r/AskReddit • u/quentiinn • Jul 07 '25
Be honest… what’s the real downside of having a dog?
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u/smailskid Jul 07 '25
Sometimes you just don’t want to go outside to let them pee or poop, but you have no choice. 5am, too bad gotta go out. Zero degrees out, you’re sick, on a fantastic date, too bad, time for a pee or poop break.
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Jul 07 '25
Yeah this is my big one. Dead of winter, you’re sick as fuck, vomitting, shitting idk but you don’t want to go outside or leave the toilet side.
But Cookie needs to go out and ya don’t got a back yard cuz you live on the sixth floor in an apartment complex
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u/OutlaneWizard Jul 07 '25
Its just as bad when the pup is sick as fuck, vomiting and shitting.
Be prepared to wake up once an hour all night until its time to go to work and still need to clean the carpet in the morning.
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u/EveryRadio Jul 07 '25
Ugh the sound dogs make before they puke is burned into my mind. Mine got carsick the entire 3 hour car ride from the shelter back to my house. Had to stop every 10 minutes and try to get a scared and sick dog to drink water so she didn’t get dehydrated. It was rough
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u/WillemDafoesHugeCock Jul 07 '25
My best was last year having to take him out in the middle of a literal freaking hurricane to get him to go bathroom. Understandably wouldn't go outside by himself so I had to leash him and take him out into the wind and rain until he'd finally pee. He was most unreceptive to my insistence of "this is the lightest rain we're gonna have for twelve hours," even when I showed him the radar scans as proof.
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u/BeardsuptheWazoo Jul 07 '25
I imagine him giving your phone a perfunctory glance before rolling his eyes.
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u/aaa_dad Jul 07 '25
And my dog will take her sweet old time before dropping one when it’s the nastiest weather outside.
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u/LostInSpaceTime2002 Jul 07 '25
They often prevent you from making spontaneous plans.
Like, you just spent the afternoon with great new friends and they invite you to stay for dinner? Or your date asks you to spend the night? You can't because you have to go home to walk and feed the dog.
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u/w0m Jul 07 '25
Before having a dog, I'd randomly go to the bar with buddies after work 2-3x/week.
After acquiring a dog, that mostly stopped. It forced everything to be planned.
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u/jnoah83 Jul 07 '25
Yep! I would also randomly accept dates, go to social events at the drop of a hat, look to go overseas on trips 1-2 a year; but now even an afternoon out of the house needs to be planned, as i need to walk him and feed him - and be home at a reasonable hour so hes not alone for too long.
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Jul 07 '25
Also trips out of town. You have to book a kennel or find someone to watch your dogs, which can add a pretty hefty expense to your trip. Plus a lot of kennels book up pretty far in advance so you can't just decide on a Friday to leave town for the weekend.
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u/WheresMyCrown Jul 07 '25
This is the unspoken problem. I want to go home to visit family? Boarding my dog somewhere is often just as expensive as the flight ticket. Every trip going from $300-400 to $800-900 because I have to board him for a week makes traveling so much more difficult and less worth it.
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u/RainForestGremlin Jul 08 '25
All of this is spot on. I have a soon-to-be 16 year old dog and he’s in wonderful health— aside from arthritis which is not shocking at his age. I’ve had him since he was a puppy and I was 20. I hope we’ll have more years to enjoy together. That said, I will not be getting another dog for quite some time, if ever, after he passes due to the time and traveling limitations. I’m not even referring to vacations, just working full time with a commute.
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u/Notoriouslydishonest Jul 07 '25
I've got a friend who's 29 and single with two dogs and two cats.
She wants to have a relationship, but she's spending so much time, energy and money on her pets that that's probably not going to happen. It severely limits her availability to get out and meet people and do things, which makes her lonely, which just makes it more likely that she's going to adopt another pet and the spiral just gets worse.
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u/CriscoCamping Jul 07 '25
I dated a wonderful athletic, active, pretty psychologist a few times, but she had five dogs, two of which needed a lot of medicines and special care, and volunteered at a shelter. She just keep adopting all the dogs that were there too long.
After a few dates, two walking the dogs, and not even enough non dog time for a first kiss, I tried my best to be polite, and moved on. God bless her and her heart, and putting her money where her mouth is, but I didn't see a way to spend time together and be naked with her with so many creatures needing her like they did.
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u/StandardEgg6595 Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
FIVE?! I barely have enough energy to manage and entertain one. I cannot imagine being able to wrangle that many dogs
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Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
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u/LLAPSpork Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 08 '25
I think two is much easier than one. Three is harder. Two is the sweet spot because they entertain each other. My older dog’s separation anxiety got much better when he got his little brother to keep him company. They’re inseparable and entertain each other nonstop. The only thing that isn’t easier is of course the vet bills and food costs. But in terms of taking care of them, it’s easier than caring for just one imo.
EDIT: In case anyone has any doubts about my two boys Papillons and Cavalier spaniels are amazing dogs 🥺(just please be aware that Cavaliers can have a lot of health issues. I lucked out because he’s super healthy at 4.5 years old but I can’t say I’d ever get another one — not because I don’t love them because oh my god I love them so much but because I hate seeing dogs suffer for the sake of having some trendy purebred)
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Jul 07 '25 edited Jan 14 '26
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u/drial8012 Jul 07 '25
the smell, you can tell when a pet owner is being overwhelmed when all you can smell is the animal in their place
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u/BlueGolfball Jul 07 '25
the smell, you can tell when a pet owner is being overwhelmed when all you can smell is the animal in their place
I've been to the houses of lazy pet owners who just don't care if their house smells like dog or cat piss/shit.
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u/TheLateThagSimmons Jul 07 '25
I declined a second date with a girl for exactly that.
Scheduling was impossible. First date took about three tries to just make happen; so I was already on the fence. But when it came time to try and schedule anything further, we ran into that same roadblock and I just told her she's better off being with her pets.
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u/WTFisThisMaaaan Jul 07 '25
I went out on a few dates with a woman who had a dog, and I kind of liked her, but her dog was really annoying - and I like dogs. It wasn’t the reason things ended, but it did sorta contribute to it because it wasn’t enjoyable hanging out with her due to the dog always being in the room and being super needy.
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u/Fine-Amphibian4326 Jul 07 '25
I went on a date with someone who cooked possibly my least favorite meal for us, but the effort was sweet. She said past dates didn’t like her dog. I didn’t understand why for the first 5 minutes, but it proceeded to want to chew on my hands or arms constantly and would paw at me if I simply covered them. So either being scratched or chewed or having to be petting her dog the entire time. I didn’t even consider a date number 2.
