I think having pets by your side and to take care of is an amazing thing. I am a big dog lover, and, for my family, getting a dog was one of the best things that happened to us.
Before we got our dog, a mini golden doodle, my siblings and I would constantly fight about stupid things, like normal families.
But, when our dog came home to us at 8 weeks old, all of those stupid arguments we used to entertain went away as all of our attention was on our new member of the family.
Since my family has gotten a dog, we are a lot happier because we all love her and bring her everywhere we go. If I am running errands around town or going somewhere with friends, I bring my dog as much as I can.
I know having pets can improve many people’s quality of life. Growing up, one of our neighbors was an elderly couple. When the wife was widowed, her family got her a puppy.
Since then, I always see her out exercising with her dog at least twice a day. Even when she’s out tending to her garden, her dog is sitting right by her side.
To get more of a perspective on how having pets can positively impact our lives, I talked to Tyler Talbot, a senior business student who had three dogs throughout his life and also worked at a dog resort.
Talbot said, “Having pets has impacted my life in such a great way. I’ve always grown up with dogs around since I was a baby, so my life has always had dogs in it. My dogs aren’t just pets, they are family members, and I view my dogs as more members of the family than some of my other family members. When I have a long day at work or was just not having a good day, my dogs are the ones that change my day for me because when I come home they are right there happily waiting for me. So, I think that having pets, especially dogs for me, has impacted my life in such a positive way. I know for sure that I will always want to have my dogs around.”
I think what Tyler shares about his dogs can speak for a lot of people that have pets at home. Having pets just brighten your day. For me, my dog always cheers me up and I always get excited to see my dog if I am away for a while.
Now, having a pet or pets comes with a big responsibility. Having pets is like raising a child, you have to feed them, bathe them, let them outside to play or exercise, take care of them, take them to the vet, and give them a good home environment. Just like us, if we don’t have a good home environment it can affect us emotionally and psychologically, and I know this effects animals too.
I have seen too many people that have pets, especially dogs, treat them poorly and don’t take care of them as they should. I remember seeing a lot of tv shows when I was a kid on animal cruelty and never understood how someone could act that way.
I think that if you want to get a pet or multiple, I think you should be a responsible and caring person. I know when I am older, I want to get my own dog or two, but right now I know it would be wrong if I did get one because I am always on the go as a college student.
Owning a pet can give you joy, happiness, and purpose.
