Dogs eat a lot, poop a lot, eat their own poop, have many other bad habits, and get into all kinds of mischief. They are expensive, and require a lot of effort and time.
So why do people even think of getting a dog?
For me, life before dogs was not very happy, nor very healthy. The only time I used to laugh was when I was chugging gin and tonic (love that drink!). Now, my dogs make me laugh all the time. I have a Shiba Inu called Gin, and a Siberian Husky called Tonic.
For real? Nah.
Here are five key reasons why people get dogs, and why dogs are worth all of, and more than what we put into them.
** Note – If you are interested in getting a dog, do not buy one from an online-buy-a-puppy site or from a pet store. Such places support and finance puppy mills that not only breed unhealthy puppies, but also keep their dogs in cruel conditions. Instead, consider adoption or getting a dog from an accredited Kennel Club breeder.
1. A dog will keep you happy, healthy, and help you lose some weight
Physical exercise is extremely important to living a healthy and happy life.
I hear this all the time, but motivating myself to actually go to the gym every day is close to impossible. I pretty much have to fight a mental battle with myself everyday, and frequently, it is my lazy butt persona who wins.
Dogs need to take walks every day. In rain, shine, or snow I take my dogs out for their daily walks.
Unlike visits to the gym, I can’t get lazy, and I can’t come up with excuses of other things I need to do. When it is time for their walks, they will come and find me, and give me intense, meaningful looks.
I have had several fitness coaches, but none have been able to motivate me as well as my dogs. Those deep eyes, and expectant faces gets me off my lazy butt every day of the week.
2. A dog will keep your mind engaged and active
In addition to physical exercise, mental exercise is also important to living a healthy life. My dogs have taught me many things, and they continue to challenge me every day.
For example, dogs have a really weird fashion sense. They do not see the difference between a pair of torn-up sneakers, and my prizedJimmy Choo shoes. Both are fair game as chew toys. They also think that mud on designer clothing is very much in style. Therefore, I have to come up with many ingenious ways to convince them that there is some value to human fashion after all.
Getting dogs to respect human fashion, as well as follow basic house rules and manners, can take a surprising amount of time and mental effort. As a result, I think less about food, and burn off extra calories while matching mental wills with my dogs; otherwise called dog obedience training.
Therefore, in addition to being great teachers, dogs are also great diet coaches!
Just don’t ask them for advice when it comes to fashion.
From the dog’s point of view, his master is an elongated and abnormally cunning dog.
~~[ Mabel Louise Robinson ]
3. A dog will teach you to relax and be Zen
Embrace nothing: If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. If you meet your father, kill your father. Only live your life as it is, Not bound to anything.
~~[ Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C. ]
Live in the moment, and follow your own wisdom, that is what Zen is about.
Telling someone to “live in the moment” is similar to telling someone to “buy low and sell high”. Easy to say, but very difficult to implement. Dogs, however, make living in the moment seem easy, because that is what they naturally do every second of the day.
Some people mistake this to mean that dogs do not feel or do not have memories. Quite the opposite.
Dogs feel very strongly, and they can have very detailed memories of things.
Just like us, they may feel stressed, or depressed. However, the key difference is they move on and leave the past behind.
My dogs help me stay connected to the world around me. They provide me with a fun, and sometimes very demanding activity to take my mind away from my troubles. They teach me to move on and let things go, just by being who they are.
This results in less stress, less sadness, and a happier, healthier life.
4. A dog will make you laugh
My dogs make me laugh every day. They are always doing silly and funny things that make me smile, even when I am troubled.
My Shiba Inu has this butt-in-the-air move (see below) that he thinks is just too hot to touch. Whenever he has an audience, he will start performing this butt-move as if to say,“look at me, I’m too sexy!”.
Studies have shown that there are many health benefits to laughter. It can boost our immune system and help stave off viral infections. It can help us relax, and reduce stress related illnesses (e.g. high-blood preassure, ulcers).
Laughter is also a good tonic against negative feelings such as depression, frustration and anger. A life filled with laughter, is a good life.
The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.
~~[ Samuel Butler,Notebooks, 1912 ]
5. A dog will be your loyal friend for life
Dogs spend much of their lives observing us; our mannerisms, routines, and quirks. They probably understand us better than we understand ourselves.
As a result, dogs share a bond with us that is difficult to replicate with people.
They have a natural sense of empathy, and can easily sense changes in our emotions, however slight. Thus while everyone else may be oblivious to my troubles, my dog will come over and put his head on my lap.
Strange as it may seem, dogs communicate better than people do. Although they may speak a different language, they express themselves more clearly and more truthfully. They don’t say yes when they mean no and vice versa.
