Women are fond of saying “men are dogs”.
Some dogs may be more than a bit insulted, with that remark :D. Nevertheless, there are many similarities between men and dogs.
Living together with a man is a big deal. Suddenly, we have to put up with his many bad habits, all of the time. Living together with a dog, is an even bigger deal. With dogs, it is truly a “till death do us part” commitment. Since dogs are totally dependent on us, there is no such thing as a divorce.
When we agree to bring a dog into our family, we are making that commitment for life.
And just like men, dogs have an array of bad habits.
Therefore, before getting a dog, we want to first consider some of their less than desirable traits.
Should I Get a Dog 1
Dogs Snore Like Drunken Sailors.
This is my cute little Siberian Husky girl, Shania. She is the sweetest thing ever, but at night, she snores like a really large, really drunk, sailor.
At least when a man snores, we can give him a swift kick, and make him turn to the side. This will usually stop the snoring.
My Husky girl, bless her heart, will snore in whatever position she is in.
Should I Get a Dog 2
Dogs Are Expert Stalkers.
I think that the Police song, Every Breath You Take, was composed for a dog. Dogs like following us everywhere, and they watch everything that we do.
My Shiba Inu likes sitting outside, and staring at passers-by, cars, and everything else.
He is known by some of my neighbors as “the little detective”.
If he could talk, I bet he would have some really juicy stories to tell!
Should I Get a Dog 3
Dogs Are Not Ashamed of Begging.
My dogs learned really early on that their most powerful weapon is not their teeth, but their pretty face.
Dogs are willing to do about anything to get what they want, and that includes begging. Beware! They are very, very, good at it, and they will do it whenever they want something from us, which is almost all of the time.
Should I Get a Dog 4
A Dog’s Favorite Perfume is Eau De Skunk.
A dog’s favorite scent is not Dior, CK, or even Old Spice. Rather, they like dead things that smell like, well, dead things. Rolling around in a dead thing to acquire that oh-so-quaint aroma, is often the highlight of a dog’s day.
Smelling and eating poop is also a favorite activity. My Siberian Husky Shania, treats bird poop like it is caviar. What the cat, horse, and goat left behind, is also on her favorite list of foods and scents.
Should I Get a Dog 5
Dogs Are Landscaping Addicts.
We may think that our yard is perfect or close to perfect, but our dogs know better.
Yards often have a boring, flat surface, look. All dogs know that the most interesting, beautiful yards, are the ones that have the most number of holes.
Dogs are such optimists that they always have a can dig attitude. Even when our entire yard is riddled with holes, they always find a way to add just one more. Finally, all the holes combine into one large, big, flat hole, and the process starts all over again.
Should I Get a Dog 6
Dogs Drool, Belch, and Fart.
Dogs live in the moment.
They will drool, fart, belch, and whatever else, in the moment as well. Think Homer Simpson, except much cuter, and with more hair.
Should I Get a Dog 7
Dogs Are Lazy About Personal Hygiene.
When women say “men are dogs“, this is probably one of the key reasons why.
Like men, dogs will sometimes clean themselves, but most of the time, they prefer to just lie around, watch t.v., and go to sleep. Even when we offer to give them a bath, brush their teeth, clip their nails, and wipe their muddy paws, they will object in the most virulent fashion.
The best way to get a man, err I mean dog, to let us groom him, is to pair grooming with something pleasant. Using a favorite food, often does the trick.
Should I Get a Dog 8
Dogs Shed, and Shed, and Shed.
Dogs are cute, and cuddly because they have all that soft, plush, silky hair that we love running our fingers through.
What they often fail to advertise, is that the hair comes off – all over the house.
The amount of shedding varies greatly by dog breed, so careful research is a must. Before getting a dog, make sure that we are not allergic to dog dander. Also get used to having hair all over our floors, furniture, clothes, and other prized possessions.
Frequent brushing, will help ensure that the hair comes off in a more controlled, and manageable fashion. I find that a Furminator is very helpful, especially for dogs with double coats.
Should I Get a Dog 9
Dogs Think that the World is Their Toilet.
Dogs, especially puppies, find it extremely inconvenient to have to go to the toilet, like we do. Interrupting dog play for a trip to the loo, seems like a big waste of time. Therefore, they will just do it on the go. After all, they have unpaid human servants to clean up after them, so life is good.
