36 – Are You Ready For A Dog?

Why do people get a dog?  Is it fond memories of a childhood dog?  Is it a symbol that one has reached adulthood?  Maybe a dog will fill a role – companion to help combat loneliness, a way to teach children responsibility, a sports dog, a watch dog, a service dog – the list is endless.  Maybe the question should not be why do people get dogs but whether they should get dogs. 

Several recent events made me think long and hard about this column.  I would not want to discourage responsible people from getting a dog. There are way too many dogs (and cats) sitting in the shelter, waiting for a loving home.   But the key word here is responsible.  I want people to think about the commitment required, not just for the next year, but for the next 10 to 15 years.

Financial Commitment:

 If you get a dog, you will have to provide for it.   The costs are often underestimated.  I looked at the bills we paid when Buzz arrived a year ago.  Within the first nine weeks, veterinary expenses totaled $168.00. There were three sets of puppy vaccinations, a rabies vaccination, a check for worms, an overall physical exam, and heartworm medication.  Adult dogs, of course, require fewer vaccinations, so the cost will be a little less.  Yet, dogs being dogs, there will be miscellaneous expenses involved with accidents and injuries, infections, diseases, and spay/neuter.  

How about food?  A high quality diet is always recommended to keep your dog healthy and it may help  reduce some of the veterinary bills mentioned above.  Using a 50 pound dog as a model, it will cost between $.45 and $.50 per day to feed the dog.  That’s $165 to $182.50 per year.  Don’t forget to add in the costs of any supplements like glucosamine or vitamins, if necessary.

The dog itself may come with a price tag.  If you choose a purebred from a breeder, the dog could cost $500 and up.  Even pups that result  from the brief encounter of a wandering Romeo and an unsupervised female may cost something as the owner of the mother tries to recoup a little of the cost of bringing the pups into the world.

Let’s not forget equipment such as collars and leashes, a crate, bedding, fencing, and grooming aids such as brushes, shampoos, and nail trimmers.   Add training and a pet sitter or boarding should you want to travel without your pet. Did I mention toys?  The average dog owner spends $41.00 per year on pet toys according to the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association.  Drs. Foster and Smith estimate the cost of care of a dog could run as high as $2485.00 per year! 

Time Commitment:

This one concerns me the most.  It’s the one that prompted the topic for this column.  Puppies and dogs new to a household will receive a great deal of attention.  Then the novelty wears off and some undesirable behaviors may set in.  The dog is left outside, placed in a pen or chained to a tree far from the house, the ground worn bare around his dog house from his pacing in boredom day after day.  He watches people walking or driving by, waiting for some type of interaction with another living being.  Dogs are social creatures, thinking beings who need contact with others in order to remain happy and healthy.  Dr. Patricia McConnell, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, writes in her book The Other End of the Leash, “Dogs are just as social as we are, veritable social butterflies who can’t live a normal life without a lot of social interaction.”  To deny them this interplay is cruel.  Many enlightened communities have enacted ordinances prohibiting the chaining of dogs or limiting it to three hours per day maximum.  More than this constitutes abuse. Please don’t get a dog if banishing him from your home and your companionship is an option for you down the road. 

 What about the dog who has spent ten years of his life with an owner, only now to face re-homing or euthanasia because no one has the time or desire to deal with issues associated with aging?  According to Dr. Nicholas Dodman, dogs can grieve at the loss of an owner.  He states, “Following acute loss of a closely bonded owner, dogs can suffer the pangs of separation anxiety or depression just as people do.”  If you are a person who can’t commit to a dog for his lifetime, someone who can’t deal with issues that accompany aging, please don’t get a dog.

Please consider the commitments required for responsible pet ownership before getting a dog."He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." – Unknown. 

Jan Casey is a dog trainer and behavioral consultant and owner of Smiles and Wags in Cookeville.  You can reach her at 931-510-0119 or email jan@smilesandwags.com.