Everyone at our home wants a dog, but I’m still not convinced. In partnership with Febreze, we’re chatting about it with my sister Katrina and Ira, their cuddly goldendoodle…
Do you (would you) own a dog?
Every birthday and Christmas ‘dog’ ends up on our children’s wish list. I don’t blame them. What child wouldn’t want a friendly pal to snuggle into, and throw a ball with outside. But we (okay, just me) can’t decide whether we should actually get one.
There are so many things I worry about. We still have a kid in diapers, there’s that. Are we clean enough? Would it prevent us from traveling? Would the novelty wear off and feel like a burden? If we became dog owners, I’d really want to take it seriously.
I didn’t grow up with a dog, and I think that’s why I’m so hesitant. I certainly had plenty of friends with dogs, but there were these one neighbors…It always smelled like dog there, and honestly it really turned me off from the prospect of owning a dog! Cleanliness is a huge thing for me as a potential dog owner.
So, I was really happy to hear that Febreze has a line of pet products that tackle both the air and the fabric in a pet owner’s home. It includes the Febreze AIR Heavy Duty Pet Odor Eliminating, and the Febreze Fabric Pet Odor Eliminator. Leaving a bit of that classic Febreze ‘just cleaned’ scent, and a great way to freshen up your dog’s favorite spot on the couch or bed.
My sister Katrina also suggests doing a lot of research beforehand. “We knew that keeping the house clean could be a struggle with an indoor dog, so we were careful to pick a dog that wouldn’t shed to begin with. We just knew that with us both working full-time, that leaves little time for cleaning so we wanted to keep it as low maintenance as possible.”
My sister Katrina and her husband Quinn have had their dog, Ira, for about 3 years. Ira is the sweetest and we all adore her! Growing up, Katrina always loved dogs, but our parents weren’t really pet people. Katrina explains that “They tried their best to fill the void with robot dog toys, dog photo calendars, and even got me a guinea pig at one point! ‘A Dog’ was always at the top of every birthday and Christmas list but I knew it was a lost cause.”.
When she and Quinn were married and bought a home, they started really considering it. They researched local breaders, and thinking about what made the most sense for their lifestyle. “Quinn and I both live really upbeat lives, so we knew we needed to find a dog that would be able to fit into that. We also wanted to find a dog that wouldn’t shed too much. We had some friends who own a flower shop downtown, and often they would bring their dog Winnie to chill in the store during the day. This was how we fell in love with goldendoodles. A mix between a golden retriever and a poodle, goldendoodles are smart, well-natured, and hypoallergenic.”
When they finally went to meet the new goldendoodle puppies, it was a little overwhelming to pick one. “Ira was definitely the most chill out of bunch– I remember some of her brothers chewing on my shoelaces. She was just kind of sitting and watching.”
As an outsider, it all seems so seamless how much Ira is woven into their lives. “Since I didn’t grow up with dogs, I was kind of under the impression that it would be extremely challenging. Maybe because we really lucked out with such a superstar dog like Ira, but it has really surprised me how easily we were able to integrate her into our family…She always wants to be where Quinn and I are at. If we’re in different rooms, she will position herself right between us so she can see both of us at once. One of my favorite things she does right now is if Quinn and I hug, she’ll jump up onto one of us, trying to get in on that family hug!”.
See guys! Stories like this make me so ready to get a dog! Just maybe after we get Dot out of diapers. What do you think? Do you have a furry friend at your home? Have you considered getting a dog?
This post is in partnership with Febreze. Find their products at Walmart. Photography by Jenna Evans for Say Yes. And of course thanks to Katrina, Quinn, and superstar Ira!
