Do you like having a dog?

[acsnmama]

We have a dog. He just turned 6 months old. He's a Lab/Mastiff/Weimaraner mix. I truly do like having him, beautiful dog, mostly well behaved (he's a puppy), but I've been feeling so burnt out on the responsibility. I think dogs are great, but I'm just not a dog lover at heart I guess.

 

I feel bad for feeling this way. DH is the one who really wanted a dog, and he's definitely DH's dog, but I'm the one home all day with him and our 3 kids (pregnant with #4 coming this fall)!

 

Do you like having a dog? Do you mind the responsibility?

[Wilma]

We dog-sit for my folks frequently (a couple/few weeks at a go), though we don't have a permanent dog.  I like some parts of having a dog, but on the whole I'd rather not at this point.  It's the responsibility that gets me - I already have plenty of those! 

[kewb]

Yes, I love having a dog.  Yes, I mind all the responsibility.  

 

Your kids can take some of the responsibility off your plate.  One can be in charge of feeding, another making sure the dog has fresh water, if you need poop patrol-the kids can do that, too.  They are also capable of brushing/bathing if needed.  If you see someone is not doing their job you make them do it.  Do not do it yourself because it is easier/faster.  You have a family talk with the kids and your spouse about what they need to do in order for you to keep the dog.  There is no reason for you to be shouldering it all.

 

That said, my dog is a part of the family and nothing would make me find him a new home-but the no one else needs to know that.

[Jenny in Florida]

I adore my dog. She is, aside from my family members, my best friend and closest companion. I don't mind the responsibility of caring for her at all, but, then I don't have 3.5 kids, too.

 

The only issues I have are:

 

- The dog does not get along with one of our cats. It's really best if they are not in the same room at the same time. Sometimes, the cat hangs out in the living room, where he likes to sit on my husband or my son. So, if we all want to watch a movie or play a game together in the living room, it requires pet diplomacy (and putting the dog on her leash) to make that happen.

 

- I feel guilty when I leave her, and I miss her, too. It's less fun for me to go on vacations because I know she's unhappy at the kennel. (She sometimes refuses to eat when we board her, unless one of the women who works there feeds her one piece of kibble at a time by hand.) We're tried doing dog-friendly getaways, but those have their challenges, too. So, I do board her when necessary and enjoy my time with the rest of the family, but I won't deny it dampens my enthusiasm for vacations just a bit.

 

- I'm not crazy about cleaning up after her in the yard, but that is, truly, a very minor irritation. I dislike cleaning the cats' litter boxes much more.

 

All in all, my life has been so enriched by having her that all of the above are really insignificant in comparison.

[AlmiraGulch]

I liked having a dog ok. One.  

 

DH and the kids wanted another, so I caved and we got another.  Honestly, this is my fault, because had I taken a firm stance against it we wouldn't have gotten a second.  I really hate having a second.  

 

It's not that I hate this specific dog.  She's cute, eager to please, and not overly destructive.  Honestly, though, two dogs is twice the work, twice the poop, twice the money, and most of the responsibility falls on me because I'm home all day.  Dog #2 isn't particularly well-trained, either, because I'm the only one who was doing it and I didn't (still don't) have time to do it properly, nor do I have the money to pay someone else to do it.  

 

So, yes, I like having one dog.  I resent having two.  I'd really prefer to get rid of her, even though I won't.  And, like you, I think I'm not really a dog person.  I'm definitely all about the cats.  

[Matryoshka]

I am not a dog person.  At all.  So when dd begged and begged and begged to have a dog, and I decided to relent, I put a lot of restrictions on the kind of dog, because I knew how much I would resent it if it were a lot of work.

 

So, we have a dog, not a puppy.  I will not raise a species other than my own. ;)  It came housebroken and crate-trained.  It hardly sheds.  It is a fairly small breed which means require a ton of exercise so I don't have to take it on lots of walks nor does it bounce around or misbehave if we even go a couple days without a long walk.  It also means it doesn't eat a ton.

