Here’s a harsh truth: you DON’T want a dog.
For those of you who think you’d like a dog, but have never had one before, a dog may seem like an exciting prospect.
Dogs love you, they want to play, they’re cute. But I promise you, you don’t want one.
You might actually want a cat without knowing it.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s the [blank] reasons why you might want to reconsider getting a dog and get a cat instead.
1. Dogs are expensive to buy
Assuming that you fancy buying a puppy rather than rescuing, dogs are expensive to buy. Especially if you want an ethical breeder, who will do everything to ensure you get a well-balanced, healthy puppy.
Depending on the breed of dog you intend to get, expect to shell out one or two grand or more on a pup. This is also the case for so-called ‘designer dogs’, who may or may not be bred as ethically as you’d hope.
But with cats? Not so much. Pedigree cats are becoming slowly more popular but they typically aren’t as expensive. And if you get a regular moggy – you might only spend about £30-£100 for a kitten from a friend or neighbour in your local area.
Yes, it’s possible to purchase puppies for cheap… but we shouldn’t be supporting the illegal puppy farming trade, no matter how much you think you’re ‘rescuing’ a pup from a sad upbringing.
2. Dogs are expensive to own
For some reason, cat insurance is always cheaper than dog insurance. And cat appointments at the vet may also be a little cheaper too.
Cats are typically just one standard size and so their food requirements are quite small, making them cheaper. And if you think you could just buy a small breed of dog and feed them a small amount – just you wait until your tiny dog gets allergies (not all do, but it does seem more common in dogs).
As for toys and equipment – the sky is the limit for both pets, but cats don’t even really need a cat bed as most will ignore their bed and sleep on your sofa or bed. So you can skip that cost for a cat.
Many varieties of dog (especially the ever popular cavapoo, cockerpoo, or labradoodle) require regular grooming appointments at your local groomer. And those costs can stack up – say about £60 every 6-8 weeks.
As for cats – especially your standard domestic shorthair – you don’t really need to consider grooming them. You can use a brush yourself every now and again but by and large, cats will groom themselves.
3. Dogs need your time and attention
So many owners underestimate just how much time and attention your new dog will need from you. Especially if you get a puppy.
Those early puppy days will be all-consuming.
You will need to be able to take weeks off work to train and socialise your new puppy, and ideally, you need to be home most of the day with your dog.
Getting a dog – especially a puppy – is like having a baby. The level of commitment in terms of time and care is a lot, and you should expect a lot of your time and focus to be on the dog.
Even once your dog is an adult, you should be able to dedicate time to walking your dog daily. Depending on the breed, this could be anywhere from 30 minutes each day, to all day, every day (especially for a working breed like a Border Collie).
On top of that, you’ll need to spend time each day training your dog, and attending puppy or dog training classes once a week.
Ask yourself: do you have the time budget? Do you have three hours a day to spend feeding, walking, training, and grooming a dog? Do you have every single Saturday morning available to go to puppy training classes?
If not, guess what? You don’t want a dog.
You want a domestic shorthaired cat.
Your average cat will walk themselves outdoors (unless you choose to have your cat be an indoor only cat), will want about half an hour of play in short ten minute sessions (and not always daily), and will obviously need feeding morning and evening. They are incredibly low maintenance in comparison.
4. Dog people want to chat
This isn’t going to be a problem for everyone, but if you’re out and about with your dog, expect to get strangers approach you at random for a chat about your dog. This intensifies if your dog is cute.
Cute dogs attract a LOT of attention.
If you’re not into chatting with lots of people on your daily walks, a dog might not be for you.
If you have a cat, however, your cat is at home when you’re out and about, so there’s no need to interact with others if you don’t want to.
Sidenote: for a lot of people, having people approach for a chat about your dog is actually a positive thing! Personally I love when people want to talk about dogs and ask me questions – so if that’s you, this could equally be a pro rather than a con of owning a dog.
5. Dog bites are serious business
Behaviour issues and aggression in dogs is far more serious an issue than the same for cats.
