Ok....we have the $ (and I can get one for free, which is nice), a gaggle of kids, we don't go out much (so not to be left alone much), and I am well aware of what is entailed in having a dog as I always had them, until married. Oh and fully fenced large yard and we live by a bunch of parks and trails and stuff. No other pets. Sooooooo how do ya'll feel about your dog or lack of dog and your families? (oh-we can't get a cat because of litter box issues (too much like sand for autistic boy to tell the difference-plus prego and babies.....) Thanks for your imputs!!!
For the past 22 years we have had indoor/outdoor dogs. I am done with dogs. I don't want any more dirt, fleas, dog hairs, or stinch brought into the house. Other than that, dogs are great. Some advantages of a dog is for protection when I go on walks through the woods, a dog will bark at the deer that eat my flowers, and surely the dog scares any potential burglers. Our dog would actually point the way to our valuables but the burglers don't know that.
Our family wouldn't be complete without a dog! I brought my precious Brandi into our marriage, and we've never been without one. We currently have two.
My kids haven't been without a pet since my oldest was about 6 months old I don't think. It's good for kids. As long as you are aware of the cost and responsibility involved, I say go for it if that's what you want. It's a personal decision. My mom hates animals, so I never really had pets growing up. Probably why we have so many now LOL (goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and a cat) Our dogs are allowed int he laundry room at night, but they would NOT potty train if I let them in the rest of the house so they became outside dogs....
I have had dogs all my life and will until the day I die. We have four, two large and two small. Although they can be costly at times, they are family and great watch dogs. I honestly would have more if I could but we are only allowed four for our zone.
I've always had a dog(s) so have my kids. One recommendation, there are plenty of dogs at the Humane's Society that need homes, save your money and give one of these special dogs a home. Not as glamorous as going to the pet store or breeders, but they do need homes and lots of love. Every dog we have rescued from the HS have been excellent pets/family members.
Total dog loving family here. I have three maltese, Emily has a mini pin, Freddy has two rescued chihuahuas, Bobby has a beagle and our older daughter left us her small mixed breed dog when she got married. Bill also had a pair of beagles that died in the last year. Crystal is a cat person and has four right now. All our pets are spayed or neutered so we don't add to the clan! We end up with lots of throw away pets that people kindly drop off at our house. Lucky me! That is how we got 5 of the dogs and all of the cats. I refuse to look at another stray kitten! I really do love them all but it gets expensive!
Since you've owned dogs before, I'd say go for it! I got my first-ever dog 3 years ago, and she's a darling. But it was rough at first, because I never realized that puppies could cost you just as much sleep as babies. She was hard to house train, too, especially because my husband has ZERO tolerance for accidents. (And she WOULD come down with a bladder infection and piddle right on his toes.) But I stayed on top of it and now I've got just about the perfect dog. She's calm and obedient, and I can let her outside on the front lawn to do her thing, and she won't run away or chase rabbits or anything. She's a wonderful companion! I can't imagine life without her now. And as a bonus, people don't think we're so odd now when my husband and I go for walks in the evening.
Ditto! My first dog Brandi was a six-week pup when I got her from the shelter. She was the best dog EVER. The next one was a pure-bred shepherd. DH worked with a woman who raised them, and she was the runt of the litter. We paid $35 for shots, and that was it. She was a good dog, too. The two we have now are both from shelters. Other than the little girl chewing my shoes :evil:, they're good dogs.
Yeah-I only want to get one from a shelter or from craiglslist (as our shelters tend to be haeavy with pitbulls....). I also don't think we need a puppy, per se.... THANKS FOR THE THOUGHTS!!!
All of our dogs have been rescued from the pound or rescued because they were on their way to the pound/shelter. Two of the dogs were pups and the other two were already a year and a half and older. I hope you are able to find a furry forever friend.
Reminds me of the Litmus Lozenges in Because of Winn Dixie...."It tastes like not having a dog." :cry: We have always had dogs--even to the point of breeding German Shepherds and professionally training other people's dogs. I don't care for inside dogs for the issues already mentioned regarding cleanliness. It is possible to have a great relationship with your dog without inviting them into your den on a permanent basis.
