Paws for thought: Why so many of us became dog owners during lockdown

With dogs at a premium during this crisis, what is a dog's life really like these days?

With dogs at a premium in this time of pandemic, families have been shelling out big bucks for canine pets to cheer up the children and to make going for walks accompanied by a dog more purposeful. But puppies are not just for Covid-19. They're a big responsibility. With children returning to school and, in some cases, their parents going back to the workplace after working from home since lockdown, will the expensive pooches be forgotten, languishing in the house without company?

Cork-born UK-based influencer and Instagram star, Eimear Varian Barry, is under no illusions about how much care dogs require. This mother of three — Saoirse, 6, Harper, 4, and Lennon, two and a half — grew up with dogs, having rescued a Jack Russell that now lives with her parents in Kerry. 

"I always say he was the first love of my life," says Eimear.

Eimear Varian Barry

Her plan was to get a dog before Lennon was three. "It was something we had planned for a while and were saving for." Eimear and her partner ended up buying two dogs a few weeks ago — a border terrier called Ralph and a cockapoo (a crossbreed from a cocker spaniel and a poodle) called Bo. She doesn't want to disclose what they cost, but says they were expensive. "But they're totally worth it."

However, Eimear says it's important to read up on the breed. "I think people like the idea of having a fluffy dog or a cute little puppy. But the reality is that it's a creature you need to take care of." 

The dogs are a big hit with Eimear's children and have enhanced home life bringing "so much love. But it's a bit difficult with Lennon because he doesn't understand dogs as much as the girls. I'm still training him!"

Katie O'Donovan, who works from her home in Cork as an IT and business analyst, decided with her husband, John, to buy a dog in June for their two daughters, Mollie, 10, and Rosie, 7. The girls had been pleading for a dog ever since the death of the family's 18-year-old King Charles spaniel.

Mollie O'Donovan (10) and Rosie O'Donovan (7) with their dog Cara

"We wanted something medium-sized and good in the house and good with the kids. I contacted dog rescue centres but they all said that because of lockdown, people couldn't come and see the dogs. I started looking at ads on Done Deal [which has subsequently temporarily suspended ads for the sale of dogs in light of dog thefts]. The prices were outrageous. The girls said they'd contribute to the cost of the dog."

Katie bought a cockapoo, which has a little bit of a Labrador in it, for €1,500. The high price was non-negotiable. The puppy is one of a litter of eight that have all been housed. 

"It was a good time to buy the dog [whom the girls named Cara] because we're at home so much. I'm going to be working from home for a good while. I think the dog has been good for the girls.

"They were locked in for so long this summer. It gave then something to get up for in the morning."

Katie is very conscious of the recent spate of dog thefts. "I'm freaked off my head at the thought of someone taking her and putting her on the boat to England where demand for dogs is very big."

But Cara is well supervised. Mollie and Rosie have taken on the responsibilities of making sure Cara is fed and watered. "Once the dog gets her second lot of shots, the girls will take her out for walks."

Molly Barker is thrilled with her new puppy, Bowie [not called after David Bowie but a teddy called Bow Wow that Molly used to have]. This sheepadoodle, a cross between an old English sheepdog and a poodle, is going to be "huge. About 45kg. We got him in Tipperary from a really nice family that breeds old English sheepdogs."

Bowie cost €950. Molly can justify the hefty price tag. "When Mom and I were talking about it, we said that he's an animal we'll have for the next 12 years who'll be part of the family. When you think of it like that, the price doesn't seem so crazy." And Molly should know. She plans to study for accountancy exams.

Molly (23) is able to give Bowie lots of time as she doesn't start a new job in finance until November. She says that the poodle in Bowie is "very clever. These dogs are used as assistant dogs for autistic people. For me, Bowie is the dream dog.

We've had so many dogs and they've all been so dopey and stupid. This guy is so smart. He loves everyone. He was eight weeks when we got him. We have him booked for obedience classes. We want to do it right.

The dog market is currently very much a seller's market, says Vincent Cashman, manager of the Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Since Covid, the price of dogs went through the roof because everyone wanted them."

The number of abandoned dogs "reduced because people had more time at home and were walking the dog. There was a bit more interest in them. There seemed to be a shortage of dogs, so the prices started to creep up. I heard of a litter of labradoodle pups that cost €3,000 each. You have to be careful when talking about pricing because the very fact we're mentioning €3,000 for a labradoodle puts a price on its head."

Dogs have been well looked after by their owners in the pandemic. But Vincent worries about what will happen when families go back to work and school. He says that there are people living in studio apartments, impractically buying Great Danes.

"We had people contacting us saying they wanted a dog for company and to get them out to go for walks. I'd like to tell them to take out a stick because you don't need anything to go out for a walk."

Vincent says that if people didn't have the time before Covid-19 to look after a dog, they shouldn't have acquired one. "Hopefully, it will work out and people will be able to juggle bits and pieces in their schedules and the dogs will fit in." 

However, Vincent fears that there will be a sizeable number of dogs being brought to shelters and dog charities once everything returns to normal.

Dogs became a commodity and a rare commodity in some cases. There were collie crosses that would ordinarily cost €150 — They're costing €700 to €800 now.

There is "a huge amount of dog stealing going on because the dogs can't be bred fast enough. Drones are being used to look for dogs in people's back gardens. And a lot of dogs that are being stolen haven't been microchipped. Everybody knows that dogs should be microchipped. We're encouraging people to do their homework. 

Vincent says new sale and supply arrangements regarding animals were introduced in February/March. "If Joe Bloggs was advertising five or more animals in any 12-month period, he had to have a licence from the Department of Agriculture. But unfortunately, it hasn't been policed. People were making up microchip numbers." Clearly, there are dogs that are doted on — but also dogs that are used and abused.