How much time and money does it actually take to own a dog?
Owning a dog requires walking them every single day regardless of the weather, which is a much bigger daily time commitment than having cats. It also involves high long-term expenses like skyrocketing veterinary costs, vaccinations, spaying or neutering, and emergency visits that cost hundreds of dollars just to be seen.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1dogsitting
- 2fostering to see how a dog fits into one's lifestyle
- 3researching breed activity levels
- 4Planning to leave a job a month or two before nursing school starts in order to get a puppy
- 5Adopting an older or senior cat instead of a kitten
- 6Finding shelter cats explicitly labeled as solo pets who prefer to be the only animal
- 7Providing environmental enrichment like cat tv, window perches, and puzzle toys
- 8Setting aside dedicated playtime and a consistent routine when arriving home
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I’ve never owned a dog, only cats, so I have no clue how much work it is to own a dog - I’ve dogsitted a lot but I know that’s not the full experience. What can I expect?”source ↗
“I’m 26 and ever since I was a literal child I’ve always wanted a dog and wasn’t allowed. Now I’m working a good job and I have the funds for a dog, but I am away from home 9 hours a day.”source ↗
“Literally feel like I’ll never be able to own a dog.”source ↗
“I’m just so bummed out.”source ↗
“Always wanted a cat, but I'm low income, have been all my life, and I'm currently in school so maybe that'll change in a few years....but I won't hold my breath.”source ↗
“someone once told me that because of how social they are, leaving a cat at home for, let's say, 8 hours of work every day, can be detrimental to their mental health. I don't wanna get an animal if I'm just gonna make it depressed because I can't afford a sibling for it.”source ↗
“If you want a dog you're going to be walking it every single day, rain or shine.”source ↗
“Also veterinary costs are skyrocketing, I would phone around where you live to get an idea of what the first three sets of vaccinations will cost as well as spaying or neutering, and make sure you have money set aside or plan to get pet insurance because things like an emergency visit will run you about $200 to $300 just to be seen.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 7Why does my dog police my bedtime?
- 6Can I afford a pet if I'm barely covering rent and food?
- 9Why are teachers expected to be available 24/7?
- 4How to balance college and a new puppy alone
- 11When your family treats household chores like an IT help desk
- 12How do I know if my new puppy is getting enough exercise?