What is the value of a dog?

In Melbourne this year, we have had a lot of lockdowns, so one highlight this year, was the addition to the family, of a dog called "Banjo". His mother was a Kelpie, and his father was a Blue Merle Border Collie (see pic below). We say he is Border Collie at the front end (black and white and merle underneath), and Kelpie at the back end (black). He arrived in late June, a sprightly, fluffy 6kg, and now at year end, he was recently weighed at 16 kg. The lockdown has meant he has been mostly at home with us, while I work from home (like today), but he cries when he is left at home, and it breaks my heart. He is so joyous when we come home; wagging and dancing and rolling on the floor, getting much love and pats.

Banjo (8mths) is loved.

What value does a puppy bring?

Love at first sight (8 wks)

Of course, love - he is a new child in the family (to extend our only child little world), but one that grows faster than a human. By the time he is one year old, new research suggests a puppy is equivalent to a human at 40; past childhood, teenage and early adulthood.

He is a new chore, to be fed, walked, played with, his waste managed.

Banjo is a new threat, stealing clothes especially undies and dirty socks (the smellier the better), chewing Christmas presents under the tree, destroying a shoe, pulling clean clothes off the inside drying clothes rack.

He is still a delight, sitting under my feet as I type, chewing a toy. He will sit on the bed, leaning on me as I read. He now sleeps in a bed in our bedroom, now accidents are less likely during the night. I did not expect that a working dog would be so relaxed. He will happily lie at our feet as we watch tv at night, sometimes cuddling up to us as we sit on the couch; where he also often curls up, for family time.

Banjo's Parents

Banjo is an exercise regime, making me walk, throwing his favourite ball.

The Litter

After ten throws, (chasing and some retrieving of the ball) at the park a few minutes away, he can pant for 30 minutes recovering from summer heat.

Banjo is a learning exercise, as we all struggle  to communicate with him, train him to sit, bring the ball back, and when we leave home, the recent challenge is not to bark and disturb the neighbours.

Banjo is also a tool; he experiences the world quite differently to me - acute hearing, a nose when he walks that chases many scents, which evade my senses, and when there is a ball or a stick involved - he becomes a laser focussed, one trick pony who has only eyes for one thing. Chasing a ball his feet thunder past, like a racehorse.

Banjo is a financial cost; he was $500, plus shipping ($200) and came on a plane from Queensland, a two hour flight away, but was born, some 20 minutes drive from where my mother was born and now rests. Coincidentally, we were visiting my Mother's gravesite, on the day Banjo was born, not 30 minutes away, but did not meet him in person until ten weeks later. It cost another few hundred dollars to outfit our house for Banjo - a crate to sleep in, food, toys, leads, vaccinations and monthly worm, fleas and tick treatment ($20 per month).

So Banjo is cost, love, duty, family, fun, time, novelty, and a power tool. So Banjo has many types of value, and overall the love suggests a strong positive emotion. Yet he also causes problems, yet these are overwhelmed by the positive feelings he generates.