just because I don't OWN a dog...

[sunnyday123]

i think my question is this...why does everyone like to 'push' it on me? Why is it that EVERYONE who likes dogs or owns a dog thinks that EVERYONE else needs a dog or their life is worse off? I get it. Dog ownership is great for kids, but really...my aunt has told me TONS of times that "Oh, the girls should have their own dog- they'd take care of it and it wouldn't be much extra work at all for you..." This, coming from my aunt who has 8 dogs, ALL of whom belonged to one of her children at some point in time- none of them were EVER taken care of by any of her kids!

Why do people live in this 'fantasy world' where 'getting a dog for the kids' means that the kids will actually take care of it for longer than a month- until it's not a 'new thing' anymore? I'm sure that SOME kids will actually take care of it, but really? HOW MANY of you all got a dog for your kids, and your kids have 75-100% taken care of it for longer than a month?

Actually, we've had our puppy for 6 months now, and DD feeds her, changes her water when it gets too slobbery, and participates in obedience classes with her. The last time we were at Petsmart, she asked for a new poooper scooper. I had a dog for 13 years, and swore I would never have another, but DD wanted a puppy desperately. She's now laying on our 100 lb puppy, reading a book, while said puppy snoozes. They are best friends, and I would'nt give her up for the world.

That being said, some people are just not cut out to own a dog. They slobber, make a mess, chew stuff up, tear stuff down, and dig holes like they are looking for Jimmy Hoffa. Simply tell them, "We don't need/want a dog." Are these people seriously brow beating you that badly?

Any btw, they ask divorced people when they're getting remarried All The Time. No one is safe.

 

[iwrbnd]

I'm a huge dog person and I would never tell a person to get dog. It should be a choice somebody makes from their heart and really wants or it could end up in a shelter!

On that note I do think my dog was a lifesaver for me in junior high! I would come home upset (like teen girls do) and I just needed to cry but I didn't want to talk about it or answer any questions. That dog was always waiting for me at the door and never refused her shoulder for me to cry on! When I was done having "therapy" with my dog I was okay and ready to face the world again!

But, dogs are definately not for everyone. In those situations both the owner and the dog end up miserable!

Just ignore people's comments or say "I love dogs enough to know I couldn't give a home they deserve with my schedule" or something like that.