Bernard O'Shea: Help me Paw Patrol, should we get a family dog?

With more and more families adding a furry member to their clan, Bernard O'Shea asks himself the question: Should we get a dog?

Bernard O'Shea. Picture: Moya Nolan

Since lockdown, dog ownership has gone through the kennel roof. With more and more families adding a furry member to their clan, I ask the question: Should we get a dog?

My sisters' families have both recently added a four-legged friend to their homes and now instead of us showing photos of our kids to each other, I’m offered pictures of puppies doing their best Crufts poses.

Growing up, we had a family dog. Her name was Chara and she was a medium-sized crossbreed. She was a stray and we took her in. She was part of our family for 12 years.

Chara was what would be described today as 'an outside dog'. She lived in a kennel and had plenty of fields to run around and was kept busy burying the butcher bones my mother would get for her in the back garden. She was also constantly catching rabbits and bringing them to the back door.

She loved being outside and it was only towards her last years she would occasionally come inside to sleep. Nowadays with doggy hotels and dog grooming, I can’t help but think how she would have gotten on.

Back in the 80s, we didn’t even stay in hotels and my sisters cut my hair. Hence every school photo looks like I was attacked by a drunken garden strimmer hell-bent on revenge.

We don’t currently own a dog but there is a massive love for them in our house in the form of Paw Patrol. So much so that I can name every single one of those eager-to-help pups and I know pretty much every episode off by heart. However, there isn’t as much love shown for the real kind.

Up until recently, the kids have been afraid of dogs. Our eldest daughter has come around in the last few months and is now actively petting dogs she bumps into on our walks.

When we talk to dog owners in the park they ask us “Do you own a dog?” When we tell them no, they always reply with roughly the same answer: “You should definitely get one.” Always followed by a stern caveat: “But they are a massive amount of work.”

Bernard O'Shea says being a dog owner has become a fully-fledged million euro industry

This sentiment is echoed by Corina Fitzsimons of Dogs Trust Ireland. When I asked her what was the one main thing to think about before getting a dog she told me unequivocally: “Time … you need to have enough time. Don’t underestimate the time needed to look after a dog especially a puppy. A pup is basically like having a toddler in your house not a baby. A puppy has all the capability that a toddler has straight away from opening presses to wanting to play”

In fact, if you go to the “Are you dog ready?” page of the Dogs Trust website and take their online test, you will be asked questions like: “Are you ready to completely change your schedule (and give up lie-ins)? Are you ready for furniture and clothes covered in fur? To be chief pooper scooper?” And one that most of us non-dog owning families don’t take into consideration; “Are you ready to spend €€€s every month on food, treats, insurance and other doggy essentials?”

It's this last question that has in itself become a fully-fledged million euro industry, from doggy hotels to dog groomers and that’s before you even think about trying to get a dog trainer.

For most canine-owning families pet insurance is a must-have as veterinarian fees can be extremely hefty. On switcher.ie the average pet insurance cost in Ireland is roughly €16 per month. But like most insurance plans, the sky's the limit.

Another brilliant tool on the Dogs Trust website is an online test called “Can you spot a puppy farm?” I took it and guess what … I can’t. I also found out that on February 1, 2020 “legislation was introduced governing the sale, supply and advertising of pets in Ireland” and that since 2016 “any dog or pup being sold or having ownership transferred must be microchipped.”

Another thing Corina from Dogs Trust pointed out was: “If you had a family dog growing up it possibly could have lived to 15 years. You're going to remember that dog as an adult. They forget it was a puppy. They forget it was teething like chewing your slippers.” Sage advice, as Mammy and Daddy will likely be responsible for its wellbeing, especially as it gets used to its new surroundings.

My wife is the main earner in the house and has to juggle being a mom with a full-time job. She has barely any time for herself, never let alone an energetic puppy. The kids might like the idea of a four-legged friend at the start, but if the goldfish are anything to go by that will wear off quickly.

We got two goldfish during lockdown. They named them “Goldie" and “Fishy” and they had rows about who was going to feed them and clean their tank. After two days they forgot they were in the house and forgot their names. Now I’m looking after them. I’m also a part-time security guard because our two-year-old boy is obsessed with sticking his hand into the water and trying to catch one.

Hence I know I’m going to be the family dog's primary carer. So maybe the question shouldn’t be “Should we get a dog ?” it's “Should I get a dog” … gulp! Paw Patrol to the rescue, please!