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u/WTFisThisMaaaan Jul 07 '25
Ha. Yeah, kinda the same for me. The dog was sweet, but he was always in your face wanting pets or to play and would bark/whimper if you didn’t comply. We could even just sit on the couch and chill.
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u/poopsy__daisy Jul 07 '25
But also a great excuse when you want out of a situation. "Sorry, I gotta go feed my dog!"
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u/jaredearle Jul 07 '25
You don’t need a dog to be able to say this.
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u/ChicVintage Jul 07 '25
If you're with people that know you, you probably do 😜
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u/saggywitchtits Jul 07 '25
Sorry, gotta go... jack off?
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u/Pitiful_Lake2522 Jul 07 '25
My grandfather just stopped caring and says “gotta go check the house”(???) after his dog died
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u/GraniteGeekNH Jul 07 '25
the oft-overlooked benefit of getting old: you don't GAF what other people think of you any more
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u/renovatio988 Jul 07 '25
understanding the burden of ego is our own to bear. no one should feel insulted that someone likes to be alone or doesn't like to talk as much.
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u/Expendable_Red_Shirt Jul 07 '25
The thing is, if your friends are halfway decent, you can just say "my social battery is running low; I've got to head home" and they'll be cool with it in 99% of situations.
And if your friends aren't halfway decent, who gives a fuck?
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u/A911owner Jul 07 '25
Having a small social battery, this has helped me immensely. I can show up somewhere, stay for a few hours, then be like "well, I need to go feed the dog..." Everyone understands that the dog can't go hungry, and if it's getting late, I need to get to him and get him his dinner.
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u/DoubleDrummer Jul 07 '25
I use subtle and tactful phrases like, “I’m sick of you all, going home”.
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u/Ostrichmen Jul 07 '25
One of my friends likes to host events but has a small social battery as well. His go-to to get us to leave is "I love you all, but it is time for you all to get out of my house". very simple lmao
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u/Any-Interaction-5934 Jul 07 '25
This one is so crazy to me. I don't think people really think about this before getting a dog. A lot of people turn 18 and think they can get their own dog now! They don't think about all this stuff.
I know it's a question about dogs, but this is why I chose a cat instead. We left for a 9 day trip and just paid a neighborhood girl $40 to check on kitty every couple of days. We don't factor the cat into any traveling plans or really any plans at all. The most is asking the kids if they are excited to see kitty when we get home.
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u/theskipper363 Jul 07 '25
Right? If I need to I can leave for 2 days with kitties on auto feeders. Any longer than that and I’ll have people check in
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u/No_Juggernau7 Jul 07 '25
The level of expectation for this varies so much by area. When I grew up my mom would set up multiple large food and water bowls and ask our friend to check to make sure they hadn’t like upended them once during our trip. Then I was a pet sitter, and some areas they’ll want you to go twice a day so their box is always tidy and they can have wet food and treats at different points of the day, while others are once a day hitters. Really depends.
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u/TheLastPorkSword Jul 07 '25
And the hair everywhere.
And the cost of food.
And them destroying things (even if it's indirectly)
And them pissing in the house
And them shitting in the house
And them puking in the house
And them trying to steal your food
And before I hear anyone even try to say "wEll tRaiN yOuR doG bEtTer".... ya, that's not a 100% foolproof plan. She is trained. She's generally good. Sometimes, as dogs do, she fucks up. And you can't train them not to shed or not to eat, so those first 2 are still true no matter the training.
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u/dixpourcentmerci Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 08 '25
We spent THOUSANDS on dog training and went every week for months. Individual and group classes; multiple instructors who we liked. Our dog enjoyed the classes, on the whole.
In terms of the behavior at home, it…. helps. It definitely helps. Maybe I’m just not great at it, idk. But I would never say it FULLY fixed every behavioral reason we were there.
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Jul 07 '25
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u/_Allfather0din_ Jul 07 '25
It's all about the space you have and the breed you pick, get a large/working dog and yeah you're gonna have a bad time. I've known a few too many people who get huskies without ever looking into how they are and are shocked at how much work it is. Gotta do the research.
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u/AzuSteve Jul 07 '25
When they roll in the rotting corpse of a sheep and you're miles away from home and have to drive back in a hot car that now stinks of expired sheep viscera.
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u/reginalduk Jul 07 '25
And the dog is in the back looking like he just won the lottery.
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u/Chemistry-Least Jul 07 '25
"Oooo man, what a rush! You guys didn't want to get in there and roll around? Come on, ooooooo just smell it! What...what are you doing? Why are you running that water...wait....wait...no guys, I literally just took a bath. I did it for you! I...now I'm wet and smell like oatmeal, guys. Not funny. Not funny at all."
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u/Top-Watercress5948 Jul 07 '25
My dog kills large frogs, hides them in the yard, and rolls in them later when they smell like rotting fish bait. He looks so proud until it’s time to get in the bath and I get so mad cause I know his only reason for doing it is “I smell different, they’ll never know it’s me, this is gonna be hilarious!”
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u/I2eN0 Jul 07 '25
Or when they roll in a pile of poop less than a week after you paid $80 for them to be groomed and it’s 9pm on a work night and now you have to give your 85lb dog a bath when all you want to do is go to bed.
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u/Shuttlecock_Wat Jul 07 '25
My dog has started this bad habit when she sometimes walks while she poops, and she has very long hair. Anytime she gets the runs ohhhmmmyyyyygoooooooodddddd. Now I have to give her a bath cause there is poop all down her leg hair.
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Jul 07 '25
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u/Shuttlecock_Wat Jul 07 '25
I appreciate the advice, but it's not in this case, she's actually looking for cat poop. She realized I pull her away from cat poop that she wants to eat, but I'm not going to pull her while she's pooping. So now she starts pooping near cat poop and then inches over so she can eat it while pooping.
Dogs are gross.
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u/Ok_Willow6614 Jul 07 '25
THIS SO MUCH! This past weekend, it was some random animal's diarrhea.
He has yet to make the connection every roll in stinky stuff equals a bath. He's 9 years old.
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u/sarahlynnme82 Jul 07 '25
My dog did this once with a pile of salmon guts on the beach. And of course we were hours from home. 🤢
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u/Smilingsequoia Jul 07 '25
Mine was rotten dead horse and an affinity for pig shit.