 

As it is, the dog is hardly any work even though it's true I'm the one who's ended up doing most of the work.  I kinda like him.  Since I don't have to take him on walks all the time, when we do go (multiple times a week, but only when the weather's good and I have time), I rather like it.  He's snuggly (and since he's not big, he fits on my lap nicely), and actually since we just lost our much-beloved snuggly cat, that's actually been a huge comfort.

 

So it turns out I am liking having a dog.  But this particular dog - I readily admit I do not ever want a puppy, or a high-energy breed.  Nope.

 

I once visited a friend who had at the time a toddler, a baby, and a puppy.  The puppy was 20x more work than both the human babies put together.  That's when I said I'd never have a puppy!  They are a lot of work!!

[wintermom]

We've always had dogs, and I really love them. I do remember a time when I was pregnant and feeling completely overwhelmed with them (and luckily they weren't puppies at that time). The nice thing is that once the dog is out of "puppyhood" things do get easier.

 

A 6-month old puppy is high energy, high maintenance (if they chew things), still learning (or testing) your way of doing things, and lots of work. Your dc are really too young to help effectively with a dog that size, though they are probably doing a great job socializing it with young children. We foster guide dog puppies, and had a German Shepherd puppy this winter (from age 3 months - 10 months). He was smart and friendly, and the kids and I loved him, but it was a lot of work. He really did calm down a lot by 10 months before he went on to different training. Now we have a 5 month old black lab, and it's back to the chewing/teething stage again. He's also testing those commands that he knew a few weeks ago. I know that things will improve really soon if I stay on top of the training and keep him active. I'm not sure how many more puppies I'll have energy for, though.

 

One thing that may really help you, is to have very clear expectations of dog responsibilities between you and your dh. He will do as much as possible all the training, feeding, walking/exercising, socializing, grooming, vet visits, etc. You will do what needs to be done during the day when he isn't there. He is the dog handler, you are support 'staff' with very minimal responsibilities.

 

Good luck!

[Desert Strawberry]

We got our first dog when I was 6 months pregnant with my fourth. I was worried about the responsibility, but my son desperately wanted a dog, so did I, and life wasn't going to get easier.

We adopted a 12 week old rescue. Half rat terrier, half Chihuahua. 

She is the best dog. A little naughty, a bit impulsive, as terriers tend to be, but really such a sweet little dog. 

I don't do very much for her. I let her out sometimes, but that's Sagg' s responsibility. I take her with me when I go for a walk, but Sagg can do that, too. He has also started bathing her. 

D takes care of the fleas, and also bathes her. 

Aries feeds her and gives her water. Everyone plays with her.

All I do is share my footstool with her. And I dress her. No one else can manage that task. I buy a big bag of food every six months or so. 

Yes, she is worth it. Very much. We all love her. If I had known how much I would love her, I would have gotten a dog a long time ago. 

 

[Plink]

I love having a dog. Love the responsibility too (although she is little and well trained, so not much maintenance s necessary).

 

What I hate is house plants. In theory they are lovely, but I hate having another living thing dependent on me. So, I truly understand what you are saying.

[Erin]

We have five. 

Yes the responsibility is annoying, but for what they give our family it is SOO worth it.  That said, my kids are totally responsible for 3-4 of them on any given day.

[Desert Strawberry]

I love having a dog. Love the responsibility too (although she is little and well trained, so not much maintenance s necessary).

 

What I hate is house plants. In theory they are lovely, but I hate having another living thing dependent on me. So, I truly understand what you are saying.

 

I don't mind being responsible for living things (clearly) but I really need them to let me know when they need something. Plants will just slowly and quietly die without a request or a whimper. If they could reach out and tap me on the shoulder and point to the sink, their odds of survival would be greatly increased.

[Matryoshka]

What I hate is house plants. In theory they are lovely, but I hate having another living thing dependent on me. So, I truly understand what you are saying.

 

I solved that by replacing the living house plants with cloth plants. ;) 

 

The only living plants left inside are a couple of cacti.  That's just about all I can handle...

 

[Matryoshka]

I don't mind being responsible for living things (clearly) but I really need them to let me know when they need something. Plants will just slowly and quietly die without a request or a whimper. If they could reach out and tap me on the shoulder and point to the sink, their odds of survival would be greatly increased.

