Image Source

Bringing a dog into your life for the first time is incredibly exciting. You can’t wait to be the best dog owner you can be, caring for your pup, and delighting in every aspect of care.

Most people have a good idea of what Dog Ownership will demand of them. They know that they’re going to have to walk their dog, pay the insurance, make trips to the vets for vaccinations– these are the basics that any newbie dog owner can expect.

However, these basics don’t quite paint the full picture of what life as a dog owner is like. This can lead to an uncomfortable phase of discovery, when they find themselves trying to come to terms with unexpected surprises while still caring for their pooch in the best way they possibly can.

If you’re about to embark on the wonderful world of dog ownership, then it’s well worth learning the surprise realizations that may be in store for you…

#1 – Everything you own is now covered in hair. Permanently.

Image Source

Okay, so that may be a little bit of an exaggeration, but there’s no doubt that dog ownership has a tendency to involve a large amount of Hair. Most of that hair will be attached to your dog; some of it you will remove during grooming sessions; and the rest will deposit itself around your house at regular intervals.

Many prospective dog owners are well aware that they will have to deal with hair and shedding, but it never fails to amaze them at the sheer volume of hair a single dog is able to produce. The amount your dog sheds is largely dependant on their breed, but most will part ways with up to 100 hairs per day. This can leave you with a constant layer of fuzz on your home and your furniture; something that new puppy owners often struggle to get to grips with.

The best way to prepare yourself for this is to prepare for the extra cleaning. A pet vacuum is a recommended purpose, as you’ll find that many standard vacuum cleaners just don’t have the suction required to lift dog hair off carpets and upholstery. You’ll also want to invest in a good deshedding brush for your dog; these brushes comb deeper into your dog’s fur to remove the loose undercoat, and have been shown to help reduce shedding as a result.

#1 – Your home will start to resemble Fort Knox

Image Source

Many dogs have a tendency to want to explore the world– and they’re not going to wait around for you to take them on a walk. If they spot a hole in a fence, or have figured out how to dig under the fence, then they’ll take themselves on a walk without a backwards glance.

As a result of this, dog ownership tends to involve a level of security that is usually reserved for precious and priceless items– which is fitting, given how much you’ll come to love your pup!

Scan around the exterior of your garden to see if there are any weak spots in the perimeter, such as gaps in hedges or lose hinges on the gate. You may also want to consider erecting fencing that can help protect against digging. When the garden is safe, you should also consider what will happen if you leave the front door open for too long and your dog takes advantage. Ensuring that they have another exit to navigate (such as a front gate over your driveway) is the best way of keeping them contained in such a scenario.

#3 – There will be mess.

Image Source

As well as the hair issue, it’s important that prospective puppy owners understand that their new four-legged companion is going to cause mess. It’s inevitable; dogs don’t understand that you prefer to keep your floors clean and your possessions unchewed, so it’s up to you to train them otherwise.

Even when your dog has been trained, you’ll still likely have to deal with some level of mess. You are, after all, living with a whole separate creature, and they are going to generate the occasional extra cleaning work. Provided you’re aware of this, you should adjust relatively quickly, but it’s important to be aware that dog ownership isn’t just a story of cuddles and relaxing walks– it tends to involve a lot of cleaning too.

As well as cleaning, you’re likely going to have more to do in the way of garden maintenance than you used to have to do. The aforementioned digging problems can cause havoc with your flower beds, so you’ll want to look into ways of protecting your precious plants. If your dog uses your grass as a toilet, then you’ll need to be prepared to learn about lawn care and ensure you’re doing all you can to keep your grass in as good a condition as possible despite the frequent urination.

The messiness might be tough to deal with initially, but in time, going to extra lengths to care for your home and garden will become second nature to you.

#4 – Dog ownership is even better than you imagined

Finally, it’s worth noting that many new dog owners simply can’t believe how much they love being a dog owner. Sure, they imagined they would enjoy it, but they didn’t realize quite how delightful the entire experience would be. Dogs bring such a constant joy to people’s lives, so much so that your depth of feeling and enjoyment may come as something of a surprise.

This, ultimately, is what makes all of the above issues bearable. Yes, your life has become a little busier, there’s more mess to deal with, and your home has had to change to accommodate your new arrival– but it’s absolutely worth it. So while things may be rough for awhile as you and your family adjust to your new four-legged family member, you will eventually reach a point where you can’t imagine them not being there.

Image Source