When you bring a dog into your home, a lot of things change. Toys get strewn all over the floor. We make room for crates, food bowls, and beds. And in most cases, pet hair clings to everything! Most importantly, we smile, laugh, and enjoy their company every single day, for many years, if we’re lucky.
There are also certain things that are much harder to do once we bring a fluffy family member into our homes. Of course, any sacrifice made is totally worth it. But we pup parents can laugh about these 8 things that are harder to do because we love to live with our dogs.
1. Sprawl out on your own beds.
If you fall asleep with Fido by your side (hey, we all do it), you know all too well that your dog enjoys lounging on your nice, big bed! Even if your pooch is half your size, she probably takes up double the space.
2. Enjoy your food–without an audience.
If you’re a pup parent, you can’t remember the last time you ate a meal without two big, brown eyes staring up at you. Whether your dog is sometimes treated to (healthy!) scraps or he’s waiting for you to have a clumsy moment, when there’s food around, you’re never alone.
3. Keep the house clean.
Unless you have a hypoallergenic dog (which still sheds a tiny bit), it’s dog hair, dog hair, everywhere! Muddy paws on rainy days and slushy puddles tracked in from the snow are also part of life as a pooch owner. However, your pup may have helped cut down on your vacuuming–she’s more than happy to snarf up crumbs off the floor!
4. Make vacation plans.
Vacations are definitely harder to take when you have a tail-wagger at home. Even if you find the perfect boarding facility or sitter, the thought of leaving your pup for a long period of time breaks your heart. As for spontaneous, long weekends away? They don’t happen easily. That is, unless you’re able to stay at a dog-friendly hotel…
<
5. Go places that aren’t dog-friendly.
Since adopting your dog, you may have changed the places you patronize in favor of dog-friendly replacements. Maybe you’ve ditched your favorite coffee joint for a drive-thru chain, just so your dog can ride shotgun. Perhaps you opt for restaurants with dog-friendly outdoor decks. And the pet store is always a stop on your errand run. (Check out these dog-friendly restaurants and drive-thrus!)
6. Leave almost any store without impulse-buying something special for your pooch.
Sometimes you have to leave your canine companion at home. As if keeping your self-control in check wasn’t hard enough, you hate the thought of coming back to your patient pup empty-handed. It’s nearly impossible to walk by the pet aisle without scooping up a little something for your favorite furball.
7. Go to the bathroom alone.
One of the things we love most about dogs is that they always want to be by our sides – even when we’d normally want privacy. Lucky for us, our constant companions never judge us, they just want us to know they’ve got our backs. Plus, having a little company while on the loo isn’t always such a bad thing.
8. Make–and keep–your party plans.
Going out and being social is tons of fun, but after a long, hard work week, sometimes the best company is your canine. It’s hard to look forward to dressing up and going out all night when you know your dog will be home alone, missing you. Plus, there’s nothing like a quiet night in with your pup, snuggling and sipping your favorite drink…
Hmmm, that sounds like a perfect Saturday night, doesn’t it? If you know someone who’d love this T-shirt, you can get it here.
