In Singapore, people spend money to take their dogs on a cruise. Since more Singaporeans live in high-rise buildings, there’s not enough space for their dogs to run around and play. They take them on a cruise on weekends so that they can enjoy the water and the breeze. It’s not just in Singapore, one of the world’s most expensive cities. This is happening all over the world. In New York, a rich hotelier left $12 million to her dog when she passed away. There are many more stories like this. In fact, we don’t even bat an eyelash when we hear people spending thousands of dollars on their dogs.
They have birthdays and pictorials. When they die, their obituaries are in the newspapers and social media. They even get a proper burial—some are cremated, while some get their own mausoleum. Every day, you hear stories like these. And unless you have a dog that you pamper this much too, it’s hard to understand where people are coming from, isn’t it? Not really. You just have to open up your mind more.
Spending on Pets Has Gotten Crazier
The American Pet Products Association said that in 2015, Americans spent over $60 billion on their pets. That was a new record. Every year, this has increased until it reached a record-high $99 billion in 2020. They spent thousands of dollars on their pets, ranging from food to veterinary care. Most dogs eat better food than African children. Not that it’s such a bad thing to pamper your dogs with delicious dog food you buy online, but you do get the picture of how different their lives are to actual people living across the globe.
Dogs Are Stress Busters
When you own a dog, you go home to a wagging tail and sloppy kisses. You are sure that they want to see you after a long day. That’s not the same thing you can say about your children or your partner since things happen in personal relationships that sometimes make the home unlivable. But dogs are different. They don’t care about all those trivial things and misunderstandings. They’re going to love you the same way they always do—with loyalty and devotion.
These past years have been stressful for many people because of the pandemic, growing consumerism, social media, and competitiveness. Pets can boost the release of oxytocin in your body. That’s the feel-good, stress-relieving hormone that makes you bond more with your dogs. More than 95% of dog owners say that their dogs make them smile at least once a day. Taking care of them helps relieve stress, alleviate depression, and boost mental resiliency.
Dogs Have an Equal Status Today
More than 60% of respondents in a survey said that dogs are treated differently today. They don’t remember their childhood pets getting pampered as much as pets today. Over the years, the status of pets in families changed. Before, they were hunting mates. They were guard dogs. Today, they are beloved members of the family. Almost 91% of pet owners said they consider their pets part of the family, and 81% said they are equal family members.
This means that it’s okay to pamper your dogs as much as you do your kids in the future. Why shouldn’t you spend thousands of dollars on pet care? There is no gray area for you since it is a social requirement now to treat your dogs like family.
Dogs Fulfill Your Need to Nurture
People are nurturers. This comes naturally to people. These days, couples are getting married but not having children. Sure, they believe in marriage and staying with their partners for the rest of their lives, but they no longer believe that having children is the primary goal of getting married. These people get pets in the early years of their marriage and only decide to have children when they feel ready emotionally, mentally, and financially.
More than 78% of pet owners see their pets as their children and themselves as parents and not owners. You’ve probably heard some friends (or even yourself) refer to themselves as a “mom” and “dad” of their dogs. When you think about dogs as your children, you will want them to have the best experience possible. That’s why you will pamper them to no end.
There are so many things that are wrong in this world. Why would you let dogs getting pampered bother you or anyone else? There is nothing wrong with loving any living thing. If you feel a special connection and bond with your dogs, then you don’t have to find a reason for it.
