Dogs Deserve Better!

Okay, time for a rant.

Dogs are the most wonderful creatures on earth.  They give nothing but unconditional love and all they ask in return is that you love them and take care of them.

But make no mistake, dogs can be expensive.  And they are a huge responsibility.

They need to eat, for one thing.  That's not cheap just by its own self.  Especially if you have a Murphy like mine. They require monthly heart worm treatment, again, not cheap.  And flea and tick meds.  And shots.  And yearly check-ups. And that's all BEFORE they get sick or hurt, God forbid.  What about dog walking or dog sitting services or doggie day care if you're working 12 hours a day away from home?

Then you have toys and beds and leashes and collars and nail trimmings and if you picked a dog that needs to be professionally groomed, you might as well keep that checkbook handy.

And I haven't even mentioned the time and energy yet.  There's house breaking, training, and daily exercise.

Oh, and just because you have a huge, fenced yard, don't think they don't still need walks.  They DO!

Something else people don't always consider.  Dogs are smart.  If you take the time and energy required when you bring the dog home to TRAIN the dog, you end up with a dog that is a joy to have and not just one more thing that needs constant care and supervision.  If I can't trust my dog in my house by itself, I have not properly trained that dog.  So either put in the few months in the beginning or be prepared to have 10-15 years of trouble.

With all of that said, they are SO worth it.  Every penny.  Every drop of energy. It's nothing compared to what they give back.  Seriously, is there anything better than a sleeping dog on your lap?  Or that smile they give you when they're happy?  Which, by the way, is most of the time.  They really don't ask much in the grand scheme of things and in return you get unconditional love, loyalty, laughter, stress relief.  And they are very social creatures.  If you're just going to toss it out in the back yard and throw food at it once a day, forgedaboudit!  That's CRUEL.  As is tying one out, in my opinion.  What's the point?

And this isn't even factoring in the wonderful service dogs.  Think how much THEY do!

But nothing makes me angrier than someone who gets a dog just because "it's so cute!"  Without a clue one what the breed temperament is, what kind of health problems they're prone to, whether they are high energy or couch potatoes, are they suited for an apartment? Do they need professional grooming?  Are they a very social breed?  Do some RESEARCH!

Most importantly, can you AFFORD to take that cute little ball of fur home?  Are you fully prepared to make sure it gets ALL of the above?

If you can't afford to put in the time and money required to care for a dog properly, PLEASE DO NOT GET A DOG!  They deserve better.

WAY better.