Naaaaw four paws and fluffy! Putting off that thought of having another baby by adding a pet to the family? You might wanna just have another baby…
When I started lobbying for a family pet, little did I know it was going to be just as much work as having an extra child. In hindsight, it was maybe even harder.
I mean, I’m the mother of three children, the youngest being 13. That’s a pretty good indication of my successful rearing skills, so how hard can it be? Ugh. it can be VERY hard.
10 Ways having a family pet is like having another child
1. You do ALL the research while waiting
You scour the internet reading about ALL the breeds and ALL their needs and absolutely read ALL the books. You want this dog to be better trained than Lassie and be the best darn pet owner you can be. Pet insurance? WHO EVEN KNEW THAT WAS A THING.
2. You buy ALL the things. Literally.
Much like when setting up the nursery for baby, your pet deserves nothing but the best. You quickly buy an inside bed, outside bed, car bed, car harness, three leads, blankets, toys, shampoo, food, treats – even a TOY BOX, for goodness sake. And that’s just the tip of the merch iceberg.
3. Pets steal your heart and are most definitely family
You don’t expect to love a pet quite like you do your own children, but there’s no denying it’s love at first sight. Then, when people say “he’s just a pet” you look at them like they’ve just fallen out of the sky. JUST A PET? Pffffft, I think not.
4. Flooded Facebook feeds incoming
Like any new baby, you’ll take hundreds if not thousands of photos of your fur baby and promptly clog your friend’s social media feeds with them. You’re welcome. “Don’t forget to like and double-tap!”
5. Like a newborn, they’ll wake you at night
Anyone who has ever brought a 10-week old puppy home will know exactly what I mean. There’s crying, a LOT of crying when everyone is trying to sleep. Yet past experience has taught me that not everyone likes to co-sleep with their family pet to put an end to that heart-breaking crying. Not mentioning any names. #myhusband
6. There’s toilet training to consider
Yep, if you have a puppy or a kitten there’s toilet training involved. And then once you’ve trained them, there’s a LIFETIME of cleaning their toilet areas (kitty litter trays, the lawn, the accident on the carpet). Think about that for a second. Kids are generally taking care of their own toilet needs by age three or four, no?
7. Our family pet is cuter than yours
Just like we think our kids are cuter and smarter than everyone else’s, we think the same about our family pets. If a friend comments that her cat loves to play with wool, you’re quick to reply with “oh my cat can KNIT”.
8. Just like kids, pets are spendy
Nup. Just like kids, family pets are not cheap, not ever. There’s their purchase price, setting them up with the bees-knees of gear, vaccinations, vet visits, yada yada yada…
9. Pets can’t be left alone
Again, like kids, family pets can’t be left unsupervised or unattended for long. They’ll either eat or scratch up your couch, escape or go on some sort of savage destroying mission. Sounds like your regular weekend, yeah?
10. They bring SO MUCH joy
Family pets really do bring so much joy, cementing their spot in the family unit. Nawwww so cute, so fluffy, SO SMART.
So if you thought having a pet was going to be the easy way out of those pangs of cluckyness, perhaps you should reconsider.
Do you have a family dog? Here’s a drool-worthy dog biscuit recipe to whip up at home. And for those who think dogs are germ carriers, see what science says about dogs and bearded men!
