If you would have asked me couple of years back if I will ever own a dog , my response would have been an emphatic “ no- never”. Frankly, my connection with dogs as a child was limited to cute puppy pictures on the posters. If anything - I was scared of dogs. The equation was simple. Dogs are animals with teeth like spikes and they bite. Therefore, owning a dog was never ever on the radar. Besides no one in my family and in my friend circle owned a dog. Nobody even talked about owning a dog. Well that was then. Now, in this new environment, I am surrounded by dog owners and there non stop chatter about dogs , puppies cuteness, dogs unconditional love which is apparently hard to resist. Of course they are not telling me to buy a dog. Actually they say it’s a lot of work especially in the puppy days. After having kids, I for once refused to stay in any dreamworld about cuteness. Cuteness and work are on equal footage when it comes to babies- human or otherwise. So yes, I am aware of facts about owning a dog and work associated with it. It’s just the way these friends talk about their dogs- sometimes for hours. They have all their doggy pictures on their phones. These people smile a little more, always feel relaxed and always feel connected when they are talking about their dogs. The kids, of course adore dogs and kiss them and hug them. But these full grown adults - they literally do the same. So there is that. A FOMO moment. Am I missing something very special? Am I depriving my kids or even me from this worldly happiness? Literally if you are with these dog owners you feel left out.
Also the curiosity towards dog ownership came because of my old geriatric patients well in their 80s and 90s. They have shared so many stories about their dogs. They smile brightly. They can talk about their pets for whole therapy session. Somehow, after talking to them, it feels like at the end of it the money, the job , the status in life doesn’t come up or matter so much. Relationships and pets make the top lists. Pets makes these old folks happy and content- wholehearted.
The other thing is the dog itself. Believe me, I am and always have been apprehensive of dogs. However, I have pretended sometimes that I am OK with and around dogs. So I started to talk to these dogs and their owners in the pretend friendly way.. from a safe distance. And it was like an adventure honestly. And it still is. Hello doggy, a little woof. Then to owner, what’s his name? What breed? The common questions usually emerged to carry on a friendly conversation. And then somehow I ended up looking into their dogs twinkling eyes and wagging tail and friendliness and cuteness and I just couldn’t help but ended up liking this sweet creation. This dog creature , apparently is happy with me for no valid reason. He is happy with me just being there. Who does that? And I have seen these dogs jump with excitement and wiggle their tails when they see their owners. I feel jealous. No one is that excited to see me maybe except my kids.
And these dogs especially my own favorite breed golden retriever and labs are truly adorable just to look at. They are super cute. Super family friendly. My limited observation tells me that there are lot of pros for dog ownership. I feel my kids can have a family member to play with, my kids can learn responsibility of taking care of their pet, enjoy an active lifestyle outdoors and also have someone nearby who will look after their safety and safety of our house. I have even seen lot of adults with improved active outdoor time due to this cute and cuddly creature. Of course there are questions involved like how to manage time , taking care of one extra family member, need of dog boarding for long trips , vet visits and extra expenses associated with dog ownership. However, after talking with so many dog owners it feels manageable. I think we earn to live life in a fulfilling way and dogs can be one of those pathways. I know everyone at home needs to be onboard with this crucial decision. . The one thing is for sure- The unconditional love and lots of fun that awaits with dog ownership looks undeniable. Well, I am in this curiosity phase to know more, to learn more about dogs. At the same time I know “ experience phase” would worth a lot more.
- praj101
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