9 Cons of Being a Dog Owner (And Why It’s Still Worth It)

Even being the biggest fans of dogs doesn’t mean that owners are blind to some of the drawbacks of pet ownership. Having a dog is no easy task, and it requires effort and sacrifices that not everyone is prepared to make.

Claiming that there are no downsides to caring for another living being is simply foolish, but on the opposite side of the spectrum, those same downsides can also be seen as advantages, sometimes with a far larger return on your investment.

Here are the main cons of being a dog owner and why it’s still worth it.

ALSO READ: 20 Proven Health Benefits of Having a Dog

9 Cons of Dog Ownership

1. Taking care of a dog is time-consuming

The chief priority on most dog owners' lists is the fact that pets need their time.

Depending on the dog breed you’ve chosen, the pupper will either need 2 quick walks outside to do the business or will need several outdoor hours per day, every day.

Some experts claim that owners need about 3.5 hours daily to devote to their dogs.

Even if you’ve adopted a breed that isn't particularly active, you’ll still need to invest time to play with the dog, to give him affection, to feed him, to clean him, to maintain his ears, eyes, paws, teeth, and general physical hygiene and fitness, and so on, and so forth.

On the bright side, all of these “downsides” of dog ownership can be seen as advantages to loving pet owners. It's the time you spend and bond with your dog, sharing daily activities and grooming regimen.

The majority of owners will argue that these things will bring you joy rather than annoyance, and they're not wrong.

2. Taking care of a dog isn’t cheap

Dogs need to eat, need to be taken to the vet and need to be given certain meds, items and toys to live well.

None of those things are cheap. When you account for all the vet bills several years later and how much a dog cost you over the years, you realize that it does dig into your total budget substantially.

American dog owners spend approximately $1,311.7 per year for each dog they have, according to statistics from Statista.com.

While this number can be quite daunting and put some people off, keep in mind that this makes for approximately $100 per month, which is less than what we spend on needless luxury items and entertainment every month.

And unlike those empty money pits, a dog will repay you with an endless supply of loyalty and love, which could be the best $100/mo investment you could ever make.

3. Having a dog can be a challenge

To take care of an animal, you need more than just time and money. You’ll need to put in some effort.

Just as new parents read dozens of books about parenting, you'll have to educate yourself on how best to raise and train your new puppy.

You’ll need to figure out your dog’s body language; you’ll need to understand his psyche and how best to “manage the animal.”

You’ll need to learn how to stay patient when your dog doesn't listen to you, how to brush the dog's teeth, and much more.

However, as with the practical time you’ll have to devout to your pup, if you adopted your pup in search of companionship, then you'll get it all back tenfold – and it will all be worth it.

4. Dogs can damage your furniture and home

The more intelligent and social a dog is, the more disturbed they are likely to get when left home alone for too long.

If you want to have a dog and your furniture to survive, you’ll need to make sure that your pup is never bored and doesn't develop destructive behavior.

This means socializing, training, and providing your dog with toys. Sometimes, you may even need to invest in special dog owners' furniture to keep it away from destruction.

And while this can sound positively exhausting, preventing destructive behavior in dogs and keeping them mentally stimulated, away from bored, can be a great fun for pet owners.

By simply playing with your Fido and giving him enough attention you're likely stimulating positive emotions in yourself at the same time.

5. Having a dog restraints your social life

When it comes to social problems, similar to going from being single to having kids, when you adopt a dog, you simply won't always be able to do all the things you used to do.

While not always, it's possible you'll have to skip on some invitations, you’ll have a slightly harder time inviting guests, especially if they don’t like dogs, and so on.

On the other hand, while some things are taken away, new things are brought in. For example, going to the dog park every day is a great way to socialize and many owners argue that pets actually improve social life in adults.

Dog owners connect better and quicker with other owners, and singles with pets are seen as more attractive to the opposite gender.

6. Travel destination and tourist options are limited

More so than with guests, dogs limit your travel options. Depending on the type of trip, you can't always bring your pet with you. And if you do, not all hotels and resorts accept canines; thus, traveling with a dog is significantly more challenging than traveling without one and may be more expensive due to pet fees in hotels.

Nevertheless, tourism is infinitely more fun when you have a four-legged companion by your side.

Just like traveling in a company is better than by yourself, bringing your pooch with you is likely to increase the joy of travel.

Also, every year, more hotels are changing their policies to accept pets, sometimes without any fees. In fact, some hotel chains are now centered on being all about pet owners and their dogs.

7. Dogs can cause accidents

Among dog trainers and professionals, there’s a saying that the dog’s misbehavior is the owner’s fault.

Which is to say that a misbehaving dog is a poorly raised and trained pet. Still, we can’t all be expert dog trainers, so when you’re taking care of a dog, there’s also the slight, at least theoretical, risk that your dog might attack someone and cause harm.

Such things are most probably in self-defense or in defense of you, but that's still something that needs to be considered, especially in situations such as adopting a non-kid-friendly breed and having kids around.

On the opposite side of things, a dog's defensive instincts can be of great help in a lot of situations.

Dogs are known to stop burglaries or physical confrontations, help people in accidents, protect children and their owners, and much more. Pair that with proper dog training and socialization, and the exposure to the above-mentioned risks will be minimal.

8. Terrible feelings of loss after being attached to the dog

Probably the biggest tragedy of being a dog owner is that dogs only live 10-15 years on average.

Many people cite this reason more so than any other as to why they don’t want to get a dog—they're afraid of going through the experience of a loss.

It’s practically a guarantee that one day, you’ll say goodbye to your closest friend.

But as painful as this is, it doesn’t change the fact that a dog can give you 10-15 years of daily fun, laughter, love, positive experiences, and unforgettable memories, among the many other benefits of dog ownership. And that’s far better than not having a dog at all.

9. Dogs can lead to diseases and infections

As with all living things, dogs are not immune to diseases and infections. While most canine illnesses cannot be transferred onto people, some still can – they're called zoonotic diseases. Therefore, by living around dogs, we effectively have one more risk source being around that can infect us with something. This is just yet another reason why it's crucial to take proper care of your dog’s hygiene and health.

But if that sounds too troublesome, then we might as well isolate ourselves from everyone—the fact that both dogs and people can transfer diseases and infections isn’t a sound enough reason to deprive ourselves of our future best friend’s presence in our lives.

Moreover, by the same token, dogs can also protect us from other diseases, particularly kids. Children and adults who live around dogs develop stronger immunity against many bacteria.

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