What I wish I had known before getting Barney

Seeing as Barney is featuring rather heavily on the blog this month due to being on the Pedigree Joint Care+ trials, I thought it would be fitting to join in with the topic of conversation over on the Petplan UK facebook page.

Recently they asked their fans – “What you wish you had known before owning a pet?”

I’ve been thinking hard about this and wondered how to answer as I’ve always owned pets – growing up as a child we had birds, fish, dogs, a parrot, chinchillas, a hamster and tortoises and probably more but I can’t remember; however these were family pets.  The chinchilla and hamster were technically mine but if I went away, stayed out or forgot my parents were there to take over.

So I am going to answer the question in relation to owning my first dog (Barney) on my own in my own house!!

Here’s what I wish I had known:

• Someone doesn’t magically come and clean up the poo in the garden and I can’t just assume that Paul would have done it – I’ve learnt that the hard way
• Hangover’s or being ill don’t excuse you from not walking the dog – you’ll regret it when there is a puddle on the floor the next morning
• Your toddler will at some point try to ride the dog like a horsey
• Squeaky toys will only be played with at night-time when your toddler is in bed
• Dog’s are as scared of thunder and lightening as I am
• Barney was a rescue dog and was left tied to a bus stop – therefore 7.5 years later he will still have a phobia of being tied up outside a shop and whine terribly
• They WILL injure themselves inevitably after closing hours requiring an out-of-hours vet – Barney has sliced his paw open on glass a few times and we have had to call the out-of-hours vet.  This costs a fortune (luckily we had insurance to cover it)
• Male dogs put on a lot of weight after being neutered – I didn’t know that (and the woman is always the bad guy for making this decision and will be reminded of it constantly by their husband – who will be neutered too if he carries on!!)
• My dog would be better behaved off a lead than on a lead – yet people critise you for walking him off lead all the time, even though he walks to heel, sits and stays on command and never leaves our side (whereas on a lead he pulls, whines and is a complete pain)
• Never make the mistake of feeding your pet from the table EVER, they will beg constantly forevermore!

I wouldn’t change Barney for the world – faults and all he is a member of our family and we all love him. 

If you would like to share your “what you wish you would have known before getting a pet?” answers you can do so in the comments below or on the Petplan UK facebook page.

Disclaimer: I have received some vouchers in exchange for sharing my thoughts on this topic.