Is buying a dog the same as buying a car?
This is my first blog on my new website, so I wanted to share something that I think is important and something we don’t consider when we get our new addition (car or dog).
There is no doubt, we certainly spend more on a car purchase – though sometimes, not much more.
But there are some similarities to consider…….
To keep it running and in good order, either the car or the dog, we need to maintain them.
Good fuel/food, regular servicing/ vet checkups and a priority would be to make sure we have researched the type of car/dog we want – perhaps a test drive or two, or visited a dog show or know someone with the breed before purchase. Then comes attending a driving school to learn how to handle a car, or do puppy research before purchase and book into a puppy school.
This is where the similarities end………or is it?
With a car – we may or may not wash it, service it regularly, look after it (both inside and out), no dent repairs, and perhaps no new tyres – then when we need to change it or we need a different model, because it no longer suits us or our family has grown and we need to get a better or bigger one, we simply advertise and sell – sometimes without the real reasons why or trade it in for someone else to tidy it up and resell it.
With a dog – ohhh wait……. it IS similar……
We don’t look after it, no regular vet checks, no regular training (servicing ) no flea/worm treatment (inside/outside care), no regular vaccinations – then when it doesn’t suit us or doesn’t do what we expect it to do, or we change jobs or are too busy, we simply advertise and sell -sometimes without the real reasons why or pass it to someone to educate (train) and resell.
One more thought – some cars may end up at the scrap heap being crushed into twisted metal cubes
Some dogs – as living breathing sentient beings may end up having their lives ended and finishing up in a very similar place ……. the scrap heap 😔
Wow, who would have thought??????
But interestingly, we seem to spend more time choosing a car that may last us 5 or 6 years (rarely longer) than we spend choosing a puppy that may live well into it’s senior years (over 10 and sometimes a lot older).
Food for thought…..
Let’s research, spend more time choosing, nurture and educate through its whole life and hopefully keep our new addition longer than we keep our car.
Thank you for reading – please feel free to share these thoughts next time someone you know says they are thinking about getting a new puppy – it may not be the best idea they’ve ever had.
