Inspired by vet thread: dog people - did you marry a dog lover?

[JessicaR]

Both my husband and I are huge dog lovers and all animals for that matter. We both always say we belong living on a farm.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thank you for sharing your stories.

It's nice to see so many "converts".

My mother lives with me (in an inlaw setup) and still isn't crazy about dogs. She will gladly take care of mine if we're out (and she enjoys the security she provides), but they don't interact all too much together - unless we go away, then they kind of wind up hanging out together after a few days or so I guess they both get lonesome with nobody else around.

My mother did surprise me a few years back when I was taking one of my dogs for his final trip to the vet's. It's happened sort of unexpectedly that morning, and she watched with tears in her eyes as I carried him out to the car. She then came over and kissed him goodbye. She's a good person with a good heart, just really never took to dogs. But at this moment I knew she felt something more after all, which was nice, and probably important for me to see.

 

[NikiM20]

Both my husband and I are huge dog lovers and all animals for that matter. We both always say we belong living on a farm.

Do you still have the mastiffs?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

One more thing about my mother which was kind of funny. We recently got a black teddy bear hamster named Gus (see signature) - for us but mainly for the kids. My mother sees how much the kids enjoy him.

Imagine my surprise when I went into her house one day to find they had brought him in there and she was holding him and talking to him. Now I had hamsters growing up and never once did she ever hold them. But I knew in this case, she'd done it for my kids. Nonetheless, it blew my mind. Maybe she's just softening in her old age.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think it's so important for the pet issue to be brought up when first dating. And many other issues, too. What's the point of "falling in love" with someone, if you're going to spend your life battling about the things that really mean something to you?

DH and I both grew up with dogs, and loved having them in our lives.

But we're also relatively practical people (in some ways), and after having our cat and all the issues she caused, we know very well that having a dog is too expensive for us right now. And we would have to choose the breed carefully, because there are some dogs I'm allergic to and others I'm not. I refuse to drug myself - I spent my teen years drugged out of my skull for allergies and I won't do it again - and there are no guarantees I wouldn't be allergic to a carefully chosen dog...we just need to wait to make sure we can truly afford the dog AND to keep me healthy at the same time.


DS really wants a dog, now that he got over the trauma he experienced when visiting my dad and his 2 big, untrained, messed up, goldens...he saw one of them "biting" me. She was actually mouthing my arm, not biting (though I wasn't moving, so it didn't become a bite), but DS was only 3 and was standing inside watching through the window...it really messed him up about dogs for awhile.

Anyway, we've let him know that we won't get a dog for awhile...our condo won't allow dogs of the size DH and I would like (malamute, GS (though I actually am not a fan of that breed, DH grew up with one), standard poodle) and we'd really have to change our brains to adore a small enough breed...DS also knows about the allergy problem.

And just the other day he said that he would have to make SURE that person he marries is not allergic to dogs, so that they could have dogs. Ya gotta have those important talks, BEFORE you "fall in love"!

 

[JessicaR]

Do you still have the mastiffs?

Yes, the old man turned 8 yesterday. He had steak for dinner and a vanilla cupcake for dessert.

 

[debbi801]

Yes. But, DH really only likes big dogs. We had a chocolate lab that we got as a puppy right before we got married. DH adored Prince. Sadly, he died 4 years ago on Valentine's Day.

Currently, we have a rescue mutt--poodle, schnauzer, and some sort of terrier. Oscar is only 20 pounds and about the size of a mini-schnauzer. DH tollerates him, but does not really like him. After having him for a while, DH admitted to not being fond of him, because he really only likes big dogs.

But, even though he'd prefer another big dog, he still considers Oscar a member of the family.

 

[SC Minnie]

DH is a dog person and I like dogs too but am more partial to cats. He didn't care of cats. Thought they were too much of a loner and didn't want anything to do with you. Well, we have a cat (no dog) and he loves her to pieces. He gave her to me for my birthday but she prefers him. Its funny to hear him 'defend' her or baby her.

 

[puffkin]

We both grew up in dog households. We always had beagles and his family always had large mutt dogs (his mom can't help bringing home the homeliest dogs in the pound). I THOUGHT we were dog lovers but I forbade a large dog. I just was never 100% comfortable with them so we got a beagle. Murphy was our first baby. Although neither of us have ever been around cats or really liked them we somehow ended up with two. We love our dog to pieces but we have come to realize that we are definitely more suited to cats. Our cats are so great and easy to care for. They also are extremely affectionate and loving, but they are also independent too. They just fit our lifestyle so much better than a dog. Once Murphy's time comes, we will not be getting another dog. We love to visit our friends and family's dogs, but they just dont' fit our lifestyle!

P.S. It took DH much longer to warm up to the cats. Our first, Lilly, is completely obsessed with me. It is so funny how she will deliberately mess up his stuff on the dresser and ignore him. Then we got Riley last year and she just adores my DH. He just melts when she is around, it is so cute. He quickly came over to the dark side and understands now why I don't want another dog...

 

[NikiM20]

Yes, the old man turned 8 yesterday. He had steak for dinner and a vanilla cupcake for dessert.

So handsome!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yes, the old man turned 8 yesterday. He had steak for dinner and a vanilla cupcake for dessert.

Beautiful dog! Those are some big jowls!

 

[Tarheel Tink]

DH and I are complete dog lovers and have been involved in showing in conformation, obedience, hunting tests, tracking, rally, etc. He always has one of our Jack Russells (his "little girls") glued to his side when he is awake or asleep. It was something I established before our first date.

 

[hereyago]

Yes, the old man turned 8 yesterday. He had steak for dinner and a vanilla cupcake for dessert.

IS he a Neopolitan Mastiff? He is just a handsome dog.

 

[hereyago]

My exdh is a dog lover. He has a Saint Bernard and a minature dashund. They are so cute together. A couple months after DD11 was born ,I had to put my GS down-cancer. then dh, didn't want our dd to grow up without a dog, so we got a rot husk mix and they grew up together. Sadly, he ended up as wel with cancer and we had to put him down-well exdh had to take him, I couldn't do it.

I have never dated anyone who didn't have a pet of some kind.

 

[JessicaR]

Beautiful dog! Those are some big jowls!

Thank you. he can hide balls, apples and bagels in those jowls! Those are just the objects we've found.

IS he a Neopolitan Mastiff? He is just a handsome dog.

Yes he is and he says thanks for the handsome comment.