What it’s Really Like to Have a Dog

Adopting a dog can be very rewarding. Not only does rescuing an animal bring joy to their life, but it brings endless joy to your life as well. Dogs are loyal and will give you as much love as you give them, if not more. Enjoying long walks together and sharing plenty of cuddles can strengthen the bond that you share. But aside from the obvious things, there are some surprising but entertaining characteristics that some dogs may possess. If you are thinking about adopting a dog, here are some unexpected traits that you could expect your canine companion to have.  Dogs can be nosy Don’t be alarmed if you catch your pooch with their head stuck in your handbag; dogs love to investigate and enjoy nothing more than having a little nose around. If you leave your bag lying around make sure you don’t leave anything edible inside that your dog could steal and gobble up – including doggy treats! Dogs also love to know everything that’s going on and can often be found gazing out of the window watching the world go by or looking out for visitors.  Dogs are extremely intelligent Everyone knows that dogs are intelligent. But sometimes, they can be too intelligent! Beware when having a chat with a friend; even if you think your dog is sleeping, be prepared for their eyes to snap open and their head to pop up when words such ‘garden’, ‘walk’, ‘beach’, ‘tea’ or even names of family members come up in conversation! You will probably find yourself talking to your dog a lot as they truly appear to understand every word you are saying. Look out for the cute head tilt when you say certain words! Dogs can also learn things very quickly, even things you don’t teach them. They can learn how to unzip a rucksack and unwrap a huge bar of dark chocolate. They can also decide that actually, they aren’t quite as keen on chocolate as they first thought, and hide the whole bar under a cushion for you to discover after you’ve panicked and made an expensive trip to the vets (yes, this actually happened). So never underestimate what your dog may be capable of and make sure you think of their safety at all times.  Dogs become like children To most people, dogs are not just dogs but a part of the family. Dogs become like children to many. They like to cuddle up to a favourite teddy when they sleep and they leave their toys all over the room (and don’t listen when you tell them to put them away). They can also be mischievous and ignore your warnings to ‘behave or you’ll go back inside’ when chasing cats in the garden, or steal the post from the letterbox and have you chasing them around the house even though they know it’s naughty. On the other hand, it’s great fun to spoil your dog with love and gifts. Perhaps you’ll bake them a doggy cake every birthday/adoption day, or wrap a pile of presents for them at Christmas. And just like children, you’ll want to make sure they get the best of everything that you can provide for them, from quality food to the comfiest bed.  Dogs like to join in Doga is the latest craze in the world of yoga, but even if you can’t find a class near you, why not try a spot of yoga with your dog in the comfort of your own home or garden? While you are working on perfecting downward -and upward- facing dog, don’t be surprised if your pooch copies you and joins in on these eponymous poses. Alternatively, your dog may just crawl underneath you and ask for a belly rub. Other activities your dog may like to help you with are cleaning the house by trying to grab the duster as you move it about, tearing up cardboard boxes ready for recycling and supervising you painting the ceiling. This can be achieved by climbing the step ladder behind you to make sure you don’t fall off, stepping in the paint and splashing it all over the wall and leaving paw print art all over the carpet.