What I've Learned Being a Pet Owner
1 . Patience
Patience. This is a lifelong practice and animals are constant reminders that patience is key. Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. Training a pet is very difficult and cannot be done overnight. Patience grasshopper. Waiting for your dog to find the p.e.r.f.e.c.t spot to go potty. Patience. Your dog barking for 5 minutes because he heard weird noises outside. Patience and understanding, he's making sure you're safe! Waiting for them to get the zoomies out of their system and stop messing up your area rugs & destroying everything in sight. Patience.
2. Unconditional love
The moment that I saw my boy at the SPCA, I fell in love. Within the first 5 minutes that I held my kitty, she stole my heart. I 100% consider these animals my children. I never thought that I could love something as much as I love them. When I wake up to Rio barking at the air or when I feel Kona scratching me- I can't help but try and figure out what's going on with them and making sure that they're doing ok. I can't just yell at them and tell them to stop, I have to make sure that their needs are being met. The love that I feel for them cannot be described.
3. Poop is gross
Yes. We knew this... but until you have to try and pick up warm diarrhea that's landed in grass... or notice the rancid smell that came from your cat not covering her feces in the litter box... you don't realize how disgusting it is. I know that those of you with human children are thinking "wait until you have to deal with diapers." Well... joke's on you because I don't plan to :) Poop is disgusting. No one wants to deal with it. But we do it anyway. Ok, Let's move on.
4. How to be selfless
Nobody wants to wake up at 6am and go outside to walk their dog in 20-degree weather. But you do it anyways.. whether you like it or not. That dog isn't going to walk itself outside to use the bathroom. As a pet owner, you learn to do things that you don't want to do because you know that it's for the greater good of the animal. $300 vet bill - welp... it's gotta be done. I will never forget when my dog needed to have emergency surgery to get his heart out of his chest cavity. I didn't think twice about it. I'll work as much as I need to, so that I can make sure that my child is going to be alright.
5. Your pet will always be the best
"Hey, wanna see a picture of my dog?" Next, both parties whip out their phones and exchange photos of their animals. Each bragging and telling a story about how their dog did something soooo funny or cute. Always trying to one up each other on how theirs is better than the other persons. Everyone will always think that their pet is the best, no matter what. Once you become a pet owner.. there is no limit to the amount of bragging rights you get. But if we're being honest... my animals are the best.
Animals are a gift. We are the lucky ones.
xx,
Linsey