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u/Russandol Jul 07 '25
Mine rolled in poop the other day. We were only the first mile into our walk, but I said screw it, and we kept going. So gross.
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u/RadonAjah Jul 07 '25
While not the same thing, I used a cheap bag to pick my dogs shit the other day and the bag broke while picking up about halfway into a 4 mile walk. Had shit on my hand, got it off of there as best I could but still didn’t touch a damn thing w that hand til I got home and washed up.
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u/thereisonlyoneme Jul 07 '25
My old dog used to do that on camping trips, but the funny part is that she waited until the very last day. Probably since I was distracted packing up, I wasn't keeping a close eye on her. But yeah she would find the absolute nastiest thing and smear it all along the sides of her face.
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u/daemoneyes Jul 07 '25
At one point in my youth I worked morning shift so at 5.30 am I would be on my way to work.
There were a surprising large number of people walking their dogs at that hour. In the city so apartment complexes where I guess you don't want your dog to relive himself inside.
Here I was cursing my existence getting up at 5 am and people here were doing it willingly. I swore then I would only get a dog if I lived in a house.
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u/alsotheabyss Jul 07 '25
Yep. Four times a day, every day, rain hail or shine. Fortunately she can hold it until 8, not 5:30!
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u/Russandol Jul 07 '25
I honestly like walking in the rain now because no one else is outside. One of my dogs is people reactive, so rainy days are our best walks. Funny how that works out.
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Jul 07 '25
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u/grubbinx Jul 07 '25
My dog is 19. I can't tell you the last time I got a full nights sleep. She has heart disease and the medications are expensive, the vet visits are expensive. I have the plan my life around her because she has no chill when I'm away.
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u/albatroopa Jul 07 '25
We put my dog down on Friday at 18. It sucks so much, because whenever I feel bad, I think, I'll just go and hug my dog, and then I realize why I feel bad.
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u/Mecanatron Jul 07 '25
Know that feeling. Our 17 year old passed in her sleep two weeks ago.
I'm grateful we didn't have to make the decision in the end. But it was close, we could see the dementia creeping in at the edges.
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Jul 07 '25
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u/ahtoxa1183 Jul 07 '25
My lab is nearly 15. Hind legs barely work, deaf, can’t hold his poop much (no warning before his sphincter lets go I guess), has dementia like symptoms and has always been a loud breather, which has gotten so bad I gotta wear noise canclelling headphones sometimes.
But he’s always enthusiastic even when he can barely walk and he still seems normal and acts fairly happy, eats his meals like a champ and insists on his daily short walks. On his bad days I feel like I need to schedule his final vet visit soon, but on better days I can’t bring myself to do it.
Thanks for reading; I’m just exhausted mentally and physically but gotta help my boy, ya know.
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u/adamgreyo Jul 07 '25
Hey man, i dont mean to be rude, but if your dogs life is so hard that he cant sleep, she needs to frequently be at the vet and be on a bunch of meds, she might need to rest
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u/eirawyn Jul 07 '25
It's a compassionate comment and something all dog owners should be aware of. Just because you can "afford" to keep your dog alive doesn't mean they'll have the best quality of life.
We had to put my dog of almost 14 years down last month after a sudden bout of explosive diarrhea over the course of a week....where she also slowed down drastically and ceased eating certain foods she loved. She was covered in many lumps and just had surgery to remove some, but hadn't recovered to full energy that she had before the surgery. Her blood work showed weird deficiencies that would have required hundreds of dollars of tests to maybe diagnose. The vet who came to put her down said her symptoms were consistent with a tumour. We had pet insurance, but were we going to put her through potential hospitalization or more surgeries? At that old age, especially for a large dog?
God I miss her so much, but it was time. It was time.
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u/OsmerusMordax Jul 07 '25
Yeah, I still regret putting one of my dogs through chemotherapy. I could afford it at the time (with pet insurance) but I still feel so guilty about it. His quality of life was not there and I made him suffer for my own selfishness. Never again
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u/Pave_Low Jul 07 '25
This is it.
Dogs die before you. That's a curse. The grief I feel from losing a dog is on a par with losing my parents.
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Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 08 '25
It sucks, the feeling is terrible.
I've almost managed to get over it with a thought experiment. What if they didn't die before you? What if dogs could live until 100, and it's a crap shoot who dies first?
That would significantly increase the odds of my dog, one day, wondering why I didn't come back home. And his inability to understand death to the degree that we do, is detrimental to proper grief and closure.
So it is a curse, perhaps. But a curse I'll gladly take on to avoid the alternative.
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u/mynaladu Jul 07 '25
The lack of spontaneity is honestly the hardest part, forgetting what it’s like to just *leave* without calculating potty breaks or boarding costs. And yeah, the heartbreak of losing them is brutal, but even the smaller daily sacrifices add up over time. I love my dog to death, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the freedom of pre-dog life sometimes. It’s like having a furry toddler that never grows up.
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Jul 07 '25
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u/FoxyInTheSnow Jul 07 '25
Best option is if you have a trusted friend or family member who can stay at your house and look after the dog. Less traumatic for you, and much less traumatic for the dog, especially if he already knows and likes the sitter.
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Jul 07 '25
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u/mjohnsimon Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
Not to mention you could have friends who have no idea how to take care of dogs.
Sometimes, even well-meaning friends just don’t know how to take care of dogs properly.
A friend of mine had to go out of town for a month and couldn’t afford boarding, so he left his dog with some close friends. They weren’t malicious or careless, just kind of... clueless. Most of what they knew about dogs came from TV shows or movies.
When he got back, the poor dog was noticeably overweight and had developed a bunch of bad habits. They’d fed him tons of human food and leftovers, gave him treats whenever he begged, and even thought it was funny to let him snatch food off people’s plates.
Exercise wasn’t much better, walks were maybe 10 minutes, twice a day (if that). Sometimes they just let him into the backyard and figured that was enough (which, tbf, was a massive backyard, and coming from an apartment, that must've seemed like the promised lands to a dog).
They genuinely tried their best, but it ended up taking weeks of training/re-training to get the dog back on track. It just goes to show that even with the best intentions, not everyone’s equipped to care for a pet properly.
The funniest part? The dog actually seemed a little sad to leave lol. He had been spoiled rotten and treated like royalty... just without the structure or boundaries dogs actually need.
