Even if a dog doesn't start out high maintenance, they ALL end up that way. I adopted the sweetest, most lovable shih-tzu that was abused for years and then abandoned by his family over a year ago.

He needs pain medication three times per day for his arthritis. He has anxiety from his previous poor treatment. His anal glands keep getting infected and need to be cleaned out every few months. He needs grooming each month. And my personal favorite - due to what looks like an injury from being kicked, he has back issues and is unable to jump up and down from furniture or navigate the stairs (even though he still tries!) so we purchased baby gates and little stairs to help keep him safe.

But he is the sweetest, most loving dog I've ever had the pleasure to care for and I will continue to do so until his (or my!) dying breath.

Just like humans, pets of every variety, age and their bodies deteriorate. They all need much more intensive care when they get older and often expensive medications or surgeries.

So I 100% agree with your article. If you feel like you want a cute little dog to cuddle, pet ownership is not for you. If, however, you have room in your heart and home to care for an animal for the rest of their life even when things get hard and you get tired of it, then you should definitely do it. So many animals are in need of a loving home.