Online Community Discusses Their Biggest Fears As Dog Parents
Dog parents know the love is real, but so is the worry. One online community recently opened up about the fears that come with caring for a dog, and the answers were painfully relatable.
From sudden illness to the heartbreak of losing a pet too soon, the conversation quickly turned into a long list of what keeps owners up at night. Some fears are practical, some are emotional, and some are hard to shake once they take hold.
Here are some of the biggest ones people shared.
Question of the day on the Quora community
1. Rosie is suffering from grand mal seizures, and her owner is scared that one of her episodes could be fatal someday
My biggest fear is that my Rosie will die during one of her many grand mal cluster seizure episodes. She takes a lot of medicine, but so far, nothing has helped. 😔
—Just Ask Memaw
2. This Quoran is ready to go full John Wick if anything bad happens to her pups
That they'll get temporarily lost or wander out of sight one day, and only one dog will come back home. They stay together and would remain with each other if one were injured or dead in a field miles away until either we or someone else found and coaxed them with food or drink. One would not leave the other, and if only one dog came back home, it would almost certainly mean the other was taken or stolen by someone.
I always make sure the dogs know their way back home and are familiar with nearly every possible route, so you could almost drop them anywhere within two miles of our house, and they'd just trot home like it's a regular Tuesday. They know where they are, where they live, and how to get home.
They're never out alone or let out to roam, but we do live in a rural area that's pitch black with open fields. In winter, I have bright LED collars and harnesses just to keep tabs on which dog is where during early mornings and evenings.
Both are chipped and pre-registered to a website with all their details, photographs, markings, chip numbers, and our contact information, including the vet's surgery. So, in the event the worst ever happens, all we need to do is log into the site, click a button, and it goes live. It gets sent out to everyone in the area, posted on social media, and increases the chances of getting lost dogs back home quickly.
The eldest dog, I think, would be a handful and difficult for anyone to try and steal. She's quick, would fight back, and would be a lot of trouble. But the youngest is like John Coffey or Forrest Gump—just the most beautiful and gentle-natured soul that ever lived. If they were going to take any of them, it's likely he'd give them the least trouble.
I'd spend my life looking for those dogs and would be determined to do a full John Wick or Bryan Mills type job as well. It would be more hassle and aggravation not to just dump them off at the vets or local RSPCA, as stated on the poster, to collect a financial reward and have no questions asked. Because if they didn’t, I'd be like a lunatic.
Where there’s one, there’s always the other (note the small black dot way off in the distance, just visible in the fog behind, waiting and watching for his friend to catch up).
—Charlotte Webster
3. Death is inevitable
I fear the inevitable passing of my dear girl Jessica.
—Guy Mitchell
4. "I have known since my first dog that they will not live as long as I do, and I will have to face their death"
5. An interesting list of fears
6. When you've been a pet parent for over 50 years, you know certain fears are real and likely to happen
And speaking of fear spirals, this matches the boyfriend who refused to take the dog out.
Stealing
...continuation
7. "That my dog will get hurt and then be incapacitated for a long stretch... or that he dies prematurely"
8. "I fear I will pass away before my dog"
9. No one wants to have to put their dog down, but circumstances can leave you with no choice
10. "Needing to be put to sleep to relieve him from the agony"
11. "My biggest fear is my dog aging and dying, having to live my life without her anymore"
12. "I’m afraid of COYOTES... there are reports every day of coyote attacks on small dogs and cats just a few blocks from our home"
13. As a former animal rescuer, this Quoran is scared that they won't be able to adequately handle health issues that may arise from the abuse and neglect her adopted dogs faced in the past
14. "That my dog will be accused of hurting someone where I cannot refute the accusation"
In any case...
...continuation
15. "My biggest fear was that he would innocently be the victim of dog fighting"
Being a dog parent is a big responsibility and comes with its own set of fears and concerns. The good news is that you are not alone in your worries, and there are many others out there who understand what you are going through.
Join an online community of dog parents to discuss your biggest fears, get advice from other experienced dog owners, and find support when times are tough.
You'll soon see that being part of a supportive community can make all the difference.
Heartbreaking, too, like the dog-owner who held her as her life slipped away. I held her and cuddled her as her life slipped away.
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