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As I inch closer and closer to my late-20s (read: death), I’ve realized a couple trends emerging amongst people of my age. Some are harmless, like veering away from the club scene or prioritizing sleep over fun, and some are annoying, like getting way too into some form of group workouts (yoga, Pure Barre, spin class). However, none of these are actually harmful, and therefore, don’t irk me too much. The one trend that does piss me off however, is how everyone my age all of a sudden is getting dogs.
Obviously, dogs are not the issue. Dogs are amazing. They cuddle you, keep you company, and are always waiting by the door when you get home from work. So basically, a better version of a relationship. The issue I have is with the people getting the dogs. A dog isn’t just something you can have when you want it and not have when you don’t. Owning a dog is committing to a decades-long bond. Dogs have many needs, and their happiness and well-being is as important, if not more important than your own. And while everyone wants the love and companionship that comes from a dog, not everyone is ready to handle the responsibility or has the means to make sure that dog is well taken care of. Least of all people in their 20s.
90% of the people I know live in one-to-two bedroom apartments. You know what doesn’t belong in a tiny apartment? A fucking dog. Unless you get a lap dog, or are willing to shell out premium bucks for a dog sitter or kennel, your dog does not belong in your apartment. I can already hear your excuses. “But I have someone walk it every day.” You think a 20-min walk is enough to hold over your Golden Doodle for nine hours until you come back home? That’s less time than prisoners are allowed out per day, and those prisoners are guilty, while all dogs are innocent.
Dogs are social animals. Even if they get to stretch their legs and get some fresh air a few times a day, they’re still locked in a cell with no other contact for hours on end. You know how excited your pup is to see when you walk in the door after work? They’ve been feeling that way all day. They love you, of course, but also, they just love anyone that is moving and stimulates their senses. If a burglar robbed you in the middle of the day, your loyal dog would roll over and try and get belly rubs because even a bad person is better than no people. Of course, you can fix this problem by getting another dog. Oh wait, did I say fix? I meant double down on keeping large animals cooped up in a tiny apartment and boring them to death. So, the opposite of fix, I guess.
The biggest problem, however, is that the life of the average 20-something-year-old just doesn’t mesh with the responsibilities of dog ownership. Being in your twenties is a magical time where you finally have both the money and the time to do cool shit that you want to do, when you want to do it. I don’t know about you guys, but my plans change on an hourly basis. Some days I’ll be home from work by six because I don’t have the willpower to hit the gym. Some days I won’t be home until ten because I’m under deadline, or I went out to happy hour, or I fell asleep on the train and woke up at the end of the line (it happens, alright?) Some days I stay at my girlfriend’s place and don’t come home at all.
None of that would be possible if I had a dog. If you have a dog, you have to be home by a certain time to feed, walk, and spend time with it. If you come home late, or not until the next day, you’ll be walking into a disaster of ripped pillows and just so much urine. More importantly though, you’ll have been a bad owner to your dog. The dog that loves you unconditionally, and licked your tears when you cried through a bad breakup. That dog doesn’t deserve to be left alone all day or not taken care of.
And you don’t deserve to have to drop everything for that dog. You should be able to have an adult sleepover, get too drunk and forget to come home on time, or take that 7-day trip to Bali that you’ve always dreamed of (since you saw how many likes it got your sorority sister on her Instagram). You shouldn’t have to worry about your dog or let it keep you from doing the things you want when you’re young and free enough to do them. There will be a lot of your life where you won’t be able to do things because of your kids, or family, or pets. There’s no need to rush into that life before you can really commit to it.
I’m not saying don’t get the dog. Dogs are our best friends, and everyone should have one. But don’t get the dog until you’re ready to get the dog. Not just mentally or emotionally ready. Financially ready. Time-management ready. Knowing-what-your-future-plans-are ready. Your dog is going to be by your side for the next 10+ years. It’ll celebrate with you when you get a promotion, not because it knows what’s going on, but because it’s happy you’re happy. It’ll cheer you up when you’re down, just by being a dog. It’ll meet your future kids. You have a lifetime to share with your dog, just don’t start before you can give it the life it deserves.
Also, don’t call it your fur-baby. That’s super weird. .
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Nick Arcadia
The opposite of a life coach. Email or DM me if you want some bad advice: nickarcadiapgp@gmail.com
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CC: Girl. Poor Sperry.
Yeeeeeeeeeees
Thank you for writing this. I have a 23 yr old roommate that got a dog and he has yet to figure out how much of a responsibility it is. I just had to explain to him that if he leaves for the weekend he has to get someone to take care of the dog, it can’t be by itself for 48 hours.
Have a friend who got a dog, treated it like a cat, we intervened and made her put it back up for adoption after two weeks.
That’s what needs to happen in our case. But I don’t think we can make it happen, I just feel bad for the dog.
Agree with everything but saying a dog doesn’t belong in an apartment. If the dog is getting ample exercise and is being mentally simulated when you’re home it doesn’t matter if it’s in a house or an apartment. I️ guarantee if I️ filmed my parents dogs in their house they’d be in 1-2 rooms throughout the day.
Exactly, as long as they are getting a good 1-2 hours of outdoor and social play a day combined with a handful of potty breaks, they’re fine.
It’s also worth noting that the amount of daily exercise your dog needs varies by breed. A Golden Retriever, for example, needs less exercise than a Border Collie.
Certain dogs can certainly do well in apartments, but there are some that may require a bit more attention throughout the day and thus have a more difficult time in confined spaces.
