These days, having a dog is a bigger commitment than many people can make, but they choose to do it anyway. People are simply too busy to give their dogs the attention that they need, but they crave the companionship that comes with having one. As a result, they do what needs to be done to meet the needs of their dog, such as hiring a dog walker. This is one aspect that is beneficial in a few ways, but also has a downside as well.
Pros
Let’s face it – many dogs don’t get an adequate amount of exercise. Some stay locked up inside all day, some stay in a cage or on a leash all day. Some only get exercise as they pace back and forth from room to room waiting for their owner to come home. The fact that people are willing to hire a dog walker acknowledges the fact that they understand they can’t give the dog what they need with the limited time they have, and they care enough to pay someone to do it for them. That’s much better than the alternative, not walking the dog at all when you’re unavailable.
If you’re freed up from your obligations, you’re free to focus on things that you need to be doing – like working, or carting kids around to their extra-curricular activities. This, in turn, makes you a little less stressed, which is better for your pet at home. Dogs have a keen intuition and sense of feeling when it comes to humans; if you’re tense or resentful of them as an added stressor, they will certainly pick up on it. If you’re carefree knowing that your dog is taken care of, when you get home you’ll give them your best and simply be excited to see them after a long day.
Cons
Dogs bond with their owners when their owners personally give them the care that they need, as well as when their owners spend time with them. If you have the opportunity to walk the dog, it’s absolutely best to do it as opposed to giving a stranger that opportunity out of sheer laziness. By skipping those daily walks, you’re missing a great chance to connect with your pet. If you work all day, you’re not connecting with them either; and chances are, if you come home after they’ve been walked, you feed them and then get ready to wind down yourself. So, when do you connect with your dog? Dogs crave that attention, so putting that off is detrimental for their mental health.
Another obvious con is that you’re missing out on some great exercise by foregoing your daily dog walking duties. For many people, the only exercise they’ll get all week is when they get out to escort their dogs around the neighborhood. If you’re one of those people, don’t give that up, as staying active is a key to staying healthy physically.
If you simply don’t have the time to walk the dog yourself, hiring a dog walker is absolutely the best thing to do. However, if it’s at all possible, do the dog walking on your own so you don’t miss out on bonding with your pup and getting some great exercise in the process.
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