With a dog you always know where you stand.
The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven, not man’s.
~~[ Mark Twain, letter to W.D. Howells, 2 April 1899 ]
plz give doge 2 cookies and a pet, k thanx
can ur husky type or just ur shiba. I really want a dog but I can’t get one because my parents think it’s tooo much work? do u have any more reasons on why dogs r great companions or why u should get a dog? 😀 thx. I really like ur dogs, my favorite types of dogs r the ones u have.
This is also the best article I found on why I should get a dog
lol
I had a 15 year old Shiba who recently passed and a 3 year old Shiba who got a along well. We recently got a male Husky named Bowie but our 3 year old Shiba Ryu wants nothing to do with him. Its been 6 months and they still are not friends. Thoughts?
I would love to share some photos if possible.
Hi I am interested in a shiba from Paul Lee at Bamboo and Shiba. I was wondering what the process was and what I should bring on the day of picking up the puppy from Paul. Thanks you in advance for your advice.
I love your post. I own an Akita which I believe is a ‘cousin’ to your Shiba Inu.
Your dogs are beautiful.
We bookmarked your website after we adopted our Rottweiler/Blue Heeler mix at 11 months old, and I read it every day. As much as the helpful advice, I appreciated knowing that we weren’t alone in coping with a stubborn, willful, mischievous dog. I’ve been blogging about our experiences at http://www.rebeccaglancy.com.
hello
I love this website so much!! It is one of my favorite websites to go on, especially since I have a Shiba Inu as well! (Feisty little things :p) Anyways, do you have any tips on how to get a shiba to behave? My little boy always keeps biting his bed, not coming inside when we ask him too, etc.. This would help so much, especially since the my roommates are on the brink of sending away my dog. Thank you so much! And as always, love this website!!!
Some of my experiences with training my dogs-
http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-inu-training-secrets
How I train my puppy.
More on puppy biting.
More on structure and teaching my dog self-control.
ASPCA article on recall training.
I just wanted to say thanks for all the dog posts and stories, and in particular thank you for being honest about the times when owning a dog can be a HUGE worry / pain in the behind / source of stress / emotional rollercoaster! We have a Japanese Spitz puppy (similar to a medium American Eskimo Dog) and he’s been a bit off-colour recently, and reading your experiences with puppies and their misdemeanours and accidents has helped tremendously (and also made me smile!) Hooray for Spitz breeds, they rule! xx
Haha yeah, cute but very fierce! 😀
Thank you Tina. Congrats and big hugs to your new fur-boy!
I luv luv luv dogs especially shibas but my parents work until like 6 or 7 so we can’t have one plus we don’t have a big yard I still think it’s possible to have one is it?
Dogs in general need a lot of time for supervision, training, and exercise. Shibas especially, will likely need more. 😀
Story of my childhood dog.
Well husky usually need lots of activity. Their very active dogs so they should always have someone to play with and lots of room as well
me too
i have a very agressive 8 year old shiba inu and i recently went to the pound and found a 3 year old husky, is it a bad idea to try to adopt the husky or to cut my losses and stay with my shiba inu. My shiba is aggressive towards other people has bitten over 4-5 people and agressive towards other dogs, but a very loyal and good dog to my mother and i… my mother wants to put her to sleep because of her aggression.. what is my best bet?
I got help from several professional trainers when Sephy started having behavioral issues.
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I also read up a lot on dog behavior and dog training and visited a lot of Shiba Inu message boards.
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/
I did not consider getting a new dog until *after* I had learned how to deal with Sephy’s issues. I did not want my new dog to develop the same type of behavioral problems as Sephy.
Glad I found your website. I came across it while searching for advice on feeding a Shiba dry or wet…I had no idea you’d have such great info on your site – thanks. We just put a deposit on a Shiba Inu who is due to be born in about 4 weeks. We are very excited! I am nervous too as I want to feed, exercise, play, care for, and raise her all perfectly!! I’ve been researching for months and intend to do my very best…crossing fingers for a good dog who will love her life! Can’t wait to get her home…will be reading your posts very often I can tell. Love your Shiba/Huskey combination…we have had a huskey before – wonderful dogs!! Thanks again!
Congratulations on your upcoming Shiba pup!
Shibas are certainly very interesting to live with. 😉
I think you will enjoy this article where I compare Shibas and Huskies.
Share some Shiba puppy pictures with us when you get her home!
