It can be tough to have a dog and a social life. It can be even tougher when a friend isn't a dog person or struggles to understand your need to buy 1000 bandanas for your dog and make sure it only eats my ollie out of the fridge. There is NOTHING wrong with being a little pooch obsessed. People are obsessed with shoes, their children, home decor, watermelon, and exercise so who cares! Erin Marquez submitted a piece on how to find balance as a dog mom when you're friends aren't as obsessed with your dog as you are! Read below!
Submission by Erin Marquez - Mom of @zaratheminidoodle
Hi, hello, hey you! Does a (large) portion of your paycheck go toward making sure your fur baby has the tastiest, high-quality food? This season’s latest and greatest toys? A fancy little bandana or bowtie for every day of the week? Does your dog have their own Insta, with more followers than you do on your personal account? Do you alter your daily schedule to make sure they are happy, exhausted, and feel included? Cool, me too! Welcome to the “I’m obsessed with my dog” club, population: 99.9% of dog parents.
This is a great club to be a part of until it’s not, and it’s definitely not when your friends, family, and/or acquaintances aren’t as enthusiastic about your pup as you are. This could be for a variety of reasons: maybe they’re allergic; maybe they think dogs are perpetually dirty; maybe they just don’t like animals. The easy solution to this issue is to say “you don’t like my dog, I don’t like you” – but life isn’t easy. Human relationships are complicated, and as much as you might want to ignore or cut someone out for not liking your dog, it likely won’t be that simple.
Having dealt with this issue on a few different occasions here are my tips for handling it like pro, if and/or when it happens to you:
1. Recognize it.When my husband and I finally decided we were ready to bring our little pup home, we quickly realized not everyone in our life was as excited as we were. I find it common that a lot of pet parents are blind to this, which I can 110% understand – I mean, how can anyone NOT love a five pound ball of fluff with a pink little belly and poor balance?As hard as it may be to take a step back, I would urge to you pay close attention to a person’s mood, body language, and verbal cues when you bring your dog around and/or talk about them. Does the person seem disinterested? Annoyed? Maybe they try to change the subject all together or disengage? These are obvious signs that someone isn’t into your dog. If you can recognize this, you’re on the right track.
2. Accept it.It’s taken me a long time to be ok with the fact that not everyone is going to like my dog. I might not be able to relate to or understand it completely, but I can radically accept it, and you can, too!It’s similar with humans: not everyone is going to like you and you’re probably not going to like everyone. This doesn’t diminish your value or worth. Sometimes you just don’t mesh – there’s no click or spark; you have nothingin common. I hope by this point in your life, you’ve realized it’s not the end of the world if you’re not liked by everyone you meet, and I promise it won’t be if someone doesn’t like your dog, either.
3. Respect it.If you can accept it, you can, and should, respect it. If you know your friends or family aren’t quite on board with your dog, give them a break from him. I’m the first to admit I want to do everythingwith my dog, but I can also admit that I enjoy having a meal without having to share it or having a conversation with someone without worrying if my pup needs to go potty.Always be sure to ask before you assume your dog is invited to something, and try not to take offense when they’re not. Being a respectful dog owner makes you a good dog owner, and may even be the reason your dog-neutral or dog-disliking friends and family start to (eventually, hopefully) warm up to your pooch.
Bringing home a puppy can be one of the most challenging, yet rewarding things you do. Your dog can quickly become the center of your world and teach you a lot about yourself and others. The simple, albeit harsh, truth is that no matter how much you love your fur baby, not everyone is going to. Recognize it, accept it, and respect it. In the end, it just means more puppy snugs and kisses for you, right?