 

This.  And this is also why I don't like pets in cages - much too easy to forget about.  We have managed to deal with the ball python, but he only needs to fed every couple of weeks or so... he's like the animal version of a cactus...

[elegantlion]

Yes, I love having a dog. A puppy is a whole other thing though. I tolerate my cat as he ages, I adore my dog, but I am a dog person. 

 

The puppy stage is harder though and with a lab anything it lasts for a few more years.  We had an outdoor run for my dog when she was younger. Now, she's just a lazy house dog (she's 10). 

 

A baby pool is fun with puppies.

[Mama Geek]

I love dogs, I love having a big dog especially for when dh is away for a night.  I love my current dog.  The one mistake we made was to get a 4 month old puppy that eventually got to weigh 50 lbs when dd was only 4 months old.  Then dh took a 3 month traveling job where he didn't stay in one place for more than a night.  I then had a young puppy that was pretty big and a still new baby.  We are lucky we all 3 survived.  That was extremely difficult.  I walked the dog 3 miles a day and he still had more energy and it took forever to house break him.  He is now a settled down dog and dd's best friend.  They love each other more than you can imagine.  Dd learned how to throw a ball while breast feeding because the dog would bring it back to her.  He lets her drag him around by the collar even though he still significantly out weighs her.  If dh hadn't left for those 3 months I figure it would have been much easier, but I could not get rid of the dog and even though he was untrained at the time, I knew no one was going to get into the house without me knowing about it.

[I talk to the trees]

I can't imagine life without a dog. My dogs have seen me through my darkest hour when I completely lost faith in humanity. Yes, there is a lot of responsibility involved, and yes, sometimes there are large costs as well. But it is all worth it, IMO. (Well, almost...I can't say that I don't utter a few four letter words when I have to clean up...how to put it nicely?...recycled poop.  :ack2:  But that doesn't happen very often, and when it does, it's usually my fault for forgetting to scoop the yard.)

[RegularMom]

We have two dogs now. RegularDad wanted to get them, and even though I told him I don't have time for dogs, we ended up getting them anyway, and my life became crazier and busier. And even though he PROMISED to do all the work, and the kids PROMISED to help and I was ASSURED that this would not become an undue burden upon me, guess what? It all falls to Mom. No matter what they say, no matter how much they mean to help, in the end, it all falls to Mom. 

 

The fact that the second dog we adopted is a hot reactive mess didn't help much. The fact that we also have 3 cats -- also not helpful. Especially since the reactive dog likes to chase cats. 

 

I spent the better part of the first two years feeling completely overwhelmed by this sudden insanity that is having two dogs. Then I got some help. I had a professional behaviorist come over to evaluate the situation. She visited us a couple of times, gave me some exercises to learn to manage the household with all these animals, assured me that my reactive dog was not aggressive and okay to keep even with kids in the house. (And just about every kid who's ever visited this house Just Loves That Crazy Dog! - Go Figure.)

 

So, here I am, four years later, living with 3 cats and 2 dogs. The responsibility, I could do without. And really, I'm more of a cat person. But I wouldn't give my dogs up for the world. And that crazy one? Yeah... he's my baby. :)

[Lieutenant Stranger]

I have a dog, but there's NO WAY I would have ever adopted a puppy. Too much work.

 

We adopted a 2-year-old dog who was in a foster home. We knew most of his background (adopted by college kids who were unable to handle the responsibility), and knew how he would act in a home environment.

 

He's okay, though I could totally do without him walking up to me and farting. Or opening doors. 

[myfunnybunch]

I do not admit this often, even to my family, but it's only okay.

 

I like my dog. He's a sweetheart and mostly well-behaved.

I like that my kids love having a dog. I think kids should grow up with a dog if possible.

I like that my husband enjoys the dog.

I like that he helps clean the kitchen floor. ;)

I like that he loves me and follows me around and wants to sleep (ETA: on the floor) on my side of the bed because I'm the momma.

 

The poop doesn't bother me, and the constant dog hair only bothers me a little.

