This is a partnered post.
It pretty much a given that at one time for another, if you have kids, they are going to ask for a pet. The most popular of which is a dog or puppy. But bringing an animal into your lives is a big decision and it needs to be considered carefully before you decide one way or another. Below you will find something to think about both positive and not so positive before you decide whether a family dog is right for you.
Positive – Pets Enrich Our Lives
Interacting with your dog can be so different to human interaction. A good pet with a good temperament will be loyal and affectionate and love you unconditionally. This is important because this type of relationship can be hard to come by in the human world.
Also, having a dog that interacts with you in this way can be a real self-esteem booster for shy or quiet kids struggling in life. This is because no matter how smart or popular they are, they always have someone to return to at the end of the day that will love them no matter what.
Negative – They Are A Lot Of Work
People forget that dogs are serious work. They aren’t like cats, who will do their own thing and just see you at dinner times. Dogs need constant attention. They need walking and affection. They need to bed fed and looked after right too.
In fact, getting your dog’s diet right is one of the biggest bugbears of canine ownership. This is because the wrong diet can result in health issues, weight gain or nasty things like flatulence or diarrhea.
Canine diets need to be tailored to the breed, and size of the dog. So remember you will need a different type of food for your pug, than you will for your Doberman.
Positive – Responsibility
Another wonderful thing about getting a dog is that they can help you to teach your children about how to behave around pets and a lesson of responsibility. So often it can be the kids that are begging the parents for an animal only to forget after a few day that they said they would feed, water and clean up after it.
This leaves the parents with another burden, and the kids are missing out on learning to be committed to something.
Yes, of course, there are times when the parents will need to intervene such as choosing the right food, or when it’s time to take Fido to the vets. But allowing the children to assist in the day to day care of the dog is always a valuable; lesson.
Negative – Life Span
A negative that no everyone thinks about before bringing a dog into the home is that they have shorter lifespans than us humans. This means that while you will have many years of wonderful time together, at some point, it will be necessary to say goodbye.
This can be a very tough thing to do, especially if you are a child that has grown up with your pup always being there. But is also teaches a valuable lesson about love and grief than set them up well for later life.
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