I’m looking into adopting a Shiba Inu/German Shepherd mix but am wondering if what she needs will match what I can give her. Me being an apartment dweller is my main concern. I’m single so I would be the only one taking care of her. I work 40 to 50 hours a week (depending on the time of year) but only live 5 minutes from work and am salaried, so coming home during the day is doable. She’s a rescue so I’m not totally positive on her age but she is at least 18 months old. I know they’re independent dogs but I’ve read that German shepherds don’t like to be left alone for long periods. Also, would daily walks and occasional weekend hikes be enough exercise for this mix? Here’s a link: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/26913476
If you could point me in the right direction I’d be very grateful! My friends and family say to go for it, but I’d like an outside opinion. You know?
She is definitely a big time cutie!
Daily walks, weekend hikes, and living so close to work all sound really good to me. Sheba’s petfinder page also looks good, being crate trained, house-trained and socialized with other dogs. The rescue organization also looks like it has a good group of people.
Have you talked to her foster parent? I would prepare a list of questions and concerns to ask him. Make sure that she is ok with being alone during work hours and does not get anxious. What activities does she like? What is her energy level? What things motivate her most? Is she ok with regular apartment noise? Is she leash trained? Does she have any behavioral quirks?
Do you have a regular schedule? My Shiba is fine with being alone, but he really likes having a fixed and predictable routine. This may also be something that the foster parent would know about Sheba.
I would also ask about their adoption policy (e.g. home inspections) and if they have a trial period.
Good luck! It sounds like it could be a really good match – so let us know how it goes.
Thanks so much! This is my first attempt at adopting a dog, as my last dog (a pekepoo) was given to me. I will definitely remember to ask those questions and keep you updated.
I need help my dog bit my other one badly i want to stop his aggression but i need to know how Please help me 🙁
For serious bite issues, it is best to get help from a good professional trainer.
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
Here are some things that I do with my dogs to help them get along.
A dog is surely a man’s best friend.Oh I need to get many more dogs now.Thanks for sharing.
This article is so good! My dog will not let me sit and type on Hubpages, wakes me up in the morning if I oversleep, makes me practice kinhin, and of course makes me smile every evening as we walk and she plays on the beach. Thanks for reminding me what to be thankful for.
LOL! My dog helps me type all my Hubpages articles, and is great at clicking the mouse as well. She is not great with spelling, but then, that’s what the spell checker is for! 😀
Had to look this one up. Very interesting.
Lucky you and lucky dog! I would love to live by the beach.
Those Shibas are so smart! (Surely you are not talking about your Siberian Husky. My Huskies could never spell.) I still have not been able to get my dog to use the mouse. She has no trouble with the keyboard, but even a gorilla can do that.
If you get a chance read “Ten Reasons my Dog wont Blog”. It used to be called “Ten Reasons My Dog Wont Write on Hubpages” but there were no pageviews after about two weeks. You have mentioned that in one of your posts. HP people are not the best audience for dogs, so I switched it and am hoping to draw more of a response from the search engines (or Engine, as there really is only one, right?).
Yeah, I don’t get much HP traffic. Not enough of a people-person. 😀
Hi Shibashake
Thanks for your informative post; another question I have: do you think it is worth to have pet insurance?
Thanks
Hello Jen,
I don’t have pet insurance on any of my dogs so I am not sure how well it works. I imagine a big part of it is dependent on the dog, energy level, temperament, age, and environment.
This year was not a very good one for Shania because she hurt one of her legs during play, and then soon after was bitten by a rattlesnake.
We have an emergency fund for such situations, which was a really good thing. I am not sure if getting insurance would be more cost effective, and I have not been motivated enough to run the numbers.
Sorry I could not be of more help. If you do decide to get pet insurance, please let us know of your experiences. Thanks!
I NEED TO GET A DOG LIKE THAT
Our family always have a pet dog and reading this hub makes me appreciate having them around. Thanks for writing this intersting hub.
i loved your 5 reasons of having a canine. they ARE a wonderful companion
i love dogs but my parents won’t get me one any ideas
Hi I am that friend Mona Germain above mentioned thank you for the coment on accredited breeders.Your article is awsome I love how you put your life with your pets on paper and you know it is so true as every pet owner will have to agree. I have Boxers and wow they are so much fun people. They are so loyal and such good friends. My dogs love me no matter what where as humans are so judge mental of us. Thank you for such a good article. MJ
Thank you very much MJ. Big hugs to your pack!
Great hub, and GREAT pictures…your dogs are adorable!
Thanks ShepherdLover.
I loved Rusty’s story. You tell it very well. In case anyone wants to check it out, here is the link-
http://shepherdlover.hubpages.com/_srec/hub/Rustys
Bigs hugs to Rusty and also a big welcome to HubPages. Rusty is a handsome boy!
