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Comment by DrJones1098 | Hacker News Reader

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DrJones1098

A dog.

Overall for around 100 bucks a month in food/trifexis the value a dog brings to your life is massive.

People will constantly talk to you so youre socializing.

There's a creature that loves you unconditionally which is a really cool feeling.

Theyre a ton of fun so it's hard to be bored.

They're good for getting exercise as they always want to play.

And more.

Theres studies that say owning a dog increases your lifespan as well.

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I get what you're saying but quite a few of my neighbors have dogs that they leave to roam the garden during the day whilst they're out... And said dogs will bark at everyone and everything, which causes me stress (noise pollution). Please only get a dog that you can spend a lot of time with.

Yeah, dogs are pack animals.

If the owner has to leave every day ,they should be bringing their dogs to doggy day care or have another dog to keep it company.

I personally view leaving a dog alone all day as abuse.

God, I've low-key been wanting to adopt a husky...

They were bred for pulling a load for many hours, day after day for hundreds of kilometres. So, they need a lot of exercise or they get bored and will find their own way of getting stimulation (i.e indulging in what we could consider mischief). They are also excellent diggers and can jump over surprisingly high fences/walls. So, they are excellent escape artists too.

If you are experienced with dogs, it shouldn't be an issue and it will be a lot of fun as they are clever and to a degree independent too. On the other hand, if you aren't really clear about what you are getting into, it might spell trouble.

In any case, I wish you luck and hope that you find a suitable canine companion.

Huskys are awesome. I see them at the dog park. They're gorgeous dogs and have a ton of personality.

I don't know if I would get one if I lived in a tropical climate though. Like the southern U.S. states.

West Coast or New England...hell yes!

I've read they adapt okay to tropical climates!

I live in PR and I know quite a couple husky owners, the key according to them is to just try to keep them hydrated, cool and off hot pavement.

Yeah I live in Louisiana in southern U.S. and see tons of huskies at the dog park and they're playing as hard as the other dogs and seem very happy so they're probably fine!

I read the double coat protects from the cold AND the heat.

I shave my Aussies top coat every spring just for posterity and he does fine in the summer.

You should get one! Huskys are totally zany wonderful critters!

What breed of dog? How much is the insurance?

I got an Aussie. No insurance.

I would just pay the 40 bucks for the vet visit if I need it which I haven't in two years of dog ownership so far.

Not sure what your financial situation is, but emergency procedures at the vet can get very expensive very quickly. I would very much recommend insurance even if it is hardly ever needed. Also, starting with insurance later will get you exclusions on the policy for age related issues.

I'm paying USD600 a year per dog in insurance. It already paid for itself for several years with one stomach bug gone bad that needed somewhat intensive care at a vet hospital for several days.

Thanks for the tip. I have to think about it. I don't know anyone who has gotten it out of a handful of people. But it's def f something to think about.

Glad your pooch is ok!

As someone with experience in the veterinary industry I highly recommend pet insurance unless you can afford paying out-of-pocket for surprise procedures. It can be expensive.

Also, be sure to take your pet to a vet at least once a year for annual checkups and preventative care. Do not wait for a reason to go in. So many people call in to have their pet looked at when some weird symptom appears, only to discover that their pet now has an issue that could have been prevented if they had been visiting regularly.

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