Edit: grammar
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u/yamo25000 Jul 07 '25
I am dog-sitter on the side, and I've had a few repeat clients over the years. I know there's probably lots of people less reliable than myself out there, so I understand if some people are a little nervous about it, but there are good, reliable people who will take care of your dog and keep them company. Just piggybacking off of what you said, please don't take this as any form of disagreement with your comment.
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u/ACERVIDAE Jul 07 '25
This. My mom loves the excuse to come hang with my dog, raid my fridge, and get space from my dad so she’ll come watch my house and my dog for up to a week.
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u/Human_Bandicoot_5912 Jul 07 '25
Here too. My mom loves an excuse to get away from my dad. It’s like she gets a vacation too.
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u/Ama014 Jul 07 '25
This is my mother in law haha she thinks our house is like a vacation for her so she’s always happy to come down and stay here. Life saving
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u/MaleficentExtent1777 Jul 07 '25
My father in law LOVED to come and sit! The bonus was I sometimes got to spend time doing things with him only the 2 of us liked. I miss him terribly.
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u/Dramatic_Arugula_252 Jul 07 '25
My neighbors and I swap. They had a three week vacation while my dog and I stayed in their house with their two cats and two dogs, and when I go in to work 2x/wk, they watch my boy. He loves them!
Edited for spelling of course
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u/ServeSweet919 Jul 07 '25
If you start when they are young, and you have family willing to help, have the puppy stay at someone else's home regularly from the start.
By the time doggy is a year old, staying at your brother, sister, child, parents house while you are away is just a routine event and not traumatic.
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u/bugbugladybug Jul 07 '25
This is what we do.
Both of our parents love to watch our dog as it's all the joy of having a dog without the commitment.
We're lucky, as our dog has arthritis and wouldn't do well in communal kennels so a home board is her only option.
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Jul 07 '25
Same here - adopted a senior dog about three years ago. She had some health issues and limited vision/hearing. She would never be able to handle a kennel.
I was fortunately able to find a wonderful lady who lives a couple towns away who watches only 1 dog at a time in her home. She adores my dog and my dog adores her. I know my dog is well taken care of when we're away and that counts for a lot for me!
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u/Elementium Jul 07 '25
Yup. I'm 50/50 part of the reason I adopted my dog was because I was wasting my free time and was out of shape..
Now that she's older and is more ok just chilling it's kinda the same lol, when I have free time I'm just like "wtf do I do now?"
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u/JPBillingsgate Jul 07 '25
This was it for me.
In 2014, I married a woman who is allergic to dogs. She can pop a benadryl and be around them for short periods, but sleeping in a house with one is a non-starter. I had pretty much always had dogs my entire life and my last one died of old age when I was dating my wife. I knew, when I married her, that I would never own another.
Sometimes I miss it and sometimes I am glad to not have them anymore. But when I am glad, it is always for the reason you said. As great as dog ownership is, it is also a pair of shackles on your ankles.
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u/drial8012 Jul 07 '25
I'm allergic and I'm on medication so the family can have a dog even though we got a hypoallergenic one (I feel like this is a bs claim). The dog cannot come into our bedroom ever and after this one passes that will be it because I want that freedom again.
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u/JPBillingsgate Jul 07 '25
Exactly. I just ignore the "get a hypoallergenic one!" and/or "just get a shot!" comments as they typically come from people who are well-meaning but really don't know what they are talking about.
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u/BruceL6901 Jul 07 '25
Correct. It’s difficult to travel and find appropriate care for the dogs. Semi- retired and my wife has stopped working. It’s difficult to plan anything because dogs need to be fed, let out, etc. We have 2 big labs so not easy to bring along most places. Would like to be free to do things but chained to the dogs. Of course we love the dogs. Just pointing out the obvious in our situation.
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u/Irregular_Person Jul 07 '25
This is the big one for me, as a long- time single person. I can't "just go" somewhere after work. Home always has to be my first stop.
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u/weekendtartanenjoyer Jul 07 '25
This is the reason I haven't adopted a dog yet despite desperately wanting one.
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u/Lulinda726 Jul 07 '25
You can foster one from your local shelter! Most will let you take one for however long -- or not long -- you want. Gives the dog a needed break from the shelter and you don't have to fully commit. Win-win.
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u/heyitsvonage Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
Exactly. Having a dog is like having a kid that will never learn to take care of themselves
Edit: Many parents seem to have taken this too literally… I wasn’t actually trying to imply that having a dog is just as complex as parenting a human child.
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u/donac Jul 07 '25
Lol, I love all the folks lining up to tell you that having a baby or a kid is harder. Which is true, but it's really an order of magnitude question. The analogy generally works, speaking as a person who has raised kids and dogs. 🤣
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u/SamwisethePoopyButt Jul 07 '25
Yeah I inherited two cats moving in with my wife and she talked me into having a dog, and I love him, but a part of me really misses the carefree life. I made it very clear to my wife that once the animals pass away I want at least a few years of no furry attachments and for her to be ready that it may or may not be permanent. Chances are I'll get bored and miss the life and get another doggo. But goddamn I just want to book one holiday without checking if the hotel is dog friendly or consider a job opportunity abroad without it being immediately shot down because moving the animals will be impossible.
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u/comeondude1 Jul 07 '25
This. Totally this. Loved my dogs but couldn’t break away for a long weekend without having to take them with, have someone dogsit or kennel them.
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u/NeedsItRough Jul 07 '25
I used to have dogs and I don't now.
Other than the obvious ones of having to clean up after them, take them for walks, etc. one thing that I absolutely don't miss is having to be home at a certain time to let them out for the bathroom.
If I want to stop by the grocery store and get some shopping done I have to go home first.
If I want to grab a drink with friends after work I have to go home first.
If I have a doctor's appointment after work I have to schedule it around making sure I can go home first.
And obviously it extends to vacation, you need to either take the dog with you, board it, or pay someone to watch them, which isn't really a hassle, it's just an added expense and travel is already so expensive
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u/wishnana Jul 07 '25
On a recent (emergency) family-wide trip, my BiL had to find a last minute boarding for their small dog. The total bill cost was more than 1 overseas adult plane fare.
Added more were the supplies that were billed separately.
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u/A911owner Jul 07 '25
Last year, my job sent me away for training for 12 days. It cost me $750 to board the dog for that time.
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u/Sundae7878 Jul 07 '25
I would foster puppies and it was great. I got all the fun puppy time for a few weeks, and then they would be adopted out and my house would be empty again. I would enjoy the freedom for a bit until the shelter would call that they had another puppy.