 

BUT....It's trying to figure out what to do with him when we travel, and feeling bad on the rare occasions that we're gone all day, and the hassle of taking him along with us and minding him when we go camping or hiking, and letting him in and out and in and out and in and out all day. I feel terrible that I don't just love him enough that it's part and parcel of my enjoyment of him--I mean, the kids are kind of a hassle too but I take them out regularly. :p I feel bad because I don't adore him the way most dog lovers seem to adore their dogs. I don't want another dog after he's finally gone, and I actually look forward to not having a dog someday.

 

Sigh....I feel like a terrible dog owner.

 

Cat

[RoughCollie]

I love having a dog, and I'm working on adding another one to our family.

 

I will never have a puppy again, though.

[trulycrabby]

One I love, the other I am not crazy about but I adopted her so she is mine. :)

 

The silky terrier is smart,funny, sweet-natured, and trainable. The Chi Pin can be sweet, but does not like children and has to be put in her cage whenever kids come over (daily). She also cannot seem to ever be completely house trained, so I limit her to the rooms with hard-wood floors and take her outside every hour. The vet has checked, the dog just seems to have an undersized bladder and oversized colon. :o. :ack2:

 

No Puppies Ever Again!!!!!!!! :ack2: :ack2:

[sassenach]

I like our dogs, love them even, but I could definitely live without them.  Dh is the dog instigator in our family.  After this batch of dogs (we have a 4 year old and an 8 year old), I will probably be done with dog ownership. 

[sassenach]

I do not admit this often, even to my family, but it's only okay.

 

I like my dog. He's a sweetheart and mostly well-behaved.

I like that my kids love having a dog. I think kids should grow up with a dog if possible.

I like that my husband enjoys the dog.

I like that he helps clean the kitchen floor. ;)

I like that he loves me and follows me around and wants to sleep on my side of the bed because I'm the momma.

 

The poop doesn't bother me, and the constant dog hair only bothers me a little.

 

BUT....It's trying to figure out what to do with him when we travel, and feeling bad on the rare occasions that we're gone all day, and the hassle of taking him along with us and minding him when we go camping or hiking. and letting him in and out and in and out and in and out all day. I feel terrible that I don't just love him enough that it's part and parcel of my enjoyment of him--I mean, the kids are kind of a hassle too but I take them out regularly. :p I feel bad because I don't adore him the way most dog lovers seem to adore their dogs. I don't want another dog after he's finally gone, and I actually look forward to not having a dog someday.

 

Sigh....I feel like a terrible dog owner.

 

Cat

Totally.  Except the first line and the last line. I've said this to my family, and I don't feel like a terrible dog owner.  Oh, and I hate the shedding.

[stephanier.1765]

I adore my dog. She is, aside from my family members, my best friend and closest companion. I don't mind the responsibility of caring for her at all

 

All in all, my life has been so enriched by having her that all of the above are really insignificant in comparison.

 

That sums up how I feel too. I would be lost without my dog. She is my constant companion and without her there would be a big hole in my life. 

 

To keep the fleas at bay, I use a flea comb on her every night. We both hate it. But to make our lives and hers more enjoyable, it is worth working that comb through all that hair.

 

I do love that dog! And the cats despite the litter boxes.

[rmtzc2009]

In the past I have enjoyed a dog. An older and mature dog. She passed & then DH got a 3 month old puppy. I too have 3 kids with 1 on the way. DH isn't home to train the puppy & she has a lot of bad habits forming. I'm to tired & sick to put in training & my kids get the puppy all hyped up. So currently, no, I do not enjoy having a dog.

[Pawz4me]

There's a very good reason that Pawz (variant spelling of paws) is the main part of my user name.

 

And I think that's all I need to say. :laugh:

[edelweiss]

I've always had dogs.  I was raised with them (my mom showed them) and, aside from college, I have always lived in a house with dogs.  When DH and I got married, we bought a puppy and had her until she died at age 14.  Now we have two dogs (ages 2 and 4).  They are wonderful and my girls love them, but there are definite drawbacks to having dogs.  They are a lot of work.  We believe that once a dog becomes a part of our family, it is our responsibility to care for them for the rest of their lives.  So, we will do that.  But DH and I agreed that once these two pass away, we are done with dogs.  I never, ever thought that I would feel that way, but I am looking forward to the day when we don't need to care for the dogs anymore.  I think that we will really like being pet-free.

