If you ask a dog owner, they will often tell you that getting their pet was one of the best decisions they ever made.
But a new study has warned that “man’s best friend” could be more of a hindrance than a help for some homeowners.
Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary found that the burden of owning a dog is much greater than previously suggested.
While the study found that dogs were generally considered positive, there are also serious drawbacks that need to be taken into account.
Vet bills, travel restrictions and the inevitability of outliving your pet were listed as some of the biggest problems.
The worry, sadness, and guilt associated with owning a dog can even lead to long-term medical conditions such as chronic stress or long-term depression.
Lead author Laura Gillet told MailOnline: “One of the most important things people should think about is how owning a dog will affect their daily life in terms of their personal circumstances, personality and expectations. ”.
“Not everyone finds the same aspects of dog ownership expensive, especially those related to the long-term commitment that comes with it.”
While dog owners may be positive about their pets, a new study suggests that owning a dog could be more of a burden than many expect. Just like in Marley and Me (pictured), dog owners say surviving their pet was the biggest drawback.
Around the world, the companion dog population has been growing steadily after increasing dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Currently, estimates suggest that there are 65.1 million households in the United States that own at least one dog and around 104 million in Europe.
While owning a dog is almost always presented as a positive thing, there are also considerable drawbacks.
Research has shown that owning a dog can lead to depressive symptoms, poor physical health, and increased stress.
While it may seem counterintuitive, many of these problems arise from the feeling that owners cannot adequately care for their pets.
For this reason, Gillet and his co-authors set out to investigate how dog owners actually rate the pros and cons of owning a pet.
A group of 246 dog owners completed a questionnaire consisting of 33 neutrally worded statements about dog ownership, such as “dogs need to be trained and educated.”
Each participant then rated these statements on a scale from minus three (a big disadvantage) to plus three (a big plus).
Researchers surveyed dog owners to see how they rated different aspects of owning a dog. Expenses associated with pet bills and general care were ranked as one of the largest burdens (file image)
These results revealed a mixed picture in which dog owners found both benefits and challenges to owning a dog.
The researchers grouped the facets of dog ownership into three main components.
The first covered the emotional, social and physical benefits of having a dog, such as going for walks and meeting new people.
The second refers to the negative emotions and challenges of owning a dog and includes issues such as the stress of vet visits and worry about your dog’s health.
Finally, it was discovered that the third aspect of owning a dog is the commitment and responsibilities that come with keeping a dog happy and healthy.
Overall, dog owners tended to rate positive attributes as an advantage more than problems as disadvantages.
On average, positive statements received a rating of plus 2.06, while negative statements only received a rating of -0.66.
According to researchers, this tips the cost-benefit balance in favor of having a dog.
However, Gillet says it’s difficult for science to determine whether dogs are a net benefit to most people.
When asked what the “biggest benefit of owning a dog” was, owners gave a variety of answers (illustrated), but the most common answer given by 60 percent of people was “meaningful and valued relationship.”
She says: “What dogs bring to our lives may not always be easy to measure.”
“For example, in our study, some dog owners reported that their dogs contributed to their personal growth and gave them purpose in life, which can be difficult to quantify.”
Of the positive benefits, dog owners rated their dog’s ability to brighten their life as the biggest advantage, with this statement rated a plus 2.78.
However, there were also serious drawbacks that even the most enthusiastic dog owners had to admit.
Just like in the movie Marley and Me, the emotional toll of outliving our pet was the biggest problem associated with owning a dog.
Owners rated the fact that dogs have a short life expectancy as the biggest disadvantage, with a rating of -1.67 on average.
Likewise, dog owners rated negatively the fact that having a dog can make it difficult to find a suitable place to live or go on vacation.
Interestingly, the issue that most divided dog owners was whether the practical compromises were positive or negative.
When asked what was the biggest drawback of owning a dog, 95 percent of participants cited financial costs.
Dog owners revealed that the responsibilities of owning a dog were both a source of joy and a burden.
For example, some owners felt that the need to train their dog was a great benefit, while others considered it a great disadvantage.
In the second stage of the study, dog owners were asked to talk freely about their experiences of owning a pet.
Co-author Eniko Kubinyi says: “More than sixty percent of dog owners spontaneously mentioned that the greatest benefit of dogs was the meaningful and valuable relationships they developed with them.”
“Dogs were often described as honest, devoted and caring social partners, showing unconditional and selfless love towards their human family.”
However, this test also showed that agreement on the worst thing about owning a dog was unanimous.
Without being asked, 95 percent of dog owners listed the costs of caring for their dog, including food, vet bills and other expenses.
According to Battersea Dogs and Cats HomeOwning a dog in the UK costs around £2,000 ($2,450) a year.
If those costs get too high, the feeling that owners can’t provide their dogs with the care they need can have many negative consequences.
The researchers also note that their study could be underestimating the true costs of owning a dog, since a group of enthusiastic dog owners would be expected to be positive about owning a pet.
Additionally, they point out that some dog owners may have problems with their dogs without being able to talk about it for fear of being labeled a “bad owner.”
While researchers don’t say that owning a dog is always bad, they do emphasize the need to properly consider costs before bringing a dog into your life.
Gillet concludes: “For the sake of dogs and people, I would say that pet ownership is suitable for anyone who feels capable of taking on the responsibilities of having a dog.”
‘At the end of the day, it’s mostly about finding the dog that will make you happiest. Not all dogs get along with all humans.
