Diary of a Middle-aged Woman

5 Ways Pets Ruin Our Self Esteem

We've all heard how pet ownership is good for us and our overall well-being. For example, when nursing homes have animal visitations, the residents love it and their morale improves greatly. Animals do add value to our lives. I have both a dog and cat and know how great it is to own pets.

Having said that, and given pets their praise, let me also state they aren't always our loving companions. There are times when pets can in fact be hurtful without even knowing it.


5 Ways Pets Ruin Our Self-esteem:

1.) You offer them a piece of food and they sniff it, but won't eat it. This is food you, yourself, will eat or have just eaten. I recently offered a piece of roast beef to my dog, Regan, and she sniffed it and scurried away with a "I'm good, thanks!" look on her face. My cat, Olive, on the other hand, had a different approach. Upon sniffing the piece of meat, she was prompted to "bury it" and began doing the scratching motion she does in her litter-box. Yeah, that one hurt.

2.) They do their "business" on something of yours. People tell me it's a sign they love me. Is it? Really? It sure doesn't feel that way!

3.) You can call their name countless times and they won't come to you. But, let someone else call for them just once, and they go running to them. That doesn't hurt ... much.

4.) You ask your dog for a kiss and you present your cheek. However, you don't get a kiss, but rather a cheek full of dog snot since your dog rejected your kiss request by snorting snot all over your face.

5.)Your pet runs when they see you naked. My dog stays in the bathroom with me while I shower. One day, as I'm stepping out of the shower, she actually barked at me. Way to build my confidence, Regan!


So fellow pet owners, have your pets exhibited any of this behavior? If so, you might be suffering from low self-esteem thanks to an unlikely source. Or if you know you have low self-esteem, but wondered why, look no further than your furry friend. I'm not sure what the answer is; a support group or medication?


Thank you for reading my post!