. Much like a newborn baby, a puppy will interrupt your usual sleep routine, leading to bleary-eyed mornings.

Attention-Seeking

We all love a bit of puppy love but dogs can sometimes turn that affection into excessive attention-seeking. Whether it’s begging for treats, playtime, or cuddles, dogs will often pester you for attention 24/7. Unfortunately, this can interfere with work, disrupt your relaxation time, and even affect your social life, turning a loving relationship into a one-sided codependency.

Begging for Food

Dogs beg for food by showing you their best and cutest ‘puppy face’, making it tough to resist giving them a few bites. They can be incredibly persistent in their begging but all you have to do is not indulge them at all, else they will continue to beg every time you sit down to eat. 

Fleas

Fleas can be one of the biggest banes of dog ownership. Besides the constant itching and annoyance that your dog experiences, their tiny size and rapid multiplication can turn your house into a full-blown flea circus in no time. Moreover, the battle against these tiny critters often involves the use of potent insecticides, both on your pet and in your home.

Hair Everywhere

Hair. It’s on your clothes, in your food, on your furniture, and probably even in your coffee. It was cute when your pooch just had their haircut, but now? Hair clumps and tumbles of fur around the house that never seem to disappear, no matter how much you vacuum. It’s a constant battle with the lint roller and it’s hard to stay stylish when your black sweater looks like a fur coat.

Digging Behavior

Your well-manicured garden might not be safe from your dog’s digging instincts. Dogs dig out of curiosity, boredom, or because it’s in their nature (looking at you daschunds). It can be maddening to come home and find your yard transformed into a series of trenches.

Dog Food Costs

Feeding your furry friend can be an expensive job, especially if you want your dog to have a balanced, high-quality diet. Their diet can also include supplements and special diets for specific health issues. On top of that, you’ll have to have a steady supply of treats and chews that add to the overall bill. 

6 AM Sharp

There is nothing nicer than sleeping in on a weekend and finally getting some proper, restful sleep. Except when your dog likes to act as an alarm clock. Regardless of your usual sleep-in schedule, your canine buddy might nudge you awake for their breakfast or a bathroom break at 6 AM sharp. If you wake up early for work on workdays, be ready for the inevitable early wake-ups on weekends, too. 

Loud Barking

Loud, incessant barking can be quite the problem, especially if you live in an apartment building with less-than-understanding neighbors and thin walls. On top of that, your dog’s barking may incite other dogs to start barking as well, and vice versa. Figuring out how to stop your dog from barking can be a real challenge and sometimes might even require professional help.

Grooming

Keeping your dog’s coat clean and healthy often becomes a tedious task. Daily brushing, regular baths, and occasional spa trips are parts of a routine that makes sure your dog looks good and healthy. Besides, grooming appointments cost both time and money. To make matters worse, a dog that dislikes being groomed will be a handful for the groomers which may cost more and take more time.

Allergies

Having a furry best friend may trigger allergies for you, your friends, or visiting family members. Symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, and itchy skin can be frustrating for all involved. Some breeds are less likely to cause an allergic reaction, but there’s no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic dog.

Anger or Anxiety-Fueled Destruction

Anger or anxiety can drive your canine friend to destructive behavior. This could mean your favorite shoes found chewed into a million pieces or claw marks frantically etched on your front door. Fixing the damaged items can be very costly, and dealing with your dog’s emotional distress is another challenging matter. 

Occasional Whining

At times, your furry friend may resort to whining as a mode of communication. This could be due to various reasons like hunger, attention-seeking, or physical distress. The best way to deal with whining is to simply ignore them (if you know they’re just doing it for attention). Otherwise, you may want to preventatively take your dog to the vet, in case the whining is due to a different reason.

Aggression

Dog aggression is a serious issue. Aggressive outbursts can be more stressful if you live in an urban area where crowded streets and sidewalks present more opportunities for aggressive incidents. Dealing with aggression requires careful management, constant vigilance, and often professional help, which can be both time-consuming and costly.

Lingering Dog Smell

Dogs usually have a unique, lingering smell that is distinctively canine. In most cases, it’ll be because of the oils in their skin which means each dog has a different smell. Other times, it’ll be because they’ve rolled in something in the grass. There’s not much you can do if it’s the first case, but if they smell worse than usual, a grooming and cleaning appointment may be necessary. 

Inappropriate Humping

At times, dogs may exhibit this disconcerting behavior as a sign of dominance or anxiety. It can be an extremely embarrassing situation, especially when you have guests over. It can also be a sign that your dog has sensed the scent (pheromones) of a female dog in heat, causing them to go ballistic with humping. Usually, professional help is needed to root out this behavior. 

Meat-Rich Diet

Our furry friends absolutely love their meat, and that’s often reflected in the contents of their food. However, a carnivorous diet isn’t just about the thrills of taste. It can be a bit of a bother when there are dietary restrictions to consider or if you’re a vegetarian yourself.

Food Theft

That delicious steak you left on the counter while you answered the phone? The sandwich you just turned your back on as you poured a drink? Chances are your dog has their eyes locked on this unattended food and might take a nibble or even swipe the whole thing! Always clean up after yourself or at least move the food to a location that your pup won’t be able to reach. 

Icky Licking

Dog licks might seem cute, but they can also be somewhat icky, especially when they’re particularly slobbery or busy cleaning their private parts. While it’s a form of affection for your dog, it might not always be appreciated, particularly when it involves your face or food. If you’ve seen your dog go to town on itself, it may be best to avoid receiving licks for some time. 

Chasing Other Animals

Dogs have a natural instinct to chase, and this can be problematic if squirrels, cats, or birds live in your neighborhood. Their hunting instincts may kick in abruptly, leading to off-leash runs, potential danger, or unwanted confrontations with fellow creatures. This behavior can be adjusted with persistent training.

22 Things Dogs Really Dislike About Their Owners

22 Things Dogs Really Dislike About Their Owners