Spoonies And Pups: How To Determine If A Dog Is Right For You

Pets are wonderful creatures. They can bring so much love and joy to our lives, but they’re also a lot of work. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my dog do zoomies because he’s excited, but it’s also tiring when he wants to walk for hours at a time, no matter the weather or how I feel. If you’re a spoonie (someone with limited energy due to a chronic illness or disability), taking care of a pet can be more challenging, but not impossible. Before getting a pet, consider the following factors:

1. Can you afford them? 

This is something everyone should ask themselves before getting any kind of pet, not just a dog. They have needs that can be expensive, such as food, medical visits, medicine, toys, grooming, and training. The most crucial expenses are food and medical expenses. Keep in mind that they can have health problems, get injured, have allergies, or need a special diet, which would be unexpected costs that you won’t know if or when will happen. 

Grooming and training are costly but can be done on your own if you have time and energy. Toys are nice to have, but they can be something as simple as a water bottle, or a tennis ball. My dog somehow finds one on his walks every couple of weeks. They also need a place to sleep, but they can share a bed with you or use something you already have, like pillows, blankets, or towels. 

2. Do you have enough time?

Fulfilling their physical needs, such as daily walks, and their emotional needs, such as attention, can be time-consuming. Some days my dog wants attention non-stop from the time we go out for his afternoon walk, until bedtime. And if he doesn’t get the attention he wants, he gets sad or upset. If it were up to him, all 3 of his walks would be at least an hour long every day. and he’s a senior dog. 

Admittedly, dogs are more work than other pets. For example, cats don’t need to be taken on daily walks and are generally more independent. Hamsters also don’t have to be walked, and people aren’t allergic to them like cats. Fish don’t walk and don’t play with you. These pets can be left alone for longer and be alright, but they all still need time and attention.

3. Do you have enough spoons? 

Even low-maintenance pets have needs, and meeting those needs takes energy. If you don’t have enough spoons to take care of yourself, it’ll be challenging to take care of a pet. They need love, attention, training, mental stimulation, and exercise. 

Also, they don’t care about your needs. Their needs come first. My dog doesn’t care if I’m tired, in pain, busy, or hungry. If he has to go potty I better move it and take him out. I could be laying in bed exhausted and sore all day, but he couldn’t care less because he has to poop. It’s okay to not have all the spoons to do everything yourself, as long as you have a plan for when that happens.

4. Who will take care of them if you can’t? 

Pets are like kids. They can’t take care of themselves and need contingency plans in case something happens. If you have an illness, who will take care of your pet when you’re sick? I’ve been hospitalized 15 times, and I’ve never been able to walk or feed my dog from a hospital bed.

Even if your health is not bad, you should still have a plan for emergencies. Figure out who will take care of them, where they’ll sleep, where they’ll go potty, what they’ll eat, and what medications or vitamins they need to take and how. 

As a spoonie with Crohn’s disease, I know how challenging it can be to take care of a pet. Multiple times, I was so sick that I could barely walk, and there was no way I could walk my dog, who demands daily walks, not just a potty break. Luckily, he’s a family dog, and my parents walk him when I can’t.

Now that my illness is better controlled, I’m able to take care of him again. Walking him has improved my stamina and helped me get daily sunlight. He’s even unintentionally become my service dog, following me everywhere when I start to flare up. He guides me to bed and insists that I rest, which helps prevent me from worsening.

There are many emotional and physical benefits to having a furry companion. They can provide comfort, companionship, and love, and they make you get out of bed and go outside. Having a pet can be rewarding, but it’s essential to consider your capabilities before getting one. Pets have needs, and they depend on us to take care of them. 

It’s okay to not have all the spoons to do everything yourself, as long as you have a plan for when that happens. Splitting responsibilities with someone else is a way to make it easier and more manageable. And just like kids, they can’t have too many people loving them. Their needs change from day to day, just like people, and you have to be able to adjust.