What I’ve Learned from (Reluctantly) Becoming a Dog Owner (5 minute read)
I was the last person to crumble against the idea of becoming a dog owner. My girls begged for a dog for what felt like a decade, and then my husband joined the campaign. Finally, I caved and exasperatedly declared, “Okay, fine—but I don’t want to be the only one taking care of it.”
Ahem. (That’s a throat-clearing kind of noise.)
Well, we now have a 9-year-old Labradoodle named Penny Buckles Wilson, and guess who does 95% of the heavy lifting when it comes to pet care? Yours truly.
I grew up with several dogs throughout my childhood. When I was five, our golden retriever had a litter of puppies, which may rank among the top ten best experiences of my life. I can still picture they day they were born as if it were yesterday: summertime in Vestal, New York; the smell of newborn pups; and me wearing a stylish matching velour tank top and shorts set—think jogging suit, but for hot weather.
I loved those puppies with my whole heart because, naturally, they were my babies. I carefully loaded one or two of my sweethearts into a yellow toddler stroller that had long since outlived its original purpose. It had hauled me around after Disney or Hershey Park trips and countless other adventures. Later, it became the perfect stroller for my baby dolls. Now it had an even more important job: transporting my newborns around town. Proudly, I cruised through the neighborhood with my newest loves, simply because I could.
I could hardly believe that I was “allowed” to be responsible for living babies! As a trusted mom apprentice and a not-yet trained vet technician, I already knew that these puppies needed love, milk, cuddles, and clean spaces. They also needed a yard to roam around in so that they wouldn’t completely destroy our home.
Fast forward to the summer of 2026, and I still love my dog. She’s simply an updated version of something for me to love and care for. Truthfully, I’m not much of a dog lover in general—unless the dog:
is cute
isn’t hyper
isn’t a German Shepherd (I was bitten by one)
doesn’t leave five pounds of fur in your hand after a single pet
enjoys a good belly rub
is a puppy
As I was walking my dog for the millionth time this morning, I found myself thinking about all the things Penny has taught me over the years. Many of those lessons extend far beyond dog ownership—they apply to people and life in general. Since they’re transferable to human behavior, I thought I’d share them with you, even if it means you might start thinking of me as a crazy cat dog lady.
Are there actually crazy dog ladies?
I digress.
7 Reasons Why Having a Dog Has Been Good for Me:
Caution: doing the below-mentioned will certainly improve your mood, so you may want to take notes:
1) Dogs Encourage Healthy Daily Rhythms
Dogs seem to thrive on the natural rhythms of the day—or maybe that’s simply when they remind us they need to go outside. If you’re a dog owner who works, you already know the routine: the dog needs to be walked first thing in the morning so you can go about your day without feeling guilty. Then, before you know it, it’s 6:00 p.m. You may or may not have eaten dinner, but you know you’d better get the dog out for another walk before dark.
Researchers have found that exposure to morning sunlight helps regulate our circadian rhythms, which can improve sleep, mood, and overall well-being. I’m not trying to convince you to get a dog for your kids, but I will say that walking Penny has given me hundreds of hours outdoors that I might not have experienced otherwise. Could all that time in nature extend my life? Who knows.
What I do know is that spending time outside has lowered my stress levels and probably my blood pressure, too. Which begs the research question: are people who share their lives with dogs happier and healthier than those who don’t?
2) Dogs Are Naturally Curious
They notice everything that enters their territory, whether it’s a fox crossing the yard, an Amazon truck pulling into the driveway, or a neighbor taking an evening stroll. They’re constantly on the lookout for something new to investigate—because they are bored out of their minds from being trapped in our homes all day!
Watching Penny has made me wonder: what if we approached life with the same curiosity? What if we paid more attention to the people, places, and experiences around us instead of rushing through our days or staring at our phones? What if we simply sat and waited, if only for a few moments, and noticed the nuances of merely existing?
Dogs remind us that there is always something new to discover. Maybe the secret to a more compassionate and humble way of living is cultivating a deeper curiosity about our world and the people with whom we share it.
3) Dogs Exercise Without Performance Pressure
Dogs walk without caring about personal records, distance, or calories burned. They simply walk to enjoy the scents of nature and the possibilities around the next corner.
What if we lived more like that—just being instead of performing? Simply enjoying our existence rather than constantly evaluating, tracking, and calculating our self-improvement projects.
4) Dogs Love Their People Deeply
Dogs love their people immensely. I’m not suggesting we follow our humans around all day like Penny does, waiting for constant reassurance of her importance. But I am suggesting we up our game when it comes to greeting our people with genuine excitement when they walk through the door—even if they’re the ones we live with and see every day.
5) Play Is Always a Good Idea—and Communal Play Even Better
Play is always a good idea, and it leads to joy. A good day for Penny includes swimming, rolling in the grass, or playing fetch (which, importantly, involves playing with someone). So often, people default to more solitary hobbies like exercising, reading, scrolling (if that can even be called a hobby), or crafting. Penny would argue that we should play with others as much as possible, because we could all use a little more fun AND community in our lives right now.
6) Don’t Share Your Business with Everyone
Don’t let everyone know your business—choose trustworthy confidants wisely and carefully, otherwise, we may get burned. I know which dogs Penny trusts and which ones she doesn’t. She’s definitely not interested in letting just any dog approach her for a sniff. Let’s use discretion when sharing vulnerable information—not as a consistent wall to keep others out, but as a way to reserve the more personal parts of ourselves for those who are truly loyal.
7) Give Strangers the Benefit of the Doubt
Give strangers the benefit of the doubt. Stop walking around looking so unavailable all the time. Look up at people. You need eye contact more than you realize—it might even lead to a smile.
Penny has never met a human she doesn’t want to get to know. Be open to new people, even if you already feel “good” on friends. The small interactions we have with people at the grocery store, at the gym, or on a walk actually matter more than we think when it comes to shaping our sense of belonging and community.
Extra Credit – Penny likes touch (until she doesn’t). Don’t underestimate the value of physical touch. Research suggests that Americans engage in less physical touch with friends compared to their European and Latin American counterparts. Try being a little countercultural today and hug someone for 20 seconds—it may increase oxytocin, which supports bonding and relaxation.
Well, that’s all for now, Friends. I hope you enjoyed the lessons I’ve learned from being Penny’s mom.
LoveWell—just like Penny Buckles does,
Kim
P.S. Getting a dog was totally worth it!