[linders]

Adore my dog. Actually, Charlie is the third dog of my adult life, and I've adored all of them. All were medium-sized (50-65 pounds) dogs rescued from the pound. They are great walking companions, warm bodies on otherwise bleak nights, wagging tails every time I walk in, heartwarming, etc.

 

Give yours time. The first year can be hard with larger dogs and their energy. Focus on very consistent training. It doesn't have to be a lot of time each day, but for example, every single time the dog jumps on a person or gets on or into a place you don't want him, correct him. Every.single. time.

[dirty ethel rackham]

We have a dog. He just turned 6 months old. He's a Lab/Mastiff/Weimaraner mix. I truly do like having him, beautiful dog, mostly well behaved (he's a puppy), but I've been feeling so burnt out on the responsibility. I think dogs are great, but I'm just not a dog lover at heart I guess.

 

I feel bad for feeling this way. DH is the one who really wanted a dog, and he's definitely DH's dog, but I'm the one home all day with him and our 3 kids (pregnant with #4 coming this fall)!

 

Do you like having a dog? Do you mind the responsibility?

 

I get where you are coming from.  I love our dog ... he is so darn cute and sweet.  But, he wore me out in the beginning.  He needed long walks - not so much a problem, but I lost my exercise partner over that because he was too sniffy and stopped too often, slowing her down.  He needed lots of mental stimulation and lots of supervision.  It was like having a toddler in the house again.  But, after several sessions of dog training classes and he matured a little, he became less of a handful.  Now, he mostly a joy to have around.  That said, he is really my dog.  I am the one he follows around.  My kids are older and we do share responsibility, but ultimately, it comes down to me. 

 

[Alicia64]

Yes, I love having a dog. I'd love two, but our rental house won't allow it.

 

At six months you're in the worst of it. Six month old puppies are h-e-double-hockey-sticks. They're so difficult -- like I have to tell you. Please keep reminding yourself: this will get easier, this will get easier, this will get easier.

 

We adopted a two year old German shepherd dog that the military rejected. We thought he'd be trained. He wasn't even potty trained --  had never been in a house before.

 

Here's some suggestions:

 

1) Take bones he's chewed on and cover both ends in peanut butter and maybe some of his crunchy kibble. Wrap each end in saran wrap. Put in freezer to create bone-peanut butter popsicles. Hand them to him when he's really annoying you. The fact that it's all frozen should help a lot to distract him for awhile.

 

2) Buy a "chuck it" toy at Petco and get tennis balls and "chore" the kids with taking him in the backyard and throwing the ball for him once or twice a day. It does triple duty: gives the kids some exercise, gives you a break, gives puppy a workout. Tiring him out is your friend.

 

3) Get DH to take him to training classes. One or two classes won't do it. He needs to be in training for at least the next four or five years to really produce a seriously well trained -- non-annoying -- dog.

 

4) Ask DH to give him a super long walk in the a.m. before he leaves for work and a second super long walk after work. Again, it'll give you a break from the puppy, give the puppy some exercise and DH will get a work out too. The less you're around the puppy -- the more you'll like him.

 

5) If you can afford it -- ha! -- and there's a close by "doggie daycare" that's genuinely a good place and not creepy to the dogs. . . ask DH if he'll drop the puppy there once a week or even twice a month and pick up at the end of the day. Again, you get a break and the dog gets stimulation and exercise. Very worth it.

 

6) Buy a couple of "puzzle bowls" like these to give him something to do rather than just inhale his food:  http://www.slo-bowls.com/index.html  The bowl in the picture is the one I use w/ my dog.

 

7) I'd also recommend buying a Kong: pack it with his dog food and stop it up with peanut butter. Freeze. Hand out when he's bugging you. Anything that you can hand him to get him to give you a break will be worth while. I've heard nothing but bad about raw hide. There's also a bone called a bully stick. (Bully Sticks are one of the most popular dog chews today and my favorite. Not cheap, but it'll give you a break from the puppy.)

