Who’s in Your Boomer Pack?

I’m a dog person. We have had cats and they are definitely easier to take care of–we even had one that was a lap cat (my lap) but there is something about dogs that is just so much more real. Don’t get me wrong—I am not a mushy dog lover who puts the dog ahead of everything. My husband does enough of that—his first words when I suggest going on vacation or away for the weekend are “Can Jada go?”  Aargh! Just because she can doesn’t mean she should. He loves the unconditional love a dog can give, so I guess I understand his devotion to the other woman in our life. Anyway, here’s our baby–then and now!

I can’t really blame him, though—he is a Baby Boomer like me and research shows that, as usual, boomers are changing “normal”. In the past, pet ownership has decreased in the senior population—those over 55. But of course, we boomers do things our way, as we always have! Senior ownership of pets is increasing as the boomers hit their senior years. I like to think it is because we are more active than other generations have been in our senior years.

Not only are we keeping our dogs longer, but we are spending more time and money on them. As boomers age and retire, our focus shifts to leisure and, increasingly, that includes our pets. We spend a lot of money on them as well (please don’t get me going on this one!). Rory and I are fairly typical when it comes to expenditures of dog related products and services.

Here are just a few:

1. Jada has an itching problem that the vet thinks may be food related, so she is on a special diet of limited protein food, not always available in our local pet stores. We now get regular shipments of it delivered to our door. I think it has helped–and it definitely helped with intestinal issues.

2. She is a BIG dog—a German Shepherd who weighs 92 pounds, and most dog beds are too small. This was her Christmas present this year and she loves it! It is 3′ by almost 5′ and she fits it beautifully. never mind that it takes up half of our bedroom!

3. Because I hate messy, wet floors, I was pleased to find this feeding station that is at a great height for her and it keeps the floor clean. It took a little getting used to for her, but it is so good at keeping the mess contained…

4. I also discovered that I can purchase these dog poo bags at a much lower price by the case online. We go through them like crazy and this is such a good deal!

5. Because Jada is spoiled rotten, she is on our bed and couch frequently and I have a thing about dog hair and smell on my furniture. This one stays on our bed during the day. It looks very nice–is thick and soft and really looks like an extra layer of bedding……and this one works great on our couch. Both of them wash up wonderfully in the laundry without shrinking..
All of these items are available at Amazon, which is where I found them!

Also, in addition to vet bills, because she is a German Shepherd and demands attention and exercise, we take her to a doggy daycare 4-5 days a week for the morning. Rory works from home and  she considers him her own personal human playmate!

Although we have had pets during our entire marriage, it is only in the years since our children grew up and left home that we have become so enamored of the animals wandering through our lives. I know it probably has something to do with wanting/needing to “take care” of someone, but I also think my husband sincerely considers Jada his best friend. For better or worse, this is our “pack” and this is our list—I’d love to know how you spoil your dog (or cat?). Let us know in the comments section below!

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