Has owning a pet cramped your lifestyle? Do you regret pet ownership?

[cantdrv55]

I want a dog but wifey says I will regret it and maybe even resent the dog when it starts to limit our freedom to roam about. We plan to travel quite a bit during the summers in retirement. Can we really take the dog abroad? How much does it cost up kennel a dog for weeks? Is that unkind to the dog? Have you had a dog sitter come your house instead when you’re not home? What do you guys do with your furry friends on vacation?

[Scott Douglas]

My son and his wife got two English Bull dogs, sisters, when they first got together. Now some years later, one has passed on due to cancer and the other is still hanging in there, albeit with some problems as she ages.
I asked if they'd get another dog once Darla is gone. He said no, it'd be a while before they got another dog. Three kids will do that to ya when you like to travel too.
I'd love to get a dog but realize it'd just be me taking care of it, my wife wouldn't do anything to help I don't think. I'm not willing to do that to a dog or myself for that matter. Hard to just jump in the car and go when you have to look after another being, human or otherwise.

[vash]

i love my crazy dog.

but yea. its give and take. sometimes it is a kraapload of take.

dog sitters vary. we do it. $40 a night? i think. but it works since it covers the house sitter as well. and she feeds the cat. all my dope gets smoked and my beer is gone, but my dog loves her. i think a kennel was $85 a night...maybe $50. wife department. less fun for the dog i think.

we take our dog on road trips. he is a bad ass traveling companion. he sleeps facing the door of any hotel, and will let out a gentle growl anytime a person walks down the hall. camping? forget about it, i stays awake vigilant. it is funny to watch.

when i get old(er) i will probably not have a dog. they are a lot of work.

[MikeSid]

We have 2 cats and a large Bullmastif. We leave them at home about 3 times a year for a week to 10 days each. We haven't left them for more than 10 days at a time.

The dog usually goes to my mother-in-law's house and it's like a mini vacation for both of them. My MIL likes the company (and obvious added security) for just long enough before she gets tired of the responsibility. Our dog loves the change of scenery but is happy when we get home.

The cats stay in the house alone and we have a neighbor kid come over and feed and water daily.

We pay the MIL with a really nice dinner out - which she appreciates more than cash.
We pay the neighbor kid cash - which is a pretty high paying gig for the effort involved.
Anything more than about 10 days would be a pretty big imposition for either the kid or the MIL.

This works for us. You'll find something that works for you. It's an added "thing to do" before you can travel. But the remaining 93% of the year, it's truly wonderful to have animals sharing our space day to day.

[Ayles]

I am a new pet owner as of two months ago. We got a puppy and have an 8year old son.

The first few weeks were a HUGE adjustment. It brought a lot of chaos into our home. I can easily say now that it is definitely getting better. Its 90% house broken, less nippy, very playful and my family in general has learned how to have a dog around.

We have used a pet sitter who has stayed at our house over several long weekends away and it has worked out very well. We pay her $60 per night. We have also had a trainer come to our home which has been really helpful.

Right now, the biggest concern on our radar is ski season we spend one day each weekend on the mountain which has us out of the house for 10 to 12hrs. We haven't figured out what pet care looks like when that starts up.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

I want a dog but wifey says I will regret it and maybe even resent the dog when it starts to limit our freedom to roam about. We plan to travel quite a bit during the summers in retirement. Can we really take the dog abroad? How much does it cost up kennel a dog for weeks? Is that unkind to the dog? Have you had a dog sitter come your house instead when you’re not home? What do you guys do with your furry friends on vacation?

No regrets with pets.

Our daughter and her husband got a couple of dogs years ago. I don't think they should have as they were both super busy between work and social lives of young people, so they didn't really have time for the dogs. Then when they had kids, they had even less time for the dogs.

Dogs can impact your ability to travel. Depending upon how you travel, you may be able to take the dogs (dogs can go in cars with you and you can take them on planes). You just have to make sure that you can have the dogs where you're going. Or if you have friends or family that would be willing and trustworthy with the dog/pet, that's a good option too.

We put our dogs in a kennel once or maybe twice, and probably wouldn't do it again. I'm sure that can be good, but it can also be bad.

We've had several over the years and I don't think we'd change that. The best thing that you can do is to get a trainer to work with YOU and the dog. 99% of dog training is actually people training. Make sure the dog is well trained and that you understand how/why you do what you do.

[gregpark]

He totally cramps my style, limits vacationing and causes me to worry all the time. He's on the verge of a heart attack if I drive off without him. It's like having a 2 year old toddler full time. I wouldn't trade my little doggie for the world

[Zeke]

Pets are a mixed blessing when you factor the whole range of life. And they can be as expensive as a human when it comes to vet bills these days. I recommend a heath ins policy. When you lose one you might as well have lost a human.

Just to make things clear, a pet is different than an animal.