 

8) I was taught "make him work for everything." In other words, he wants his dog food? Make him sit. He wants to go outside? Make him sit and stay first and so on. Don't give him anything without first asking for a behavior.

 

9) Also dogs can be taught "gentle." Hand him a treat and when he goes to snap it out of your hands, pull your hand back and with a loving voice say, "gentle, gentle." When he snaps, pull back again. Repeat, "gentle, gentle." He'll get it because he wants that treat. Dogs don't generalize well but you can use the "gentle" command (with a sweet voice) when he's too rough w/ a stuffed animal or your kids. It's a great command.

 

10) The "leave it" command is also very easy and quick to teach. Just Google and You Tube how to do it. Dogs pick it up fast.

 

The worst thing you and DH can do is just back off from him and the work at this stage, not train the puppy and relegate him to the backyard.

 

You have a very intelligent dog on your hands. The mix is a smart and very, very loving dog -- with training and tiring him out through exercise, you can make this work.

 

Around age 3 he'll really start to mellow. Even sooner w/ good training.

 

But, I'm sorry, this is a tough stage he's in. Anything you can do -- other than ignoring him -- would be worthwhile to your state of mind. I'd recommend spending the money on daycare, bully sticks etc.

 

Good luck,

 

Alley

[mommymilkies]

Honestly...not really.  I like big dogs (terrified of little ones).  But I'm a cat person.  I am happy we saved our dog from an untimely death, but I just don't enjoy dog ownership like many of my friends.  They slobber, their poo is a big deal to clean up, they bark non-freaking-stop, and I'm just not an enthusiastic active extrovert type like many of my dog owning friends.  Oh, and it makes travel a huge pain.  For my cats, if we're unexpectedly out too late, they're cool.  If I travel, I leave them resources and they're more than happy to see us gone.  The dog?  I have nobody to dog sit/walk her, and she's a pain to walk, anyway, so there are few I'd punish with that.  And hotels that take dogs are way expensive or gross. I want something that will just curl up next to me while I'm lazy or walk beside me on a hike without dragging me through the woods after a squirrel.  Even after 8 years, our lab/bc mix still hasn't outgrown that. And yes, she's been in dog training classes.  Thank goodness for the Gentle Leader. 

[kitten18]

I do like having dogs, our dogs are 5 (golden retriever) and 7ish (chihuahua).

 

 

I really didn't like the golden from the time he was about 4 months until he was almost 2 years old. :(

[marbel]

I'm glad we got a dog.  My daughter was afraid of dogs before we got ours, and now she is not.  My kids have a casual dog care job in the neighborhood.  That would never have happened if we did not have our own.

 

There are two parts I dislike:

 

1. Walking our dog is not fun if another dog comes along down the street.  We have not been able to train him out of barking madly at the dog. The vet says he is scared, but it looks like aggression.   This is resolved by spending more time playing with him in the back yard instead of walking him.   We can never take him to the dog park or to doggie day care though. 

 

2. Traveling or even going away for the day is difficult.  We have to kennel him and dropping him off is traumatic because he cowers and shakes in fear, till they lead him away and he can't see us anymore. Then his head and tail go up and he seems to be fine.  It's also expensive. We used to have someone to come in and spend time with him when we wanted to take a day trip, but he moved and we haven't found anyone else who will come visit our high-energy dog.

 

I sure do love how he runs to greet us when we come home, and how snuggly he is with my daughter. He can be a lot of fun and he's just lovable.  I don't mind sweeping up the hair, or feeding him, etc.

 

So, I don't know.  I know I will miss him when he is gone, but I am not sure I'll rush to get another dog.  

[Rebecca in KY]

I guess I'm an oddball. I do not like having dogs and would be happy if we never had one ever again. This is partly because I'm allergic to them and can't pet them, but it's mostly the hassle. DH and DS convinced me to get a dog when we bought our first house with many promises of taking care of her and that I wouldn't have to...yeah, right.

 

So we ended up with an outside dog (the allergies) in Texas where it's blistering hot 5-6 months out of the year. I felt terrible that she was stuck outside all day, every day, by herself...but I couldn't get son or hubby to spend any amount of time with her because it was too hot for them! In addition, she chewed EVERYTHING, even my wooden adirondack chair! I know it was probably because she was bored, but what could I do? If she came inside, I got sick.