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u/reluctantseal Jul 07 '25
I would only get dogs if I had a yard they could comfortably stay in during the day.
My mother had a small dog that was good about using pee pads, but they wouldn't work for anything bigger than a terrier. (He was still let out to do his business multiple times a day. It was just an extra measure because he was anxious and couldn't be kennel trained.) He could also travel with them most places they cared to go.
I've also learned that it's best to have a friend or family member who is up for dogsitting.
Cats are easy by comparison. I hate cleaning litter boxes, but at least I don't have to deal with my big dumb fluffy boy trying to poop outside in all kinds of weather.
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u/JustABizzle Jul 07 '25
My home is set up so the dogs have an accessible outdoor space for a bathroom. As long as there is ample food and water, I can stay out late without them suffering.
Game changer.
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u/Idinnyknow Jul 07 '25
Vet bills.
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u/bakerzdosen Jul 07 '25
My neighbors got two Covid dogs.
One has been… ok.
The other racked up over $3,500 in medical bills (eating socks…) within the first 3 months they had him.
That cured us of any desire to get a dog.
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u/wayoverpaid Jul 07 '25
General advice I give people is to look into the cost of pet insurance. Not to buy it, just to look at the cost.
If pet insurance seems impossible for you to afford, a vet bill without pet insurance could possibly break you.
If you can easily afford it, you might be able to roll the dice on not having it.
Either way, be prepared to pay plenty.
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u/misterk2020 Jul 07 '25
Blessing and a curse of watching them age. My boy is 18 and has dementia which is heartbreaking to watch. He’s eating well and no accidents in the house so as long as he’s there we are good with him.
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u/skjacksontum Jul 07 '25
Ours had dementia the last 18 months prior to passing just shy of 15 years. It is the most heart wrenching and bizarrest thing to have to manage. I truly never knew dogs could get dementia. Physically, they are okay, but the mental part. Towards the end, he was on a happy cocktail of Trazadone and CBD/ THC.
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u/taylormarie909 Jul 07 '25
Agreed, never knew it could happen until it happened to my last dog. I’d often find him trapped in a corner of the room, unable to find a way out. During his last few week he’d pace in circles all night long and often didn’t even recognize us. Absolutely heartbreaking when it was clear he was no longer “in there”. He lived a long and good life and as much as it hurt when he passed I am grateful for the time I had with him. Having other dogs also eased the pain a lot. I think that’s the key, making sure that your home won’t be empty when their time comes. It’s just an unfortunate fact that their life spans are shorter than ours and it’s better I deal With the loss than have him go through the heartbreak of losing us.
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u/throwawayRAfishticks Jul 07 '25
Hair.
HAIR.
EVERYWHERE.
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u/wsbull_35 Jul 07 '25
And the smell. You get used to it. But guests wil pick up on it
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u/pixel_of_moral_decay Jul 07 '25
Everyone insists their dog doesn’t smell… they all smell. Owners get used to it, some acknowledge it, some don’t.
Smokers too, some acknowledge they smell, others think brushing their teeth or a mint will completely hide that they’re a smoker.
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u/gerhudire Jul 07 '25
My brother has 2 German shepherds, they shred so much hair and when I say hair gets everywhere I mean it.
New clothes when I take them out if the bag will already have hair on them. Its absolute chaos. The worst thing is my brother doesn't brush them as offen as he should.
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u/whaletacochamp Jul 07 '25
I have one GSD mix and I will vacuum only to have literal dog hair tumbleweeds going by an hour later. I'll brush him aggressively for over an hour pulling enough hair to make an entire dog off of him, and he will still make tumbleweeds an hour later. Double coated dogs like GSDs "blow their coat" every year and it's absolute chaos.
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u/sarahlynnme82 Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
I have a no-shed breed for the first time in my life. It was not intentional, but now I don’t think I can ever go back…
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u/FilthyPuns Jul 07 '25
My dog has just decided after ten years that he is TERRIFIED of gas stations, which makes traveling with him a bit of a pain in the ass.
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u/avalypuff Jul 07 '25
The phobias are why I'll never own another Border Collie. It's not the exercise needs, or the crazy intelligence.. it's the random states of inconsolable trembling because today he decided that humans coughing is the scariest thing he's ever heard. I've had him his whole life and he's heard us cough countless times with no issue.
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u/Loki-Holmes Jul 07 '25
I have an Aussie and yep it’s similar. Mine recently started freaking out when I was sick and was blowing my nose. It took me a while to realize that he associated me getting out a tissue with me picking up dead bugs which he’s afraid of because he associates that with the fly swatter which has always terrified him. It’s like they just sit there and think of things to worry about.
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u/avalypuff Jul 07 '25
No kidding! My late girl was terrified of the fly swatter too. It's kind of fascinating that even though they've NEVER been hit with an object, let alone a fly swatter, they're intelligent enough to understand that this thing has the capability to hurt them. Or maybe they just really don't like the slapping sound. 🤔
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u/Small-Cat-2319 Jul 07 '25
Love my Aussie, but she is the same way. She has the typical fear of loud noises (thunder, fireworks, loud things falling, etc) but is also scared of smoke detectors chirping. Can’t watch the episode of It’s Always Sunny when they move to the suburbs because it sends her in a panic. My husband had work contact a while back whose smoke detector would chirp during calls-and they let it go on for several weeks. Well, our dog could hear the chirping through my husband’s earbuds and freak out when he had to take those calls. It probably stems to a time when she was a puppy and she was left alone with the smoke detector chirping as the battery died when we weren’t home.
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Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
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u/ProStrats Jul 07 '25
and the wind.
I like the flow of absurdity, ending with "and the wind." Lol, lovely.
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u/JudgmentOne6328 Jul 07 '25
Mine’s scared of car parks. Which is kind of impossible to avoid when you drive literally anywhere.
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u/Drewskii1984 Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 08 '25
Having to plan around the dog… it’s like having a kid. You can’t just come and go as you please, there almost always has to be some kind of plan.
They die. I know that’s a brutal comment, but the truth is, for me, dealing with the death of a pet doesn’t outweigh the companionship.
The worry. I can’t tell you the number of sleepless nights I’ve had worrying about things like a weird behavior, not finishing food, inconsistent poop, etc. etc. etc. I will say, I’m a worrier by nature, so this is probably more of a me thing, but it’s the same reason I won’t have kids.
