Owning a dog is not an experience for the faint of wallet. Think of everything that you would need to spend on if you were taking care of an elderly person or a very small baby – there are toilet duties, that you need to be on top of, there are feeding duties, you have to take care of the dog’s exercise needs, you have to make sure that you dog gets his meds when he isn't well, you have to play with him so he isn’t bored – you need to all of these with a dog. Not to mention, owning a dog can be a very expensive affair.
There's no need to concentrate on the other side of the balance sheet. Just take a look at all that owning a dog can do to make your life better and save you money.
There was an article in the New York Times recently called “Forget the Treadmill. Get a Dog” about how owning a dog to most people can mean a great way to force yourself to get exercise. Unless you want to spend money on a dog walker, you simply have to take your dog out for a nice run twice a day. It'll just help you lose weight quickly, save on your own health bills, and save on a gym membership.
In another article in the New York Times called “By Helping a Girl Testify at a Rape Trial, a Dog Ignites a Legal Debate”, they speak about how the presence of a good, friendly dog can be so calming to people, in New York, they use specially trained dogs to help crime victims who are very vulnerable and stressed out , testify in court with confidence.
If this is what a dog can do for someone in such a high-stress situation, just think what it can do for you everyday, just being there for you. There's just something spiritually elevating about being in touch with our animal friends. And caring for them.
In this day and age, when you mention entertainment to people, they usually think of a device that begins with the letter “i”. But truth be told, dogs can be a great deal of fun. Having a dog in the house is like having a small active child in the house.
There's always something funny going on. For people who want to make friends, a dog can be such a great way to start a conversation. You just have to take the dog out to the park, and you have a reason to talk to other dog owners.
Owning a dog may cost money. But you're paid back many times over in other ways.
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