 

Anyway, when we moved to KY, we decided we couldn't keep her. It's way too cold here in the winters--this past winter we had multiple days that didn't get over 20. If it was cruel to keep her outside in the heat, how much worse in the freezing cold? It was such a relief to be free of a responsibility that we were really poorly equipped to meet.

 

The boys are campaigning again...a small, allergy-free, indoor dog. I'm holding out against it...I keep telling myself DON'T.GIVE.IN. Do NOT feel guilty! We are NOT dog people!

[I talk to the trees]

 

 

6) Buy a couple of "puzzle bowls" like these to give him something to do rather than just inhale his food:  http://www.slo-bowls.com/index.html  The bowl in the picture is the one I use w/ my dog.

 

 

 

 

Oh.My.Goodness. Slo-bowls, where have you been all my life? Off to order three of these little beauties! Thank you so much for sharing!

[MiMi 4under3]

We LOVE our dogs.   :001_wub: 

 

They sleep in our beds, eat our food - they're a part of the family.

 

The responsibilities do stink. Vacuuming black fur off of a white floor every single day, picking up poop in the yard, expensive vet visits, $$$ electric fence.

 

But I don't mind any more than I mind cleaning up if my kids vomit, track mud in the house on their shoes, or make a mess in the kitchen. I don't like doing these things but they come with the territory, and are done out of love.

 

 

[Joanne]

No, but my situation is unique. I might have landed in a different place on the canine enjoyment scale if life had played out differently.

[milovany]

Do you like having a dog?

 

Nope. 

 

[Alicia64]

Oh.My.Goodness. Slo-bowls, where have you been all my life? Off to order three of these little beauties! Thank you so much for sharing!

 

Having three or four is a fabulous idea -- so they don't get bored.

[I talk to the trees]

Having three or four is a fabulous idea -- so they don't get bored.

 

Well, I have three shelties who can suck up kibble faster than my Electrolux, so I figure if I buy three different styles and rotate them, no one will have the chance to get bored!

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

I love my dog. He's like a child to me. He's much better behaved and shows his love for me way more than my people children.

[TammyinTN]

I love having Ella Bella.  We got her when we first moved to Germany.  I've had her 6 years and she's been such a good companion for me.  When dh was gone in the first winter in Germany I felt so safe with here there.   When he deployed for a year, she slept right beside my bed every night.  She's super protective of our family.  I don't mind the baths, vacuuming each day due to hair or even the yard duty...she's just another member of the family to me. 

[Critterfixer]

I have four. Indoor, big dogs. I truly love one of them. One of them drives me bonkers and gets called names. One is nuttier than dog number two and younger, but hilarious. The fourth adores me, and we go around in circles as to whether she gets the best of me, or I pull one over on her. 

They are a lot of work.

None of them are big barkers, thank goodness.

They love my kids.

My wood floors will never be the same.

One of them chewed a hole in the sheet rock and nobody is talking.

 

So yes, I love my dogs, but they are a lot of work, a lot of responsibility, and you can surely have personality clashes. That said, I will miss my dogs when they pass on, and the one I love is probably going to go first as he is the oldest and already has health problems. 

[Berta]

I adore my dog. She is, aside from my family members, my best friend and closest companion. I don't mind the responsibility of caring for her at all, but, then I don't have 3.5 kids, too.

 

The only issues I have are:

 

- The dog does not get along with one of our cats. It's really best if they are not in the same room at the same time. Sometimes, the cat hangs out in the living room, where he likes to sit on my husband or my son. So, if we all want to watch a movie or play a game together in the living room, it requires pet diplomacy (and putting the dog on her leash) to make that happen.

 

- I feel guilty when I leave her, and I miss her, too. It's less fun for me to go on vacations because I know she's unhappy at the kennel. (She sometimes refuses to eat when we board her, unless one of the women who works there feeds her one piece of kibble at a time by hand.) We're tried doing dog-friendly getaways, but those have their challenges, too. So, I do board her when necessary and enjoy my time with the rest of the family, but I won't deny it dampens my enthusiasm for vacations just a bit.