Big dogs would be okay outside, but ours is a spaniel-cross. She'd get picked off by a coyote in no time! :lol: Cleanliness isn't an issue as long as she's bathed regularly.
:lol: There are members of my household who--how can I put this in a way that will honor dh???--well, cleanliness is often on a sliding scale. Despite grooming for show purposes, hair in the air is inevitable. It causes such a gag reflex for dh that it was impossible to keep our long-coated German Shepherd inside past 7 months old. Dh was a trooper for trying it out that long. He LOVES that dog--spoils him rotten to this day! In my last post, I was trying to be encouraging to those who feel guilty about having an outside dog. Hope it didn't come across in any other way.
Oh no, not at all! I knew what you meant. And you're quite right! But, I thought I should bring it up because around here people don't always think before they put their dogs outside. A woman a couple years back was foolish enough to leave her bulldog outside on a leash with a open bowl of dog kibble, while she went to work all day! Of course, after a month or two of this, she came home one day to find nothing but an empty doghouse and some blood. And instead of blaming herself, she blamed the coyotes! Me, I think she should have just named that dog "Coyote Kibble". :roll:
Oh, wow. Some cultures bait crocs that way!!!! That is a word to the wise. Never leave a pet on a chain or tie-out unattended. I have known all sorts of things to occur (worked as a vet tech before hs'ing) including injuries and death. It leaves them vulnerable to other animals and it makes them feel defensive. They can become aggressive because they know their defenses are limited to the length of the chain. They feel they can't "run away" from danger and must fight. Just not a good idea unless it is for a limited time in a safe area with someone home.
I agree. We have to small dogs (free mutts from craigslist) and I intended them to be inside dogs. They intended to be outside dogs, so they are! LOL They come in the laundry room at night to sleep, but that's it. You can't get them to set foot inside the house other than that. They are much happier outside. They run loose. They don't go far, they don't bother anyone or anything. None of the neighbors complain, ect They "attack" the kids with kisses the minute they go outside LOL The BEST dog we ever had was a shelter dog. The vet for the shelter and our own vet both told us they were quite certain the was a pure breed cocker spaniel, which is supposed to be a breed that's not good with kids. He was GREAT with the baby (who was around 6 months old at the time we got him) My oldest learned to walk by holding on to the dog's nub of a tail and following him around! LOL (He also came already trained, someone at sometime had loved that dog) Our shelter tries to notice which dogs seems potty trained and which ones aren't, they thought he was and he was. He also played fetch and knew sit and a couple other simple commands. He didn't mind the baby pulling his ears or tail. Very protective. Great dog. Miss him terribly. He had heartworms but the shelter didn't tell us that, or his real age. He was old, had heartworms and diabetes. He was having seizures at the end, it was so hard....
we have always had dogs. our 4 yr old mutt is so well behaved because dh took him to work every day for the first 2 yrs of his life. He is very well socialized, house-broke himself,basically and never chews up shoes! this in itself is a miracle to me. yes, I rant and rave about the dog hair, the wear and tear on the furniture and not being able to leave town. but what it comes down to is that he is our family and we could not ever give him up. simple as that. go for the dog. you will be building memories your childrern will never forget.
Dog Lover here!!! My dog will be 5 years old on Saturday. His name is Gunner and we got him when he was 4 months old. He is my baby boy. He follows me everywhere. If I go out he goes out and as soon as I come in he follows. At the computer he sits at my feet and when I get up he follows. He is a big sweet cuddly baby boy. We have never had any issues with fleas and never even had to use any flea prevention. He is about to be a country dog and will surely enjoy the 200 acres to run on. We do plan to get several outside barn cats as well as a couple more dogs. One for each girl when we move. Oh yes he is a mutt and I would never have anything but a mutt. Got him from the shelter for $90 and he was fixed and had all his shots.
