8 ways your pet saved you from yourself

Having a pet entails a lot of responsibility as we all know. And though we may complain about it at times all pet owners have to admit that having our pet often also saves us from ourselves and our worst instincts. I had a cat in my early 20’s and got my dog at aged 28. In both cases they provided me with a level of responsibility that kept my 20’s self in check.

1. I knew that if I stayed out too late there would be a surprise left for me. -Though my dog could not jump onto my bed my cat could and once did leave a brown surprise on my pillow to let me know that I had missed bed/feeding time by a few hours. My dog would leave the same message right in front of the door which I often found when it was introduced to my bare foot upon arrival.
2. I never want to wake up hungover again to those disappointed knowing eyes. -Those eyes! Every pet owner knows those disappointed judging eyes. It’s as if she knows that I chose to have an extra drink with someone who’s name I now don’t remember rather than coming home and cuddling with her in front of the TV.
3. Pet tries to rat you out to your date. -He just might know I’m not a virgin by the way my dog looks at him. As if to say dude, “I’ve seen this routine before.” -I was not exactly a player in my 20’s but I did date more than one or two people in that decade and I swear my dog tried to rat me out. When a new guy would be invited over for the first time and we would be playfully flirting and cooking in the kitchen, my dog would sit there staring as if trying to telepathically communicate images of the same scene playing out with the guy before him.
4. Always an excuse to get out of a bad party or date. -I can not count the times I left a date or party or even the office early by stating abruptly that I have to rush home and let me dog out. I’ve even kicked people out of my house by saying ok, my dog says it’s bed time.
5. Alerted me that this person is absolutely not the next relationship material. -Pets are great judges of character, I absolutely notice the way that a perspective partner relates to my pets and how my pets relate to them. There have been may times that my pets have been way better judges of character than I have. And in my eyes, if someone walks past my little cuties without acknowledging them, they are not going to be seeing me again.
6. Reminds me that you can go outside, even on Sunday mornings and in the rain. -But it’s raining or baby, it’s early has never worked for my pets. They know when we are supposed walk, eat, or play and no excuse of mine is good enough. They also win this standoff every time.
7. Allowed for study or work breaks by sitting directly on said materials and refusing to move. -I can get in a study or work zone and forget to get up or take breaks. With my cat a trip to the bathroom became a real break when she would inevitably take up residence on my book and refuse to move with the penalty of death in her eyes should I try to remove her.
8. Reminds me it’s dinner time, bed time, or time to get up. -They know their routine and they expected me to stick to it. Work night or weekend alike, late night movie watching or dinner pushed back was noticed and commented on. Sleeping in was frowned upon and sleeping past 10 am was not allowed. Annoying as it could be my little furry alarm clocks kept a tight ship and kept me on my toes. I will honestly say that my 20’s were far less of a hot mess because of my little fur babies.