For the past two years, I have never been able to truly relax. Every minute, every second of my life has been consumed with the thought of my dog, Atlas, and how he is doing at that very moment. I evaluate his level of satisfaction and my ability to care for him every time I stare into his ice-blue eyes and although he is a “pet”, I know he has become so much more in so many positive yet negative ways.

The books, TV shows, and movies have all been a lie. These sources of entertainment have only shown the beautiful moments of dog-raising when truly there are twice as many moments of stress as there are moments of glee. 

I am unsure if my experience is truly different from other people’s, but dog-raising for me has always been a process of continual stress with moments of immense enjoyment. The bar for caring for Atlas has been set so high by my sister who because only sees him once in a while due to medical school, spoils him severely and raises his expectations every time she comes back. We’ve switched from kibble to raw-meat patties that must be thawed every day. We’ve given him the most luxurious toys and experiences. His schedule is packed with activities to expend his high-energy levels that I must remember every day. As much as I want to take a nap after school, I have to drive him to the dog park daily or else his unused energy will unwind itself at night when I have to study for three tests the next day. I can no longer afford to be lazy as the bare minimum has become these exhausting tasks. 

Dog-raising also means experiencing anxiety at any moment. When I leave home, I feel guilty. When I drop him off at the doggy daycare, I feel guilty. When I choose to study over playing with him for ten minutes, I feel guilty. When he sleeps during the day, I panic over whether or not it’s because he’s actually tired or if he’s bored. Every time it rains, I feel guilty over the fact we can’t go outside that day. 

Along with the guilt is also the frequent bursts of frustration. Whenever he gets dirty at the park and I have to shower him even though he was groomed the day before, I want to rip my head off. He’ll even go on hunger strikes until we give him table food that he physically cannot eat. Every decision I make now has a consequence and the range of emotions continues to fluctuate. Of course, raising him as become much easier since he was a puppy but at the end of the day, a Huskie is a Huskie and the never-ending levels of energy never disappear.

I know this all sounds like a frustrating rant, but it really isn’t. Am I annoyed sometimes at how much work I feel I’m expected to put in? Yes. But is it all a waste? Of course not. I know that the more I invest in Atlas the more he’ll give me back and it may sound ridiculous considering the fact he is indeed a dog, but Atlas is smart. I can tell when he appreciates me and as much as he annoys me sometimes, he knows it’s because we have a mutual relationship of love. 

My advice to anyone thinking of getting a dog is to genuinely evaluate the lifestyle you want to live after getting one. If you expect no change, then maybe a dog isn’t the right decision. If you’re genuinely ready to commit 100% of yourself to the most ridiculous and goofy animal on the planet, then I say go for it. You’ll also need to see what kind of life you’re ready to give your dog. You can be like my sister who has made it her life goal to give him the best life possible. You can be like me and just try you’re best. But if you don’t care about their wellbeing and will still see them as nothing more than an animal, then I would suggest a goldfish instead. 

Dog raising is going to be hard. It’s going to be frustrating. You’re going to hate so many parts of it but at the end of the day, the sound of his nails tapping the floor as he runs to greet you at the door or when he licks your face after a long day will make it all worth it, trust me.