Secret Diary of a Pet Sitter - Puppy Love
I have two confessions. First, I had a mad crush on Donny Osmond, who didn't, right? Yes, my favorite song was Puppy Love. I've now dated myself and given you a sense for my music taste. Lets move on quickly, please.
Second confession, when I got my first puppy, and my second, I never thought about how much time, energy and time I would be spending taking care of its needs. My relationships and professional life suffered because my pups came first. Had I known what I know now, I would have done things differently.
As amazing as puppies are, they are A LOT of work and stress, and think TWICE before you get a pup, and ALWAYS consider rescuing an adult dog.
Having said all that, a new puppy makes every day brighter. Puppies make us laugh out loud. They melt our hearts when they lick our face and wiggle their butt. Puppy love is one of the strongest bonds you will ever have with another living thing. However, having a puppy has its challenges.
FIRST, puppies occupy a lot of our time. If you are used to traveling, for business or pleasure, hanging out at a music festival all day in the City, taking your new 'human' love to the beach, mountains or wine country for the weekend or hanging out at a fancy restaurant on a Friday for happy hour, then dinner with two bottles of wine.
Say goodbye to that, temporarily, when you get a new pup! A puppy needs and deserves your time the first few weeks you adopt him/her. I estimate you will spend 25-30 hours per week.
SECOND, puppies, and dogs in general, will cost you a lot of money over their lifetime. Are you sure you don't want to buy that sports car you've always wanted, put a down payment on a rancher in Iowa or take that trip around the world?
You should be prepared for start-up costs and recurring expenses, such as food, veterinarian visits, puppy training and hiring a dog walker and or pet sitter so that you are able to continue working, travel and have a personal life outside of that with your pup. Take a look at the ASPCA's estimated costs of parenting a pet.
In addition to all the expenses listed on the attachments, there are a lot of expenses we don't plan on. Pups will likely chew and destroy a lot of your personal items such as clothes, shoes, furniture, carpet, baseboard, etc. Pups also make pee and poop messes that you'll need to clean up with somewhat expensive cleaning products.
THIRD, puppies are physically demanding and emotionally draining. You are likely to experience anxiety similar to having a human baby. You may think about your pup always and wonder how they are doing when not with you.
You will be dizzy in love and feel a sense of loss when your pup is not right next to you. You will fear for their safety and health and have irrational thoughts of them falling off a cliff. Check out 9 things you do when you have separation anxiety from your dog.
Again, consider adopting an adult dog and cut your cost, time and energy in half!
A very special shout-out to the pet parents who inspired me to write this entry, Erik and Amira and their adorable doggie Elsa! Thank you for doing everything right with your pup and making my job easy!