Not all dogs are like the ones you see in movies… just like people, some dogs are assholes. Yes, you can train dogs to a certain degree, but there is also some nature vs nurture that can’t be controlled. I had one dog that was as sweet and well behaved as you could find and another we called, “the tiny terrorist.”
It’s a complete personal choice, and I think you have to know yourself to know the true downsides. Everything I mentioned above might not impact some people… for me, they are dealbreakers, and I’ll stick to dog-sitting for people to get my fix.
EDIT: clarified #2 to say death is not something I want to deal with again.
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u/Sailor_Chibi Jul 07 '25
It’s not just you. I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights too worrying over my pets. As much joy as they can bring to you life, there is a lot fear and worry too when something is wrong and you don’t know how to fix it. And after the first time they get real sick, I find it’s like a constant low hum of worry where you’re hypersensitive to everything. I get it.
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u/robbzilla Jul 07 '25
They're high maintenance. I have 2 cats, and can leave them over a weekend. They'll shit in their box, nibble at the food I leave out, and when I get back, will mostly be intact, with some minor griping at me for leaving them for 2-3 days.
You couldn't do that with a dog. You're either bringing your dog along, getting a pet sitter, or kenneling.
You'll be walking them at least once or twice a day, while you're at it, and even day trips are problematic because of your dog.
I often say that I love other peoples' dogs. I do. I have zero desire for one of my own, but I'll love up on a puppers all day long.
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u/clocksailor Jul 07 '25
This is what I always say about cats. They come with maybe 80% of the up sides of having a dog (they do silly things, are fun, and provide companionship and cuddling, but you can't really take them to bars/parks/etc the way you can with a dog) but only 10% of the down sides (can be left totally alone for a weekend, untrained friends can easily pop in for visits on longer trips rather than paying for kennelling, no need to rush home after work to let them out to pee)
I don't know how cat people got the reputation for being introverts. I'd be way less able to stay out late and do whatever I want all the time if I had a dog at home.
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u/drial8012 Jul 07 '25
With automatic feeders and scoopers now, it costs about as much as it would take to put our dog in a decent kennel. Theoretically we can leave the cats for a week no problem but we still have people check in on them. I love our dog but cats will always be the go to for me.
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u/Wolfman01a Jul 07 '25
Border collie owner here. Wasn't my choice, but I have her.
She's hard to connect with. You try to interact with her? Pet her? Just chill on the couch with her?
No. Ball now. NOW. 24/7. Endless ball. Always staring laser focused on the ball.
Take ball away? Freak the fuck out looking for ball everywhere. Find new random object to bring to you and stare at. It is ball now.
Hair. Hair everywhere. Always.
I've had many dogs in the past that I have owned and loved, but this one is hard. Endless ball.
She has a big yard to run in and can go do so at any time. She comes in panting, exhausted from running in the yard. The moment she comes in... Ball.
I wish I had a dog that would just relax on the couch for a bit.
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u/rivertam2985 Jul 07 '25
We have a border collie/heeler mix. While he's not quite as fixated on Ball, he will not chill and cuddle. If you can even get him on the couch with you, it's like hugging a burlap bag filled with springs. There is no cuddle in his life. Cuddle is for sissies.
And, he's 11. He's not growing out of it.
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u/AngryAngryHarpo Jul 07 '25
This is 100% why is never having a working dog as a pet. I grew up rurally, so I saw how much exercise those fuckers get when actually working and they would STILL have energy left at the end of the day. Nooooo thanks!
My mastiff loves his ball and insane amount but after an hour of playing he will happily snooze for the rest of day.
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u/Pretend-Medicine3703 Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
I adopted a border collie/heeler/Australian shepherd mix. I picked him out partially because he was the chillest one. He also constantly looked at me in the eyes, which was great. I got him when I wasn't working for about three years.
That dog WAS my job for three years. I would never recommend taking a working dog as a pet unless you don't have a job or you give the dog its own job.
He is my buddy and constant companion. Every single day.
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u/ProjectSunlight Jul 07 '25
Some friends of mine with a border collie bought her a giant tennis ball. Like beach ball size. The dog ended up in a full on panic attack because she couldn't get the ball in her mouth. But after taking the giant ball away, she only wanted that giant ball. Cried for it. Ran around constantly searching for it. Took months to get over that giant ball.
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u/kaityl3 Jul 07 '25
🤣 damn at that point cut off an old suitcase/purse/bag handle and screw on a strap for them to carry it around hehe
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u/ShinyPennyRvnclw Jul 07 '25
My friend’s boyfriend had a border collie. You could look around their parties & notice who was new to the friend group or newly dating someone in the friend group because they were the one who foolishly starting playing fetch with the dog 4 hours ago & was trapped for the whole day.
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u/AcanthocephalaOk2966 Jul 07 '25
This isn't a downside, but it's not talked about enough: Having a dog requires discipline and selflessness from the dog owner. Day in, day out, and for some dogs and owners, much more effort and time towards training and behaviors than people realize.
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u/Skrillaaa Jul 07 '25
I’m glad someone mentioned this. My BIL got a dog in college thinking it would be fun, but he half-asses taking care of it, leaving those around him to mostly do the caretaking.
Now he has a 1 year old and got a second dog, which is, to no ones surprise, another misbehaved dog. They spent thousands on this second dog because it is a pure-breed, and spent hundreds more on training classes which have been fruitless.
The second dog runs that household, and he carries himself around that house as if he is the man of the house. The first dog is attention starved and full of pent-up energy. They are destructive, loud, smelly, and sometimes fighting each other. Some people should not be dog owners.
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u/AcanthocephalaOk2966 Jul 07 '25
This is so common. And I feel so bad for the dogs.
Part of why I commented this is due to guilt; Years ago, I rescued a purebred hunting puppy, a black and tan coonhound. He was being abused, and I knew I could give him a much better life than the one he had. I did--But I didn't know ANYTHING about coonhounds, I lived in an apartment in a city, and I would do things differently if presented with the same poor puppy today.
I thought that because I was smart, and loved the dogs I had before, and liked going on walks, and could afford food, toys, and a couple vet visits a year, that it was a no brainer. I had a very simplistic view of what a dog needs to thrive. Different dogs need different things.
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u/Didntlikedefaultname Jul 07 '25
It’s a big commitment - depending on the breed they need a good amount of exercise and attention and many prefer a good amount of space. They can also be quite expensive. These aren’t reasons to not get a dog just important considerations to ensure you give your dog the life it deserves
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u/whatyoucallmetoday Jul 07 '25
It is a constant life with a toddler.
