If you like going to the bathroom by yourself, you just might want to forego getting a pet. Personal space is at a premium when it comes to pet ownership. It seems our pets like to get as close to us as they possibly can. Sometimes it can feel like they would crawl inside of our skin if they could just figure out how to do it!
Have you ever gotten ready for bed only to discover that Fido, in all of his 12 pounds of glory, has assumed 75 percent of your bed? If you’re like most pet owners, you try to make the remaining 25 percent work for you rather than disturb your beloved boy. Pet owners alike wonder how it’s possible for such a small furry being to take up the space of 2 fully grown adults, 2 children, and a cat. And yet—it is!
Yes, a lot of pets suffers from “space invasion”. They want to be touching you, laying on you, up close and personal with you as often as they can. Thankfully, our pets DO occasionally have other things to do throughout the day, giving us the opportunity to get some work done.
But the truth is our pets love us, and they want to be where we are. It’s one of the best parts of pet ownership, yet at the same time, sometimes we crave a few minutes of “me” time! So long as a furry companion is a part of your world, you’ll never be lonely…or alone…again.
Here are the top five places you will never again experience alone if you are a pet owner.
The bathroom
There is no rhyme or reason why, but if you are going in the bathroom, so is Fido. Whether you are taking a half hour bath, a five minute shower, or craving some private time on the “throne”, Fido wants to be there taking it all in. It can be rather unnerving having an audience at moments designated for a little bit of privacy. Our best advice? Get used to it. Where you lead…he’s following.
Even more unsettling than the bathroom companionship is the staring. What in the world is Fido trying to tell you as he bores holes into your head with his insistent look? Is he thinking your bathtub look is a nice outfit to wear on a walk? Is he wondering if that’s what humans look like under their skin? Or maybe he’s wondering if there’s room in the tub for him too? We’ll never know for sure!
On the couch
So you’ve finally settled on the couch after a nice long day, and strangely, Fido is happily engaged playing with Fifi. FREEDOM! Your lap is free…for now. You settle in with a cup of tea and a good book when all of a sudden…boing! OUCH! Boing, boing, BOING! OUCH! Ah! Fido and Fifi are playing Daytona again, and YOU are part of the canine racetrack. Yes, it is true. Pets are no respecters of body parts. Whether it’s an arm a leg or something more…ummm…sensitive, it’s all fair game to Fido and Fifi. It’s enough to make you consider going out to buy some goalie equipment for a few minutes of peace and pain-free rest on your couch.
On the floor
Decided it’s time to get in shape? Great idea! Pilates seemed like a really good idea until you got down on your yoga mat and Fifi came and sat on your chest. You didn’t quite think you were ready for weights in your core work, but with Fifi assisting your get fit regime, you don’t have much choice.
Perhaps you’ve decided the treadmill is your exercise equipment of choice. You fire that baby up and all of a sudden, Fido turns into a growling, snarling beast, and he’s aiming right for your feet!
Exercising never looked the same since Fido and Fifi decided to join in the fun.
In your bed
“Dog bed? What’s a dog bed?” That’s the look you get when it’s bedtime, and you suggest that perhaps Fido might like to get comfy on the posh expensive dog bed you purchased for him. His bed looks so comfortable that you’d be willing to sleep in it yourself if it came in your size. But Fido is not happy unless he is in bed with you.
And not just in bed with you but pressed up directly against you.
Have you ever woken up to feel dog breath on the back of your neck? Shared a pillow with your favourite feline friend? You are not alone!
The space invasion is at its worst at bedtime largely because Fido seems to have no clue how much space he actually needs! It’s almost as if our pets take it as a personal challenge to take up as much space as possible in our beds. If you have a king size bed and a Chihuahua, that’s not a problem for the dog. He’ll spread every limb out as far as he possibly can. That’s how committed he is to not letting you down by wasting even the tiniest bit of bed space. After all, you love contorting your body around his, right?
In the car
Most pets love car rides, and yours is no different. Some people use crates, seatbelts, or protective barriers to keep their pets safe while travelling in a vehicle. But not your pet. No, yours has outmaneuvered any safety precaution you put in place. Your pet is happiest smack dab on your lap attempting to give you kisses as you drive OR under the gas pedal. There is no happy medium. Whatever is the least convenient place at the least convenient time, that is where Fido and Fifi want to be.
Yes, it’s true that when it comes to personal space, our pets really are “space invaders”. Though we joke about it, it’s one of the things we love the most about them. The close relationship spent through cuddling with our favourite furry friends only serves to increase the bond between us. Most of us would admit that we could do with a few minutes of alone time while in the bathroom and without having our body parts pulverized during play time, but still we wouldn’t trade the affection our pets have for us for all of the world. There is no such thing as personal space when you own a pet, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
