Understanding Dog Owner Challenges.
Most pet owners understand the enormous benefits of having animals as companions. Pets can have huge positive impacts on a person’s health and well-being and bring a lot of comfort to many people – particularly those facing difficult periods in their life. However, pets can also present owners with a range of challenges which some pet owners can find stressful. Read our Holidays4Dogs article for more insights into understanding dog owner challenges.
We probably all know that, as pet owners, sometimes you have to take the rough with the smooth. While dogs, cats, as well as other domestic pets, undoubtedly bring a lot of pleasure to large numbers of the population, they can also pose a few challenges. What might those challenges be? Read on to find out.
Pet behaviour.
One of the possible challenges pet owners face is their pet’s behaviour. Dog owners, in particular, may struggle with training due to lack of owner experience, or even the wrong choice of dog. Their dog might be aggressive, or reactive, and may generally be difficult to live with. The pet may have separation anxiety issues and bark excessively, which may then impact on neighbours, creating conflict and stress for the owner.
If you are facing challenges with your dog’s behaviour, you can get help from organisations such as the the Dogs Trust and Wood Green Animal Shelter.
Local dog training classes may also give you valuable help with basic dog training. For more complex issues, a good dog trainer, or a dog behaviourist, will be able to help you. We also have lots of helpful articles about dog training and behaviour on our Holidays4Dogs website.
Financial difficulties.
Looking after pets can be expensive. With the rise in the cost of living, including a big hike in veterinary costs, this has meant some pet owners have struggled with the cost of keeping a pet. While there has been a rise in people making use of human food banks – pet food banks are also springing up around the country to support a growing number of pet owners facing financial challenges.
For anyone facing financial difficulties with pet care, there are a number of organisations that can help. Follow the link to our article on pet food banks which provides information and resources on where they can be found, or how you can donate.
For pet owners facing financial challenges, the Blue Cross operate a veterinary care fund which can help owners struggling to pay vets fees. You can find out more here. The RSPCA and also the PDSA also offer support for people struggling with veterinary care.
Unfortunately, organisations are not able to help everyone, so check with first to see what the eligibility criteria is. It is also worth discussing with your own vet whether they will accept monthly, or staggered payments, for veterinary costs. However, this is likely to be discretionary and not always an option.
Environmental factors.
There are lots of factors that might present challenges for pet owners and one of those is environmental elements. This could be things like, having to move house where pets are not allowed, or can’t be accommodated.
Renting with pets can pose particular challenges, because not every landlord accepts pets in their properties. You can find out more about this subject in our informative article on renting with pets . Additionally, people can fall ill, or become frail, meaning they can no longer care for their pet adequately.
For more on taking pets to retirement complexes and care homes read our article highlighting the ‘Pets For Life Campaign’ run by the Society for Companion Animal Studies.
Restrictions on daily life.
Many pet owners find there are often constraints on daily life – particularly dog owners. Dogs are social creatures and demand a lot of time for training, socialisation and care. They often don’t fare well being left alone for long periods.
Dogs need to be walked daily, socialised and cared for and this doesn’t always fit in with people’s busy lives. A long shopping trip, or extended family visit where dogs aren’t welcome, for instance, means many dog owners will know all too well that common statement – “we must get back for the dog”.
While there are many pet friendly establishments, not everywhere accepts pets. This means finding alternative accommodation/places to eat. Again, we have all probably been in the position of holding the dog, while other family members access a venue, or attraction.
There are many more Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO’s) put in place by local authorities to manage issues relating to dogs in public spaces. This means some parks and open spaces don’t allow dogs at all i.e. beaches, parkland.
Moreover, finding adequate pet care that owners trust, can be hard to find in the first instance. If you’re looking for dog care while you go away Holidays4Dogs is an affordable option. Your dog will live as family with one of our approved and trusted carers and receive one-to-one care. We never mix dogs from different families.
Final thoughts.
There is no doubt that having a pet is a wonderful experience, but it is not without its challenges in some cases. However, for anyone finding they are having difficulties with caring for their pet, there is help available and we hope we have highlighted some useful resources here.
Nobody should feel guilty for asking for help and charities offering support will never be judgemental. These services are important because, they not only do they target animal welfare, but human welfare too.