The best way to potty-train a dog, is to teach him that toileting outside is more fun than a Chuck-E-Cheese trip.
My Siberian Husky puppy was not easy to house-train, because she did not seem to mind frolicking in her own waste products. As soon as she has to go, which is when she wakes up, and after every 10-15 minutes of play-time; I take her outside and give her the “Go Potty” command.
When she goes potty, I praise her very well and give her yummy treats and affection. Then, she goes back to playing. Very quickly, she learned to go sit by the door whenever she needed to go potty. After all, pottying inside gets her nothing, but pottying outside, is a happy bonanza of praise, treats, attention, and play.
Should I Get a Dog 10
A Dog’s Favorite Chew Toy is Everything.
Before we bring a puppy or new dog home, make sure to store away all of our prized possessions.
I do not leave my Jimmy Choo shoes around, or it will quickly become designer rawhide. Make sure to put cell-phones, iPhones, iPods, and all other expensive equipment on a high shelf.
Proper puppy training and puppy management is a must. When puppy Shania is out and about, I supervise her very closely. When I am too busy to supervise, she goes in her crate or long-term enclosure. I also provide her with many interactive, dog friendly, chew toys.
An iPhone may be coolest thing since sliced bread, but it is not friendly to a dog’s digestive system, nor is it friendly to our pocketbook when we pay the vet bill.
Hi Shibashake – (Sorry for the delay) My friend has had several GSDs and I have now become familiar with something I didn’t know about them: They can suffer from an intestinal disorder that killss within a day. She lost TWO of them (different breedings) that way. It was so sad. The vets could do nothing to save them it comes on that quickly. Other things to consider: notorious for hip dysplasia, prolific shedders. On the other hand: she had the most devoted dogs ever! They have great personalities, trained well, and were devoted to her family. They are very quick to guard their homes, so care must be taken in how they’re trained.
Thanks explorer š
Hi MrsMoe – yeah I fell in love with the Shiba look as well. They also have a very interesting and funny personality. However, they can be very difficult dogs to train and live with – stubborn to the n’th power and always such a rogue š Would love to hear more about your dog. I am thinking of getting a GSD – but still thinking …
I LOVE Shiba Inus. I have a Boxer/Shepherd cross right now, but have always been partial to the look and size of the Shiba Inus. Adorable Hub!
Very cute
Ill be getting a Shiba and actually also considered having the crate in my room at night then in another room durring the day.
I don’t want to traumatize the poor pup by leaving him completely alone the first night but I do understand the thoughts on routine.
Hello Rina,
Thanks for visiting my blogs and thanks for the lovely comment š
With regards to moving the crate, it really depends on the dog. In general, dogs like routine, so it may be best to get them used to the standard routine right from the start.
When I got my Shiba, I would move the crate into the bedroom at night, and during the day, have the crate out in the living room. Later on, I just got another crate so that I wouldn’t need to move things around so much.
If the crate does not fit well into your bedroom, you can also consider having it outside your bedroom door, and then just leave the door open. However, decide where you want him during the day and night and then start training him on that right from the start. In this way, he will get used to the routine, and there will be no need for any large changes later on.
Some dogs handle changes in routine better than others. My Siberian for example sometimes chooses to sleep outside in the backyard. My Shiba, however, always wants to be in the bedroom.
Congrats on getting a puppy soon! Post us some puppy pictures.
Hello id like to say i adore your blogs.
But i was wondering if you could help me with a question. I am getting a puppy in a few weeks and i know its a good idea to keep the puppy in your room at night when they sleep. We will be crate training him and the crate may not be ideal to have in my room but we could have it there for a while, would it be possible to start out with the crate in my room then move it down to the area where he is when we are gone?
š thanks š
HAHA, this is lol funny, when i first got my dog, Kenzi (she was a pound puppy š ) She was almost dead, to the point when they didnt want to give her to us because they were sure she would die, and she had ALL of these habits, but now with some kindness (and a few treats) she is a very happy, playful, well behaved girl (although shes still a stalker š ) GREAT ARTICLE
Kenzi is really lucky to have found you š Always so glad to meet people who save dogs that are really in need and put in the time and patience to give them a good life.
Hugs to Kenzi! Cool name too š