A cat can bite and scratch, but it’s rare that an attack from a cat will send you to hospital in need of stitches. And as far as I can tell, there have been no recent deaths from cat bites (the only risk really is infection). Cats rarely bite or scratch humans with an intent to kill – it’s usually a signal that they want to be left alone.
But with dogs – the risk of a serious dog bite is always present. Even in the most level headed Labrador. This often surprises people, especially first time owners. But the fact remains – dog bites can and do happen. And they are far more likely to send you to hospital.
You have to remember that dogs are animals, and EVERY breed of dog – even the calmest dogs such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or Labrador Retriever may bite when scared, provoked, or in pain.
You need to think seriously about what you will do if this risk is in your own home. Especially if you have children. Even teen children. This writer was bitten in the face by our rescue greyhound at the age of 17 – so even mature teenagers can be put at risk if they are inexperienced with dogs (as I was at that age, having never experienced a fearful dog before).
Remember – you’ll need to plan carefully and manage behaviour of your dog, and potentially every other member of the household, to make sure that everyone stays safe, especially if you have inexperienced members of your household.
The same can be said for cats – but the risk of serious injury or even death is much lower.
Unfortunately there are just far too many stories of family dogs killing babies and children, or even of people being attacked by other dogs whilst out walking their own dogs.
So if you have any concerns about this harsh truth of owning a dog – that it DOES come with an element of risk – then perhaps a dog may not be for you.
A cat – in comparison – could potentially end up with behaviour issues, but these are often resolved by making changes to the environment in which the cat lives, rather than the training that you’d put into a dog. And the worst you might get is a good swipe with the claws worthy of a wash and a sticky plaster, rather than an operation and stitches in hospital.
6. Problem behaviours can mean total destruction of your home
Dogs can be destructive.
They don’t mean to shred your sofa to pieces or chew through the drywall – but in unsuspecting owners, it can happen.
You need to be prepared for the fact that your newly decorated home might get… er, modified by your dog.
Usually this behaviour happens when a dogs are in the puppy or awkward teenage phase, but it can happen with adult dogs too – and without warning.
Not all dogs will do this, let’s be clear: especially dogs who have all their needs met in terms of human interaction and mental stimulation. But if you aren’t meeting those needs at any time, prepare to have some damage done to your home or problem behaviours start to arise.
This is why you should be really really honest with yourself and your family. Can you really meet all your dog’s needs? And can you do it consistently, every single day?
Do you have the time to spend playing with, walking, and training your dog?
If not, a cat might be a safer option.
Cats can also have a few little behaviour issues if they aren’t mentally stimulated – but it’s less eating drywall and ripping up your sofa and more like peeing outside the litter box, which can be less damaging and less expensive to resolve.
On the whole, however, cats are low maintenance – especially your average domestic shorthair cat.
Is a cat right for you?
If this article has given you pause to think about whether you could really handle a dog, perhaps a cat could be worth considering.
By no means are cats the easiest pet, but there really isn’t a pet that is hyper low maintenance… maybe try a plant like a cactus if you really can’t invest your time into an animal.
However, cats are far less work than a dog.
You get a snuggle buddy who will happily play with you, but will probably sleep all day when you’re at work. Cats do need their humans, but they are more independent than a dog – so if you can’t be at home for most of the day, then a cat might be a better option.
Do your research, of course – I’d never recommend picking up any pet on a whim – but if you feel like you can’t reasonably make space in your life for a dog, a cat may be a better option.
Still feel ready for a dog?
If none of the above puts you off, and you can think of legitimate ways to manage every single part of dog ownership – congratulations! You might just be ready to have a dog in your life.
Remember, getting a puppy or adopting a dog is a commitment.
It’s a financial commitment as well as a time commitment.
If you can’t commit to both for the next 5-18 years of your dog’s life (as some of those small dogs do live an incredibly long time!) – then perhaps revisit the idea of having a dog in a few years and see how you feel.
Remember, you’ll need to do your research and find a breed that will fit your lifestyle. And once you’ve found a breed, speak to owners to find out what it’s really like to have that dog in your life.
I promise you, all the hard work into researching your new dog will pay off – making you and your dog a thousand times happier in the long run.
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