Macaroni Kid is excited to announce a new monthly column...
To date you’ve bought your kids 614 stuffed animals, a Chinese Dwarf hamster and you’ve even tried promising a kitten – but it’s just not cutting it. YOUR KIDS WANT A DOG!
Take it from 2 women who have 4 dogs and 4 kids between us – if you do it right, family life with a dog is a blast! But is it right for you? We’re about to give you the naked truth. It all comes down to one question – the same one you’d tell your friend to ask herself if she was thinking of having a baby ... Am I ready for my life to change?
Just like having a child, you have to factor your dog into EVERY part of your day. If you’re cool with this list of scary stuff, keep reading. But if the answers are no, a dog is clearly not on your horizon. NO guilt. In fact, feel good that you’re making a responsible choice now. Celebrate with a latte and secretly smile as you watch other people walking their dogs in the rain.
OK here comes the scary stuff:
- Puppies take a lot of time. Think: house training, puppy classes, proper socialization and constant supervision. Is this the year you’ll be happy to schedule your life around your dog?
- Dogs aren't cheap. Bills will come from the vet, the groomer, the dog walker, the boarding kennel, and the pet store! Are you sure you won’t freak out when they show up?
- Get ready to get fit. Dogs need a minimum of 1hr of exercise every day. It’s 11 degrees outside, are you ready with your snow boots on?
- Dogs make mistakes. They chew the stuff everybody loves. Are you happy to stay up all night on ebay searching for an exact replica of your kid’s favorite ‘wubby’ after your dog rips it to shreds?
- Lassie isn't real. Kids and dogs don’t naturally know how to behave around each other. Do you have the time and energy to train them all?
- Expect the unexpected. Yucky stuff can happen - like your dog being hit by car, starting to growl at your kids or deciding he’s afraid of all men except your husband. Are you ready to pony up the time, effort and money to fix something like that?
- Moms do all the work. Yes, kids may help (a little), husbands may help (sometimes) but at the end of the day it’s really on you! Are you willing to meditate away the resentment, put on your happy face and just get on with it?
You’ve probably got the picture by now. Getting a dog is really no different to having another child. So before you pull the trigger, make absolutely sure you’re ready. That cute little ball of fur will bring SO MUCH to your life, just remind yourself of that at 3am when you’re standing in your PJs, shin-deep in snow, waiting for him to pee (again).
Leah Hatley and Justine Schuurmans are professional trainers and owner of thefamilydog.com, a website that specializes in educating the whole family on how to interact with their dog or puppy. To learn more about the online program and see free training videos visit www.thefamilydog.com.
