DO NOT GET A DOG. That's what a lot of people said when I started talking about getting a dog.
Frances Whiting wrote a great article in the U on Sunday (2 November 2014) about her experience with people's opinions on her getting a golden retriever. Sensibly, she decided to ignore the naysayers and got one anyway. Way to go Frances!!!
So what do I think now I have a dog?
Would I recommend it?
Well, here are six reasons to NOT get a dog:
We love our Cavoodle Jagger: our cute, little destructive ball of fluff. She has changed all our lives for the better.
She helps make our house a home.
My advice?
If you're thinking of getting a dog, and you genuinely think you can look after one properly - do it!!!
But be informed: do your homework, speak to lots of dog owners and vets, read lots of books and blogs, and speak to your family before taking the plunge.
What sort of advice have you had from people about getting a dog?
We'd love to hear from you.
Find us on Instagram: @pawsnaffect
Find us on Facebook: Paws and Affect
Find us on Pinterest: Paws and Affect
Frances Whiting wrote a great article in the U on Sunday (2 November 2014) about her experience with people's opinions on her getting a golden retriever. Sensibly, she decided to ignore the naysayers and got one anyway. Way to go Frances!!!
So what do I think now I have a dog?
Would I recommend it?
Well, here are six reasons to NOT get a dog:
- You have to take a dog for walks. But on the plus side, I've lost 5kg in four months ... quite possibly due to the extra walking.
- People will want to talk to you. At cafes and the park. However, my dog helped me make new connections with my quiet neighbours. I've talked to lots of interesting people on our walks and who knows, I might just find long time friend or a business contact from talking to dog lovers.
- Dogs take up a lot of time. They need to play and go for walks and get fed. But for a little while every day I can focus my energy elsewhere and not on work/housework/the kids/my worries, and I get lots of kisses and tail wagging for my efforts.
- Barking. At pretty much anything that goes past the house. However, my dog has alerted me to my child escaping out the front gate and before they were harmed. She will also be the first to alert us to a fire if we're ever unlucky enough to have one.
- Dogs can't speak. You have to guess what they want or need a lot of the time. But I can tell my dog my worries and she just puts her head on my lap, looks soulfully into my eyes, and sighs. Then I feel much better.
- Big, sloppy, wet kisses. Often right in the nostril! However those kisses and happy jumps when I get home after a long work day boosts my flagging spirits. And it makes me feel a little bit like a rock star.
We love our Cavoodle Jagger: our cute, little destructive ball of fluff. She has changed all our lives for the better.
She helps make our house a home.
My advice?
If you're thinking of getting a dog, and you genuinely think you can look after one properly - do it!!!
But be informed: do your homework, speak to lots of dog owners and vets, read lots of books and blogs, and speak to your family before taking the plunge.
What sort of advice have you had from people about getting a dog?
We'd love to hear from you.
Find us on Instagram: @pawsnaffect
Find us on Facebook: Paws and Affect
Find us on Pinterest: Paws and Affect