Our pets mean more to us that our partners, so Agria Pet Insurance advise new owners to choose their pets – the love of their life – carefully.
Following the revelation that in the UK alone, our pets influence our mood more than our partners, it shows how important it is that we choose our four-legged love of our life with great care.
A recent survey, by Agria Pet Insurance, revealed that when it comes to being comforted when we’re down, or helping us to relax and recharge our batteries, owners in the UK find that their pets do a better job than their partners.
Nowhere else surveyed in Europe followed this pattern, as elsewhere every nation chose their partner above their dogs and cats to boost their mood. 
Given the importance of the relationship we have with our pets – just like with our human partners – for a relationship to last, we need to look beyond looks, as Carolyn Menteith, Training and Behaviour Advisor for Agria Pet insurance, explains:
“We live in a time where statistically our relationships with our dogs are likely to last longer than our marriages – so we should select our canine companions with as much care as we would a life partner.
“A pretty face will soon lose its appeal, and it’s personality that counts, every time, along with someone who enjoys the same things you do. The couple who play together stay together – humans and dogs.
“Dog breeds have been developed, sometimes over hundreds of years, to be specialists at a certain job. This job can involve a variety of behaviours such as chasing, barking, guarding, digging, constant alertness or being a bit of a couch potato.
“What a dog was originally bred to do is going to impact significantly on what they are going to be like to live with – and no matter how much we might wish differently, there is no changing hard-wired personality and behaviour traits.
“Dogs don’t just like doing the things they’ve been selectively bred to do; they need to do them in order to be happy and healthy. For example, if they have been bred to work all day, they are going to be very active (no matter what their size), whereas others who have been bred purely as companions are less demanding in their exercise needs, although probably much more demanding of your time when it comes to affection and social contact.
“Dogs that have been bred to enjoy hunting or chase, or dig etc, are also going to need outlets for these behaviours included in their exercise or lifestyle – and if they are not given them, can become bored, depressed and develop behaviour problems.
“It’s important to think about love too. Do you want a dog who is very full-on in their affections – your constant companion always wanting to be touching you, sitting on you and following you everywhere (you may never go to the loo alone again)? Or would you prefer a more independent dog who adores you quietly from a distance?
“We are lucky that when we decide to bring a dog into our lives, we have a huge choice to make sure we find one that is perfect for us and our lifestyle – but with a choice comes responsibility. Be honest with yourself – and no matter how much you love the look of the cute canine you see on social media, if you make your choices on looks alone, you will probably ultimately make each other unhappy.
“When you get a dog, you are getting a new family member – someone you will live with for upwards of twelve years. Yes, you want a dog who makes your heart melt when you look at them – but the truth is, every dog will.
“Choose wisely, choose according to your lifestyle, and choose according to your – and their personality. And let’s face it, anyone who looks at you with love, with devotion, with joy and with a wagging tail will melt your heart.”
For more information visit www.agriapet.co.uk/hub-agria-blog/2020.
