Living with a dog that isn’t yours
September 18, 2019
After deciding to move into an apartment with friends, I received the best news of my life (probably). I would be living with a dog! Now…not my dog…but one of my roommates having a dog was definitely something to be excited about. I mean, imagine the way you feel when you walk by someone else’s dog on the street. Sometimes, I just can’t help myself, I walk right up and ask to pet them, and then sigh sadly as I watch them walk out of my life. Now, imagine that excited feeling you get when you see a surprise dog on the street, but they’re in your own home, and you can pet them whenever you want! My new pal Gypsy is someone I can’t wait to see when I get home from work, here are 5 reasons why having this extra roommate makes me so happy.
- The Cuddles! Who doesn’t love a good cuddle from a dog? Gypsy is a tiny little thing, and is not opposed to jumping up on your lap to take a snooze at any hour of the day. It really is the greatest surprise when I sit on the couch and she jumps up for some spontaneous love!
- You look forward to seeing them, and they look forward to seeing you. Because Gypsy is technically not “my dog”, it’s always a little bit of a pleasant surprise to come home and find her running to the door to greet me. The fact that she’s tiny enough to stand on her hind legs and spin in circles is an added bonus.
- They remind you of home. If you have your own pet that is not living with you at the moment, like I do, you know how sad that feeling is when you start to miss them. Having another pup around, although they could never replace your own pet, is a great second option when you miss yours.
- They keep you clean! Sometimes, without a dog, you forget to put things away or clean up for fear of them getting into something they shouldn’t. But living with a dog that isn’t yours reminds you to keep your space extra clean, and to not leave anything out. (We learned this the hard way with some breakfast hash browns)
- You get some exercise. Having a dog around makes it really easy to want to get up and head outside, whether it be for a walk, a trip to the dog park, or a slow jog! Even though Gypsy is small, she is definitely a runner, which keeps all of us on our toes, whether we’re inside or out.
Now, of course there are some things to be cautious of when living with a dog that isn’t yours. There are the occasional accidents in the house, the dirty paw prints that may trail over your blankets and clothes, and the barking that sometimes feels like it’ll never stop. Even though there are some things to get used to, and more to think about, like picking up your things, putting food away, etc., the pros that Gypsy offers definitely outweigh any of the cons.
Written by KELLY MANKOWICH