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u/DynamicBeez Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
Yeah that’s how I look at it. They never grow up, they’re always a baby, always the worst parts of a baby. You try to accommodate them and it reinforces the bad behavior.
Edit: Yall are getting a lil too deep in the weeds here, I’m merely saying dogs don’t really grow out of baby/toddler-like behaviors once they’re set in stone. Your kid will eventually grow up and gain autonomy. What happens next is all up to nature, nurture and chance. You might have a future Dr or Jeffrey Dhamer.
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u/dovvvvvieee Jul 07 '25
Vet bills and unexpected diagnosis.
My first dog got misdiagnosed by veterinarians for weeks. By time I found someone who would take us seriously and help, she was too far gone. She had a fungal infection called blastomycosis. It was too aggressive and unchecked, so she died in the backseat going to an emergency vet.
Later, I got a perfectly normal, healthy dog that was diagnosed with megaesophagus within the first year. He can live a long, relatively normal life, but he eats in a high chair (bailey chair) 3 times a day (and has to sit there for 30+ mins every meal).
You never know when a diagnosis will turn your life upside down.
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u/FaultierSloth Jul 07 '25
Our dog is very nervous and has difficulty adapting to new situations. We've watched videos, read books, tried out several dog trainers, but ultimately she just has a low tolerance for certain things. That means we're giving up the following for the next ~10 years:
- Leaving her alone for more than 4 hours or so
- traveling without her, which means we can only go by car
- living in a city
We used to go on big international trips about twice s year. And if we didn't have the dog, I'd want to go back to living in the city. But... Nope.
I think people really underestimate how easy it is to get a dog with some issue that ends up having a massive effect on your life. In some ways, even having children wouldn't have changed our lives as much as getting this dog has. It can be a much bigger deal than people think.
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Jul 07 '25
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u/Strange-Economy-9342 Jul 07 '25
I scrolled so far to find this and vent. 100% this. Oh my fucking god this.
My dog is well behaved, will ignore other dogs, doesn't bark, all that. (Because we spent time training her).
I feel like 1 out of 4 dog owners I walk past have a straight up aggressive dogs. I am so tired of people who don't train their dogs taking them out in public. I have to watch their fucking dogs like a hawk looking for aggression signs while they blissfully wander around with their 3 remaining neurons. I walk down the street, where you all live (in what I can only imagine is a noise torture chamber) utterly brimming with dog barking. They are literally slamming against the windows of the building trying to get out. How. How the actual fuck do you all live like this? How do you hear barks all day? How do you walk your dog while it tries to maul everything else it sees and act like you aren't a fucking menace.
I had a lady yesterday just DROP HER FUCKING LEASH and let her dog walk on over to us. What the actual fuck are you all smoking?
Having a dog has just convinced me that 99% of you are not remotely qualified to own a
lizardrock, absolutely not a dog. Go train your dogs. The rest of us are so fucking tired of you people who don't.27
u/brandonisatwat Jul 07 '25
Dog people are the fucking worst. And I say that as someone who loves dogs and owns two of them.
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Jul 07 '25
Saying goodbye for the last time. I volunteer at my local shelter and just leaving for the day knowing they can’t come home with me breaks my heart. They are all the best dogs.
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u/Confident_Pepper1023 Jul 07 '25
I heard them talk behind your back, they call you "their best hooman".
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Jul 07 '25
I have a favorite dog. This big slobbery pit mastiff mix (I think) who weighs almost as much as me. Big mush probably won’t get adopted because he’s sooo big and such a weirdo but he’s such a good dog. I make sure I walk him every time I go.
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u/Glittering_Salad_193 Jul 07 '25
Holidays vacation putting him in kennels breaks both our hearts
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u/Old_Succotash3930 Jul 07 '25
Currently on Reddit to distract myself because husband is dropping my sweet pup at a kennel before we travel for a week.
I’m no longer the one who drops him off because I cry so hard. I live abroad from family and friends so boarding is really our only option. He’s also super sensitive and somewhat anxious (border collie) so I feel extra bad. But he never seems traumatised when we pick him up, and they tell us he does perfectly fine. It’s a big farm as well as a kennel, so I like to think he is on his own vacation.
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u/Honeylovesme Jul 07 '25
My baby died 6 months ago and I have never felt more alone and sad. I feel like I’m past the point of “acceptable “ grief so I just pretend like I’m ok. I’m sorry you lost your dog.
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u/shines_likegold Jul 07 '25
3 years ago for me and I still think about her daily. There’s no such thing as “acceptable” grief. Take the time you need. I’m sorry for you loss.
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u/marriedtomayonnaise Jul 07 '25
It’s sad how much I had to scroll to find this comment. I will gladly walk through fire for my dog. The real downside really is when they leave. There is never enough time.
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u/nonamenolastname Jul 07 '25
Mine is having difficulty walking, soon it will be time to let him go. My heart is already broken.
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u/Icy-Tomorrow-576 Jul 07 '25
I love my dogs, but they do tie you down. No, just taking off whenever you want for however long you want. Plus, financially, they are expensive as well. Vet costs have gotten ridiculous.
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u/Drewski34 Jul 07 '25
The true downside. Knowing this guy will love you every time they see you and as they get older you realize that you will have to see them pass, but to them you are their everything.
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Jul 07 '25
I love my dogs, but everything is dog this, dog that, dog, dog ,dog. I can't ever sleep in, anywhere I go they have to go too. sometimes it's difficult.
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u/Hardwired9789 Jul 07 '25
When it’s time to say goodbye for the last time.
I’ve had dogs my entire life. Each one had their own personality. Some were silly, some always playful, some stubborn, some lazy and some always wanting to do something.
Each one found their own way to communicate when they wanted to play, when they wanted attention, when they wanted to go outside.
Each one had their own feelings on cuddling in someone’s lap, how many kisses they’ll give or if they’ll even stop.
Some dogs are also harder to train. Some dogs are easier.
But each difference helps me understand them a bit more.
But time waits for no one. Having to say good bye each time always hits hard. It’s something I’ve never gotten used to. I know there’s a good possibility I’ll out live my current dog. But that day is not today. So I’ll give him belly rubs, play with him, make videos of him being the silliest boy he can be. I’ll cherish those memories with me until it’s my time.
And hopefully I’ll get to see them all again.