Adorable Dogs! There is also a study that shows that 30 percent life span increases the moment we opt to have pet!
Yeah, I am so glad to have dogs in my life. They truly are awesome! 😀
Nice hub. Your dogs are lovely!
wonderful hub i´m thinking of getting a dog when I move out of my parents house. Id really like a German Shepherd dog.
Thanks Darkmetaly.
Yeah, I love GSDs as well.
A few years ago I totally fell in love with this GSD + Retriever mix, named Nigel, at our nearby SPCA. He has brown retriever eyes, but everything else looked exactly like a long-haired GSD. Nigel was goofy, relaxed, and has a super positive attitude. I always think of a surfer dude when I think of him. 😀
He was adopted by one of the trustees of the SPCA, so I am sure he is currently living it up! 😀
Definitely post us some pictures when you get your puppy.
that’s wonderful
Our family just couldnt imagine life without a dog. We have always had dogs, and have been lucky enough to live close to parents and grandparents, so that when the adults are at work and the kids at school,,,,,the dog is never alone.
Im new to hubpages, what a wonderful site!
I will try to put my link in here to show you Lilly, our Yellow Lab,
http://www.jcarter.net/april/wet-dog.html
Thanks for the pictures! Lilly is absolutely adorable, and what a beautiful beach! I love the colors. Lilly’s coat looks almost white in the pictures.
It is so good to see such a happy and lucky puppy! I am more than a bit jealous – can I come visit? 😀
She really is the most gentle loving dog ever, and grew up with our grandkids.
Our previous dog, Muffin, we got from our local shelter. She was a sweetie too,
http://www.jcarter.net/ourdogs/muffinpage.html
Hard to believe she has been gone 7 years, Lilly is 4.
What wonderful pictures!
Especially love the one titled “Sitting in the packysandra.” She has such a beautiful expression. The boat one is also awesome. Great place to have a water dog!
Great idea with the fur tile! 😀
Did you see the other page, the link at the very bottom?
http:/www.jcarter.net/ourdogs/muffin-2.html
Our next door neighbour has a Black Lab Golden Retriever cross, about a year old. He is hilarious, wants to play all the time, wears Lilly out, as he is only a year old.
There are 3 other Labs in our neighbourhood, but the other one is very old and doesnt get outdoors all that much. And the 4th one is a puppy, she is also a swimmer.
In summer, we have more dogs coming with the summer people, and we have 2 dedicated to dog beaches.
Just cant imagine being dogless, but our family in the city cant have one, as they work and go to school all day, so they come here for the weekend as much as they can.
They have a great cat, named Decibel, as he is extremely vocal.
Yeah, I explored everything. 😀 Are there more pictures? If so, please post more links.
“He is hilarious, wants to play all the time, wears Lilly out, as he is only a year old.”
That is awesome! My previous neighbor had a very fun dog called Kai. They picked her up from the street when she was a puppy. Nobody claimed her, so they adopted her.
Kai has a whole of of energy and she is one of the sweetest gals I have ever met. My Shiba loved playing with her, and every time we go out for a walk, he would go over by Kai’s gate and wait for her. I always thought that was so romantic, and pictured him carrying flowers and treats for her! 😀
It is great when there are friendly neighborhood dogs that can come over for play sessions.
“They have a great cat, named Decibel, as he is extremely vocal.”
LOL!
This is good ammo to help me convince my wife that getting a puppy Boston Terrier is a good idea. More so for my two kids. Any other help would be greatly appreciated…
Hello Earlo,
How old are your kids? If they can take on some of the dog chores, then perhaps it wouldn’t be quite so much work for your wife. Caring for a dog is also a good way to teach kids responsibility and other good stuff.
http://akitarescue.rescuegroups.org/info/display?PageID=3257
I love my dogs, but I do have to say that they are quite time consuming, especially in the beginning. To be fair, here is some ammo for your wife. 😉
http://shibashake.com/dog/should-i-get-a-dog
This is wonderful tribute to dogs as pets! I like your style adding fact and humour. Your opening was captivating! I stayed engaged through the whole piece.
I will be passing this to a dog kennel owner friend–her dogs are people too!
Beautiful photos and uplifting article. Thanks!
Thanks so much for your comment Mona. It is a great way to start the week!
Sephy, Shania, and Lara also send their thanks and love.
I have an apartment, and this post makes me wish I had a house even more so I could get a dog :]
I miss mine back home! Her personality was something else.
Hello RicoShae.
What kind of dog do you have back home? Would love to hear more about her.