[Deschodt]

I've liked all our dogs (note liked, wife/kids are closer to "love") but overall I'm more neutral, I can take pet ownership or leave it so I think I'm unbiased. It's definitely made impacts, on vehicles we buy (to carry said pet, unless it's chihuahua sized), on furniture destruction, on general wear and tear of the house (baseboards and wall corners get damaged or dirtier), the wood floors in 2 houses have been trashed from the dog's defective traction control system ;-) You need to clean inside way more often, and I have 2 robots on daily duty, one for hair and yard crap she brings in, and one mopping dirt. The yards have suffered greatly from traffic, turds & pee, digging, messing it up stuff out of enthusiasm, or simply turds galore that kids don't always pick up as they promise they would... Financial impact too at times, even with insurance, 2 of them got really sick and that was expensive, plus vet, food, etc. Then there's pet sitting for vacations, those dog hotels cost more than human ones, and you owe friends return favors... Also leaving for a quick w/e is over without planning, even for a day you gotta consider where the dog stays (in/out/sun exposure/potnetial barking annoying neighbors).. All in all it has quite a noticeable effect, but then you get joy out of it (mostly my kids, but it's cool to see) and some sort of home defense possibly. All this to say it's not trivial and you are right to think about it, best to do it now than after you get a dog. I would highly recommend adopting an older pet and skipping the puppy phase, for your sake (potty trained, not chewing everything) and that of the potential rescued dog, and also picking a breed that doesn't shed much, if you like your house clean...

[berettafan]

It is an impact for sure. Missed out on a shoot this past weekend and the weather was beautiful. Wife and son were out and i won't leave the dog crated for more than 3 hours.

So after almost 2 years the count stands at 1,568,922 positive impacts vs 1 negative.

i think we'll keep the handsome devil!

[stomachmonkey]

I like both Dogs and Cats and have had plenty of both in my life.

Would I get a dog now? Sure, not a hard decision.

But being brutally honest, it would be a crimp in our lifestyle.

I can leave for an overnight or weekend and not worry about the cats.

Dog, not as simple.

I find the 5 cats I currently have are less work than 1 dog.

[GH85Carrera]

Sure it is an impact. We have to hire a lady to come dog sit at our house.

No regrets. The dogs are worth it all.

[craigster59]

I love dogs and have had a few. I'm more of a Lab and German Shepard guy so they tend to be on the large side. Labs are definitely friendlier around strangers and visitors than Shepard's

The only drawback is when the grandkids come, 2 are allergic to dogs, cats and everything known to man, so old Nalu goes to the sitter which he loves.

You can find sitters and walkers on Rover.com or pay a kid to come by. Nalu is a good boy, he was never really a chewer or barker (unless someone comes to the door) and he is a "shadow" for both me and the Wife. Can't imagine life without him.

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[BK911]

No doubt having a pet, especially a dog, will alter your life.
How bad or good depends on you.

[rockfan4]

Let me preface this by saying that for the first 50+ years of my life, I nor my family owned any sort of pet. My aunt had a dog and I stayed with her after school, until my mom got off work, so I've been around dogs since I can remember.
Now on the other hand my wife has had several dogs throughout her life, and she can't see living without a dog or two around the house. She wants a cat again but I'm allergic to them so I'm putting my foot down on that one.
So we have two dogs and yes, it does cramp our style. We do take them to a kennel when we go out of town, and sometimes that's a pain, and even if we're gone somewhere in town it's "we'd like to stay, but we have to go home and let the dogs out" I could do without them but I think since the wife's youngest is 25 she needs something to take care of, the plants just aren't cutting it.

I've appreciated them while working from home, and now I'm not sure they could handle it if I went back to the office. The big one gets bored and destroys stuff if left alone too long.

[rfuerst911sc]

I have been a dog owner my entire life , I am 63 years old . First off ANY pet if taken care of properly is a long commitment and should not be taken lightly. And yes a dog does cramp your style if a lot of travel is in your plans . You either take the dog with you or you don't . And make whatever plans that work for you . In my opinion the joy/love/commitment a dog provides its owners 24/7 and year after year can't be measured .

Yes there are vet bills , food , toys and crates and beds and leashes and ............ you get the picture . But that's why they are more than a pet , they are a member of the family . End of life , be prepared to have to make difficult decisions and the pain that goes with those decisions . It's just part of being a responsible owner . Have fun with the journey and you will be rewarded ten fold .

One last point , if you decide to not be a dog owner you can still be part of the dog community . Go volunteer at a shelter , they always need help and are appreciative of any help or donations you can provide . It's a win win and you never know what you might find ☺️

[IROC]

I don't think it was mentioned, but there is no way I would take a dog abroad. International travel is hassle enough - I can't imagine adding a dog to the mix.

[Seahawk]

We still own horses, which makes owning a dog like hanging an air freshener from your rear view mirror.

It all depends, frankly....dogs on a farm are one thing, dogs in a yard are another. All breeds are different as well. I knew people when I lived in Coronado that owned an Akita and wondered why the dog was unhappy. I had a Jack Russel at the time and guys would come by to borrow him to take to Dogs Beach. Absolute magnet.

We just "rehomed" a dog that was given to a lady by her kids: they though it was going to be more of a lap dog but the thing is a complete beast in the best sense of the word.

It took Dottie about ten days to settle in.



BTW, there are a lot of option for weekly care: https://homeguide.com/costs/dog-boarding-cost

[flatbutt]

I've never regretted having a dog but since my old girl died I have deferred getting another until I'm in a more stay at home mode.

[masraum]

My family has had pets since I was a toddler. I love animals and get attached to pets.

When I was in my early 20s, my roommate wanted to bring his dog from his parents' house to live in our apt. I told him, "that's fine, but I'm not going to be responsible for it in any way. I'll pet it and play with it and I may occasionally walk/feed it or something, but don't count on me doing anything with it. They are a ton of work, and I'm barely responsible for myself." That was the last that I heard about it. I don't know if he was planning on me helping or if my statement clicked for him.