Those who know me or follow me on snapchat or instagram know that I am a huge dog lover. And most of all, I love my little monkey. Of course her name is not monkey and she is far from it, yet, her humorous character reminds me of one and yes – I have endless love for her. Unfortunately, I only see her every couple of weeks due to her staying in Malta with the rest of my family. She was just here in Zurich with my mother for a full 4 weeks – damn, did I enjoy her company and squeaky little noises in the morning after waking up. Suddenly, when she’s gone from one day to another I feel that “empty” feeling again. Ok, those that don’t own a dog (or pet) and never have will probably think I’m crazy – no worries, I agree I probably am to some extent. Those that have a dog know that it becomes a family member, a baby to the family and one that cannot be left alone for too long hours.

I’ve told you previously that the past weeks were quite a bit rough on the emotional side for me and in general, my job and all other things I’m always trying to place under one umbrella are a bit overwhelming at times. But no matter how long my day was or how stressful it might have seemed in that moment, all stress fell off of me as soon as I saw my dog and went for a walk with her. A simple 30 minutes walking back from the office to the apartment gave me so much strength; its incredible. Especially in these times, more than any other time, I noticed I am a dog-person for sure – for life. So it’s no surprise I’ve been talking to breeders over and over again in the past year and finally found one in Switzerland that I believe I can trust and that seemed overly kind. I had the chance to getting a puppy of my own (same breed; italian greyhound) and fell in love as soon as I saw the 3 week old pup on photos. Whilst everyone thought I would go for it finally and whilst I was even telling myself I would; I sadly declined the offer in the end. This has nothing to do with the breeder or the dog whatsoever – and I am so grateful for the fact that the breeder wants to contact me again next year. Yet, I want to see how this year continues a bit first before making such a big decision in my life.

Dogs, as any pet, require a lot of attention, care, time, and love. Perhaps a goldfish isn’t as hard, and even a cat may be easier given the fact that it can stay at home whilst at work for hours in a row. Whilst a dog may be able to stay at home too, and surely has to learn to stay alone for a few hours a day just in case, I believe it’s not the healthiest option of all. The dog needs a lot of training, especially in the first 18 months of its life – one must put a lot of care and love into the training and continue giving this attention to the dog for the rest of it’s life (easily 12-15 years for some). That is why, I declined the offer for this year. I am aware of the duties a dog brings with it, I am aware that traveling on a spontaneous note is less easy and that going out after work and leaving the dog at home for hours after hours cannot be done anymore. I am aware of the consequences – yet, I am a dog lover. The reason for this decline was simply the fact that I want to finish my studies first, see how the business is moving over the next couple of months, and get a few of my personal projects moving and finishing up a few others. I will also use the time and try to travel more on a personal note this year and see, whether I actually do and whether a dog is still ok to have or whether it’s a decision to rather push back for another while.

Why I wrote this post? Well, simply because I like sharing my thoughts – because I love and miss my little monkey. But also, because so many girls (or so the instagram trend seems to show it) are currently getting a dog. Small little hand-bag dogs, travel dogs, pugs and other small breeds are all over the social media networks right now. And as much as I love the idea and as much as I am for getting a dog and giving one a new home with lots of love – one must remember the fact that it is an animal with great needs and attention. I sometimes wonder how some of these people make it all work – with a job, constant (it seems) traveling, going out to clubs, parties, events, dinners, brunches, meetings with friends, and whatnot. If the dog can travel with you and join almost everywhere – that is fantastic. If you have family and friends around you that will surely keep an eye on the beloved little family-member when you are away and can’t take the dog with you – great, be so thankful! But often times I see stories (on snapchat or instagram) that show certain people with dogs, getting all ready, and then leaving the dog alone once more when they go out for whatever reason. It makes me sad when thinking that is surely isn’t the first time, the last time and potentially is the most routine task for the dog: waiting for the owner to finally come back home. So this is also a post to remind everyone that is thinking of getting a dog: it’s a wonderful idea – but make sure you have back-up plans when you don’t have the necessary time. If your love for dogs is that great, remember to put the dog first and don’t get one until you are 200% sure that you will be able to give the love, affection and attention it needs.