My Shiba Inu also has a very ‘unique’ personality. He can sometimes be a pain in the ass, but that is part of his awesome charm. 😀
My dog is my companion and a great friend.I couldn’t imagine my life without dogs. They have that power of lifting your spirits up just by being around you.
If I didn’t already have 4 dogs this article sure would convince me to get a few! Thanks for the interesting outlook on why people should have dogs! Everyone should have at least one. They are a lot better to have around than a lot of people! God Bless! From one dog lover to another! (By the way it is no coincidence that dog spelled backwards is God…just sayin’. lol)
LOL! Yeah I always liked that. It would be fun to write an article on the origins of the word ‘dog’. 😀
An inspiring hub that can make any non-dog lovers turn to the ‘good-side’.
LOL ‘good-side’!. Glad you liked it and thanks for dropping by.
😀
I never had a dog but would like to do
I absolutely love dogs. I have a little Jack Russell called Tess, can’t imagine life without her.
I love Jack Russells, they are such happy, energetic, gung-ho dogs. And so clever! Big hugs to Tess.
i love dogs and this site
What is an “accredited” kennel club breeder?
As I understand it, it means breeders who follow good breeding practices and guidelines, as set by the club. For example-
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/203
Shibshake, thanks for the info! Good to know you are recommending people practice health clearances. I enjoyed your article!
Thanks for pointing out that the term may be unclear. I have now made it into a link to the Kennel Club page.
I hike and trek a lot and could not find any human companion adventurous enough for my “excursions”. So dogs came as God’s gift to explore His lands with me 🙂 Sometimes, when I am in not a mood for even a short distance walk on week days, I take my Kuvasz boy along hesitantly and soon we are exploring neighbourhoods after neighbourhoods.
Very well said! Dogs really have a way of getting us to do exactly what we need to do. 😀
My husband got me a chihuahua and said she would not be allowed on our bed…they cuddle every night! They are simply irresistible!
Hey wait a minute. Did you steal my dog. Same collar, same looks and poses.
LOL! It would be a nightmare to steal a Shiba, just thinking about it gives me the heebie-jeebies. 😀
So TRUE! People who have pets tend to live longer healthier lives. And it is due to the exact reasons you mentioned above.
My dogs help me manage my fibromyalgia. Sephi and Maya’s silly antics make me laugh and keep me from getting too stressed or depressed. Their exuberant zest for life keeps me active.
Yeah, I am thinking that it would be great to live near an animal sanctuary, like Best Friends. Hopefully we will be able to do that sometime down the road.
Big hugs to Sephi and Maya! Do they have their Halloween costumes yet? 😉
great article! i’ve brought much joy to my pack since i joined them a few years back. and, after one of my humans decided to add a couple of extra miles to our daily walks, he’s dropped 50+ lbs this year.
relevant to finding dogs from reputable breeders, the house of two bows put up an amazing article called “a hypothetical puppy search in seven steps: internet tools to evaluate a breeder” (http://shibasenji.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/a-hypot it’s really awesome and i cannot recommend it more highly.
this also may be of interest to you and your many readers: my humans and i put together a list of shiba rescue resources earlier this year: http://tar0shiba.tumblr.com/post/3447689427/adding
again, great article. thanks for sharing!
Hello Taro,
I am honored by your visit! Thanks for your wonderful perspective on the article and for the two great links.
There was an issue with the first link, so here it is again –
http://shibasenji.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/a-hypothetical-puppy-search-in-seven-steps-internet-tools-to-evaluate-a-breeder/
Let me in too! Not much of a dog fan but … lemme in!
Well … all I have to say is, this is a cool article indeed. Comfortable mix of philosophy and dogology!
Ngyaeow!
LOL! You are already in QS. We all think that cats are yummy. 😉
Looking forward to your article on Ngyaeow-ology!
Thank you very much for all your wonderful comments! It is always great to see so many dog friends and supporters.
Lots of hugs, licks, and woof-woofs.
Dogs are always happy to see you when you get home. Not always so for other loved ones. Very good article.
We also have 2 dogs and I love them both. They are fun and witty. Great hub! Love your pictures; voted up and interesting.
We have two dogs and I agree with you. They add so much to life. Your dogs are beautiful.
First, I agree with your concept on the reasons to own a dog. Secondly, I have to agree with Mark Twain’s quote, which you provided in the article. Excellent piece and pictures…
awesome… I just love it….. Oh my god you dogs are just so adorable… I love them all!! 🙂
If I had to pay a price to read this hub, shibashake, your marvelous photos alone would be worth the price. What a wnderful compendium of the reasons to own a loyal and lovable canine companion. Thank you, thank you.