We don’t always realize how engaging and demanding having an animal is. According to a dog training professional who is also a mother, it’s even more difficult than taking care of a baby!
Having a baby and having an animal comes with a lot of responsibilities. We must take care of him, ensure his education, his diet, his hygiene, etc. Things that we are aware of and that we take into account when deciding to have a child… But not always before deciding to have an animal. As a result, some people feel overwhelmed and others unfortunately even go so far as to abandon their animal.
It is precisely so that as many people as possible are aware of what it takes to have an animal (especially since most children become independent as they grow up while an animal will always need us) that Destinie Freeman states in an Instagram post: “I firmly believe that having a puppy is more difficult than having a baby”. And she specifies that she knows what she is talking about, since she is a certified dog trainer AND a mother of three children.
Destinie Freeman, who has a Labrador named Popcorn, explains why she thinks this. She cites the example of sleep: “You can swaddle a baby to sleep. If I tried to swaddle my puppy, he would eat the blanket, bark at me and then climb up what’s left of the blanket.”. With humor, she adds that “babies don’t bite our ankles (usually)” or even that“We don’t need a 37-step plan to teach a baby how to lie down. We just lay them down… Quite simply”. There is also obviously the question of continence, underlines this educator: “You never realize how awesome diapers are until you find yourself outside at 2 a.m. in the rain, whispering ““Poop” with dark circles before my eyes.”
This mother and dog training specialist also reminds us that it is necessary to socialize a puppy and desensitize him to many things quickly (but not too quickly either) so that he does not have certain fears for the rest of his life. And it also addresses social pressure: “When babies cry, people ask how they can help. When puppies cry, people ask what you did wrong and if you are qualified to have a dog.”. On this point, it’s debatable: we can no longer count the number of parents who are judged by strangers or even by relatives when their child starts to cry or scream!
Regardless, Destinie Freeman concludes by reminding us of the importance of thinking carefully before adopting a dog (or any other animal). “Too many people get puppies for the sake of having a puppy, but the real joy is when it becomes a dog”she says, telling those who are still motivated after reading it: “Still thinking about getting a puppy? Make sure your coffee is strong. That your floors are washable. And your expectations are really low.” The most important thing is to remember that raising a puppy is hard, but if you do it right, it will pay off and be well worth it!