Agreed. Giant breeds (Bernese, Great Danes, Newfoundlands, etc.) are actually fantastic apartment dogs too as long as you exercise them appropriately in the morning and evening. My Bernese Mountain Dog absolutely hates being put out in yards and would prefer to sleep inside all day when I’m gone and then he’s ready to walk/play as soon as I get home.
I got my german shepherd when i lived in a house with a huge fenced in backyard. When he was about 18 months old, i moved to a new city and into an apartment (with no yard). Something I noticed that calmed my fear of moving him into an apartment was that even though he had a big yard to play in, if i wasn’t out there with him he’d just stand by the back door. He’s 100% more interested in being around me and my girlfriend and even though that means I spend a couple hours a day walking him or taking him to the dog park that i could spend being a lazy piece of shit, it really doesn’t bother me.
Newfies are the laziest dogs ever, they are awesome.
I got Blind JackJack in college and learned very quickly I’d never live the happy hour life my friends did. Whenever I heard friends saying they were seriously thinking about getting a dog I’d loan JJ (this was before he went blind) out for a few days so they could see how much time a dog requires. Love Blind Jack to death and he’s even more lovable now but you’re 100% do not get a dog until you are ready for all the responsibility and time one requires.
On the flipside of the HH stuff your dog is also a great excuse to avoid HHs or anything else you don’t want to go to. I’ve even used Baloo as an excuse to leave bad dates early. “I have to get home, my dog hasn’t been out since before I left for work this morning. Sorry!” (Obviously a lie, I always take him for a walk right after work)
Baloo is a great big dog name. Shouts to you.
I use my dog as an excuse to even not go out some weekends. ‘Sorry, I’ve been busy all day and I just need to give Rhys some social time tonight’. Works like a charm.
I adopted a 10 year old beagle last January and she has been the absolute best decision I’ve ever made. She makes me plan ahead and always brings me home at the end of a night of debauchery. 10/10 would recommend
These peoples behaviors correlate over to when they have kids and then after a few years of fights over finances, existential crises, and feeling trapped in a boring life, we have the society we currently have. The #1 mental health issue that no one is telling anyone about is daddy issues. They scar for life and ruin perfectly good relationships and then ruin the individuals effected from the inside out. This country has massive daddy issues, everyone keeps fighting over what the founding fathers talked about hundreds of years ago yet they probably haven’t called their dads or visited them in the nursing home for awhile lol
The Oedipal/Electra complex is no joke
The wife and I got a English Bulldog puppy the weekend after returning from our honeymoon, and he has been around ever since (6+ years). He’s truly part of the family, but I can honestly say it’s turned into more than originally expected. We did our homework and knew the health concerns of the breed, but his have been early and often. Between 3 daily prescriptions and prescribed food I am confident saying we spend $300+ per month, especially when you consider the quarterly checkups to make sure the medicines aren’t jacking with him. Boarding/ travel is a hassle, so even weekend trips to the lake end up in a crowded SUV since he needs to whole back to himself….
I wouldn’t sell him for $1,000,000, but I wouldn’t buy another just like him for $1. Which is also what my dad used to say about me….
This is why I️ respect my friend so much for adopting a senior dog instead of the puppy she wanted. She knew she couldn’t exercise a younger dog as much as it needs, but now she’s letting an adorable, blind beagle live out his twilight years in a warm apartment where he’s happy to sleep all day until she gets home and then cuddle on her lap to sleep some more.
This makes me beyond happy. Old pups need homes too!
YES. My 30 lb dog does well in an apartment as long as she gets at least one long walk a day in addition to the shorter potty walks, and we take long hikes on the weekends. But people don’t seem to realize that if you’ve got a big dog, they require multiple, longer walks per day for exercise and mental stimulation.
There’s also the cost of flea/tick + heartworm prevention, vet visits, and emergency vet visits (because things happen). Just made the final payment on a $1k surgery mine had to have earlier this year. I don’t regret getting her for a second and am more than willing to step up to the plate for anything that she needs, but I do really wish people would take these things into consideration before impulsively adopting a dog when they’re not ready to invest the time/money.
Get the Banfield Wellness Plan for your pup and thank me later. About $40 a month and it covers vet visits, flea + tick, and all vaccinations
THIS. I just got my dog on the Banfield plan this year and it has already saved me nearly $500.
I think banfield is great if your dog is 0-18 months old but after that just find a good vet in your area and stick with them. Prices for major surgeries are typically cheaper and i feel a little more secure taking my dog to a private local practice. Just my opinion though
My dog is 5 and we had to do a dental cleaning and benign tumor removal this year and the Banfield plan was the way to go. It depends on a lot of factors so just research what’s right for you!
I’ll check it out! I love my current vet and paid off the surgery with a Care Credit card, but I’m definitely open to other options.
I love my current vet and I use Nationwide Pet Insurance! I didn’t want to do Banfield because I’d lose the great local vet. I pay $26 a month and they approve any vet. It doesn’t cover our flea & tick but it covers emergency, general visits, shots, and prescribed medicine should your dog need it. There’s one for $40 a month that covers flea & tick.
It totally saved me from a $2,000 ER vet bill last week!
Oooh, that’s awesome. My dog is around 7 or 8, so I’ve been looking into pet insurance in case anything comes up as she goes into her senior years.
The money I’m saving by not going to happy hours goes to my dog’s needs, and I couldn’t be happier about this decision.