Dog Ownership Commitment: Why Getting a Dog Isn’t Easier Than Having a Child

For many people, dogs feel like the perfect alternative to having children. They bring love, companionship, laughter, and even a sense of family. But here’s the reality check: owning a dog isn’t a “lighter” version of parenthood. It comes with many of the same responsibilities, sacrifices, and challenges.

If you’re considering getting a dog because children feel like too much commitment, too expensive, or too demanding, you may want to pause. Dogs don’t replace children, and they require just as much, if not more, dedication in their own way.

Dogs are just as demanding as children - you will be there entire world and you need to step up to that need!

Time Commitment

Children take years of time and attention, but so do dogs. Daily walks, training, feeding, grooming, vet visits, and playtime are not optional. If you work long hours or travel often, your dog will suffer in your absence. Like children, dogs thrive on routine and stability.

Ask yourself: Can I consistently dedicate several hours a day, every day, for the next 10–15 years?

Financial Responsibility

Parents often say, “Children are expensive!” Guess what? So are dogs. Food, vaccinations, vet care, training, boarding, grooming, toys, and emergencies all add up. A “free” puppy quickly becomes a long-term financial commitment that can run into tens of thousands of dirhams over their lifetime.

Ask yourself: Am I ready to budget for my dog just as I would for a child?

Lifestyle Changes

Spontaneous nights out? Weekend getaways? Extended travel? Like children, dogs can limit your freedom. You can’t just leave them at home unattended, and not everyone in your life will be eager to “babysit.” Many owners find their social life, holidays, and career choices revolve around their dog’s needs.

Ask yourself: Am I willing to adapt my lifestyle around a dog, just as parents do for children?

Emotional Demands

Children and dogs both require patience, empathy, and resilience. Dogs will test your nerves, with accidents on the carpet, destructive chewing, barking at 2am, or fear of fireworks. They may also develop anxiety, health issues, or behavioral challenges that demand long-term care and emotional investment.

Ask yourself: Do I truly have the patience and emotional capacity for this?

Dogs play like children, dogs need emotional care like children, dogs are demanding just like children.

Long-Term Commitment

Children eventually grow up and become independent. Dogs? Never. For their entire life, you are their provider, protector, and family. That could mean 12–15+ years of commitment. Abandonment or rehoming, sadly common in the UAE, often stems from people underestimating this reality.

Ask yourself: Am I prepared to be there, fully, until the very end?

The Bottom Line

Choosing not to have children is a personal and valid decision. But replacing that gap with a dog isn’t the answer unless you’re ready for a lifetime of responsibility, sacrifice, and devotion.

At Homely Petz, we’ve seen too many dogs abandoned because someone thought a dog would be “easier than kids.” The truth is: dogs are family too. If you can’t commit to a child, you may also want to think twice about committing to a dog.

When you are ready, truly ready, a dog can enrich your life in extraordinary ways. But don’t adopt one to fill a space you’re not willing to nurture