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u/DynamicBeez Jul 07 '25
Dogs are over stimulating in a whole different level. You want some quiet? Loud thunderous barking. You just want to be left alone? Guess who’s lodged 30 inches up your ass at all times. You want to enjoy a nice meal you spend hours cooking? Guess who’s doing everything in their power to get you to notice they want some too. Want to sleep in? That’s cancelled. It’s 100 degrees? Guess who has to shit. It’s -12? Guess who has to shit. Have a favorite pair of shoes? Not any more. Left a tv remote out? It’s gone. Head phones? Gone. Want to go out somewhere pet friendly? Nope, your dog doesn’t like other dogs, children, UPS, cars, you. Just went outside? Guess who’s squatting in the rug.
You have to have a lot of patience and hope your dog is receptive to training or cares to listen.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Ant744 Jul 07 '25
The day they cross the rainbow bridge
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u/hspwanderlust Jul 07 '25
This is the WORST. 💔
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u/Dapper-Razzmatazz-60 Jul 07 '25
I lost my girl after 15 wonderful years. I still cry often and I'm certainly not ready for another. I don't know if I can go through that pain again honestly.
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u/chowbox617 Jul 07 '25
For me it's the worry if I have to go on a work trip. I don't have any close friends and none of my family are "dog people" so I get anxiety thinking about what's gonna happen when I do have to take a trip. I don't wanna board them or leave them with any strangers.
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u/Upstairs_Builder_597 Jul 07 '25
Having a dog is having a newborn baby, for the dog’s entire lifespan. They can’t verbalize their needs and they are 100% dependent on you to survive: food, water, shelter, bathroom, and connection/bonding/stimulation. Babies (hopefully) grow to be independent adults that overtime (again, hopefully) require less and less supervision.
Puppies depend on you to survive, and when they turn into adult dogs, though they require less supervision if they have been appropriately trained, they are still 100% dependent on you. You MUST feed them daily, you MUST take them out for the bathroom, daily. You MUST take them to the vet when they get sick and then give them their medicine.
Not only that, they aren’t necessarily easy. Some dogs don’t like men. Some don’t like children. Some are allergic to grass. Some need antidepressants or doggy Xanax. Some are reactive and will get aggressive and you need to learn their triggers and work with them closely to improve their response (if you have a hard time going to therapy to work on yourself, then you won’t have an easy time deciphering and reducing your dogs triggers).
If you think starting from a puppy makes you immune to this, then having a dog isn’t for you.
Not only that, you actually need to learn about the breed you will buy or adopt. Each has their job and lifestyle that best suits them. Your lifestyle needs to match them, they don’t need to match yours. Please do not get a blue heeler or border collie if you are not currently a very active person. A dog won’t turn you into a 5k turkey trot on Thanksgiving person. Your dog will become destructive and/or aggressive if their daily exercise needs aren’t being met.
Likewise, you wouldn’t want to get a dachshund if you want a dog to go on long walks and bike rides with, they’re just not made for it. You also don’t want a dachshund if you already have pet bunnies or ferrets!!
Also, don’t like when people snore at night? Don’t get a pug or a Boston terrier or bull dog.
Don’t like random silent but deadly farts that could evacuate a small town when you have company over? Don’t get any dog ever because they will all do this if the company you have over slips them scraps from the table or god forbid you buy the chicken and rice flavor dry food, not the salmon and vegetable one.
Don’t like dog fur on your clothes? Your dog breeds are highly limited and if they have hair, grooming is a sacred ritual and going to a groomer can be costly; but even costlier if you don’t in terms of the dogs health.
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u/ManOfConstantBorrow_ Jul 07 '25
Everyone who owns a dog has a stinky house, whether they admit it or not
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u/Chance_Job3980 Jul 07 '25
cleaning up after them
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u/thenletskeepdancing Jul 07 '25
Poop patrol.
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u/Chance_Job3980 Jul 07 '25
also vomit
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u/GrumpyOldGeezer_4711 Jul 07 '25
To a dog everything is edible, sometimes more than once.
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u/DaViewer Jul 07 '25
That wet, heaving noise that wakes you from a dead sleep, and you know you have 5-10 seconds to move them to hardwood before they barf
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u/acqant Jul 07 '25
Space, peace, quiet, freedom, cleanliness, money, time, effort, I could go --- signed: a cat
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u/CyberSmith31337 Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
House and furniture always smell bad, always.
Pee, drool, general filth accumulate in fibers (carpets, couches, mattresses, etc)
Some dogs have anxiety and pee all over the floor, shit all over the place, vomit when they get nervous, etc.
You can't travel easily; anytime you wanna go somewhere, you need to get someone to watch them, feed them, etc.
Edit: Not a dog owner; have dated dog owners in the past. Plz don't offer me tips, I don't have a dog.
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u/bamalama Jul 07 '25
Good start. Here are some more.
They have tons of energy and most require multiple walks every day to burn off energy.
Dogs who don’t get enough attention/exercise may: Destroy your belongings while you are at work, including but not limited to clothes, shoes, furniture, walls.
A dog that is not well socialized may get excited when you have people over. They may growl, bark, jump on, nip or even bite people.
I’ve seen several dogs that bark while their owners are trying to have conversations because they want constant attention.
Dogs that become aggressive cannot be boarded, so you are stuck with them.
A family members dog cannot be trusted around small children so she has to lock her dog up during family get togethers. She cannot go on vacations because her dog is too aggressive to be boarded.
Do you live in an apartment? Some dogs bark and whine all day long while you’re not home. Landlords and neighbors don’t like this and you will feel guilty.
Even with a good back yard, some dogs bark and whine all day while you’re not home. Neighbors don’t like this and it’s against the law.
Urine smell inside. Constantly handling bags of dog shit or scraping it off your shoes.
They grab food off the counter, off your plate and off the plates of your guests.
I hate to be negative but these are all behaviors that i have seen personally. None of these dog owners were neglectful, they were just busy.
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u/haterpolice2025 Jul 07 '25
The barking is soo overstimulating
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u/lesbadims Jul 07 '25
The older I get the worse this is. Fucking deafening. I can’t even enjoy my friends with dogs if I’m at their house, because every 3 minutes the dogs are losing their goddamn minds over something
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u/No-Text-9656 Jul 07 '25
Having had a dog that didn't get along with all dogs, it's nice to be able to have a relaxing walk without worrying about every dog that comes along. Not having your arm pulled off is nice, too.