Reflections from a first-time dog owner
From day 1, I was the least on board to get a dog. In fact, I think my husband secretly sold out on me when he said yes to the kids for a rescue puppy. I tried to influence the pack to get a cat or bunny instead, but I was alone in that camp. The journey for me has been extremely difficult for me (who’s actually a cat person) since I’ve never owned a dog before.
It’s not about getting a puppy, it’s about becoming a dog parent
The question I often hear people ask is “should I get a puppy?”. Wrong question. Question is are you ready? Dogs are a lifetime commitment and I like to say they are 5 year olds that just never grow up. They will never be independent and training your dog is a lifelong endeavor. When left to their own devices, they will 100% do their own thing.
They way the proper order is plant - pet - baby. I went in the reverse direction and it could not be more painful. I thought I was done with potty training, house training, feeding, newborn visits, projectile vomit, blow-outs. Not so much, I’ve been re-living it the past few months. Of course, it is getting much better like it did with having a baby. But still, be prepared. Being at home 24/7 now is actually ideal for puppy life, but it does feel overwhelming at times. I’m constantly asking - does she need to be let out? Did she eat? How much? When do we have to walk her again? What do we work on today in her training?
Puppies cost a lot
Our rescue puppy was practically free, but how much we have spent on her since is considerable. Beyond the basics of food, there are leashes (she’s bitten her way through three), toys (she’s destroyed 80% of them), vet visits, dental care, grooming and weekly zoom trainer calls The list just goes on and on. Gone are the days of chaining them to your backyard and feeding leftovers. In fact, Luna is suspected to be allergic to meat protein and is now on a special (expensive) hydrolyzed protein diet. I also painstakingly dehydrate sweet potato jerky for her every couple of days to support her dietary needs.
It’s a whole new world - get help!
Unless you’re a puppy whisperer, you won’t know the first thing about how dogs think, react and behave. If you want to truly have a good relationship with your pet, spend the time doing the research on what makes them tick. These are my two favorite podcasts:
No Bad Dogs - America’s canine educator, Thomas Davis
What they don’t tell you about getting a puppy - This specific episode is great for people considering a dog for the first time
And since I’ve never actually had experience with a dog, our weekly zoom trainer sessions have been key. And thanks to this new virtual world, I was able to actually work with my friend’s amazing trainer out in PA! Each week we catch up for about 30 minutes on Luna’s progress, I have a google doc on questions/situations to pick his brain on with a lot of my questions beginning with “is this normal?” and we agree on a few things to work on each week. I agree 100% that good dogs start with good parenting, and I love the confidence that I’m building working with Brett (@dog stop). I’ve always been a cat person but I’m starting to feel like I’m really getting to know dogs now!
Be prepared for destruction
Dogs chew. That’s their thing. When they’re bored, they chew. Forever. My co-worker, Scotty, once told me “there is no such thing as chew-proof anything”. Hundreds of dollars later, he’s mostly right. It doesn’t help that Luna is 1/4 Alaskan malamute. We stuck it out with crate training and that has really paid off in terms of keeping our home intact. We have started to have her acclimatize to different areas of our house and she’s been totally eyeing my bedroom slippers. I’ve also heard they will go for socks and underwear and I am fully expecting a meltdown one day when Emmy’s favorite unicorn is found decapitated. Just you wait.
The good news is we’ve gone through some aggressive chewing test with a slew of products. Here are the ones that remain. For now.
KONG classic for frozen food and Planet Dog Orbee treat-dispensing toy: We don’t feed her any meals from a bowl, she works for her food to get mental stimulation.
We added the “nook” to stuff into the orbee to increase level of difficulty. Takes her about 20 minutes to clear out one of these!
OXO squeeze bottle to dispense peanut butter on the go
Outward Hound hide-a-squirrel: Super tough ballistic nylon for the tree bark! - see it at work in this video
Outward Hound Tail-teasers for agility
Boots & Barkley (Target) Rubber bone: Only $2 and it has been holding up strong despite Luna’s ability to destroy Nylabones
It’s sold-out but we’re on the waitlist for a k9 ballistics chew-proof crate pad.
TrustyPup Cactus (Target): This is surprisingly the only stuffy that still has its limbs attached and squeaker intact.
Atlas lifetime leashes: She destroyed the first one and they promptly sent a replacement!
And if you have a big puller, jumper or lunger, this gentle leader was an instant fix. Our trainer calls it “power steering” and we agree 100%! We also got a back-up lead just in case she manages to pry the gentle leader off.
Is she worth it?
While I was complaining one day about the pain of owning a puppy, my sister asked me “But is it worth it? Is it meaningful?”. And honestly, I can say yes.
Despite… Luna pushing Thomson into the lake, Luna biting my down jacket till it tore, the way she pulls so hard on the leash at 55lbs that I’m starting to feel shoulder discomfort… and I’m sure more to come.
Painful as it is, our family has really bonded over this shared experience of welcoming a new family member, especially during this time of sheltering-in-place. But if we’re talking about therapeutic benefits, I really don’t think we’re there yet (although she did sense a small candle accident in my office before I did!). Maybe in a few years?
This is not at all meant to say everyone will eventually love having a dog. In fact quite the opposite. I have a ton of respect for anyone that can say dog ownership is not their thing. It is a huge ownership responsibility and not a sign of weakness to opt out at all.