 

- I'm not crazy about cleaning up after her in the yard, but that is, truly, a very minor irritation. I dislike cleaning the cats' litter boxes much more.

 

All in all, my life has been so enriched by having her that all of the above are really insignificant in comparison.

 

 

I can't imagine life without a dog. My dogs have seen me through my darkest hour when I completely lost faith in humanity. Yes, there is a lot of responsibility involved, and yes, sometimes there are large costs as well. But it is all worth it, IMO. (Well, almost...I can't say that I don't utter a few four letter words when I have to clean up...how to put it nicely?...recycled poop.  :ack2:  But that doesn't happen very often, and when it does, it's usually my fault for forgetting to scoop the yard.)

 

 

We LOVE our dogs.   :001_wub:

 

They sleep in our beds, eat our food - they're a part of the family.

 

The responsibilities do stink. Vacuuming black fur off of a white floor every single day, picking up poop in the yard, expensive vet visits, $$$ electric fence.

 

But I don't mind any more than I mind cleaning up if my kids vomit, track mud in the house on their shoes, or make a mess in the kitchen. I don't like doing these things but they come with the territory, and are done out of love.

 

 

Ditto to all of the above. We have 2 dogs and my neighbors big dog is here all day so I consider him to be our 3rd. We always had 3-4 dogs when I was growing up. I will never NOT have dogs. When I met my DH he saw pictures of my dogs before he saw pictures of my kids. 

[Liz CA]

I am one of those oddballs who cannot imagine life without a dog. See my avatar.

Yes, they are work. I grumble now and then and admonish him to keep his hair to himself, however, there is something peaceful and right with the world when I can pet this humonguous head or take him on a walk. Also, you can tell a dog everything and he / she will never repeat it to anyone else. This alone is a most endearing trait!

 

Having said all that, it sounds like the dog was your dh's idea and you are tired with child rearing and pregnancy. If I were in your position I would be a little overwhelmed too. Are any of your kids old enough to feed the pup with supervision? Can he go out into a safe area without someone having to watch him? I would leave it to dh to do some training since you have other issues to take care of right now. You can really enjoy a trained dog much more and it's mentally healthy for a dog to be taught basic manners. He realizes that improved behavior pleases "his people" and this makes most dogs happy, not to mention the praise and a treat now and then.

 

Perhaps the timing was not so good with the imminent birth of a baby but do you think you will eventually enjoy the canine or are you more of a hamster, gerbil, cat, fill in the blanks, person?

[DawnM]

We love having dogs.

 

We have had 3 dogs in our marriage.  We have adopted all 3 after they have been house broken though.  It really helps.

 

 

[Ewe Mama]

It depends on which dog. We have three.

 

My dog passed away in 2013. She was my first baby and my best friend. I was inconsolable when she died at age 13.

 

Sheep Daddy always wanted a chihuahua. I did not, especially with five young children in the house. Sheep Daddy brought her home two days before Christmas a couple years ago. She snarls at the kids when the mood strikes her. She is so tiny at 2.5 lbs, that she crawls under the furniture to do her business, no matter how frequently we take her outside. We live in NE Ohio, so winters are long and cold. Chihuahuas do not like going outside in the winter. All that said, she adopted me as her person. I do not like her, but she adores me. She was supposed to be Sheep Daddy's dog, but I'm stuck with her.

 

Following my dog's death, Sheep Daddy decided that the boys needed a big dog to roam around with, so off we went to the APL. The kids fell in love with a big, dopey black lab who has a heart of gold. I like her very much. Except for all the shedding, and the rain/thunder phobia, and the mud she tracks in after wading in our pond, and the fact that she is a total couch potato who pretty much has no energy and no desire to play. She is a very sweet dog, but she is not my dog.

 

After seeing me weeping and moping following my dog's death, Sheep Daddy and the kiddos decided to surprise me with a puppy of the same breed as my beloved dog. I was not consulted. They brought home a four month old male puppy who had spent his entire life in a tank at a pet store. He is adorable, but dumber than a box of rocks. It has been impossible to housebreak him and he is very independent and stubborn. He has a very happy demeanor, but he will stand there smiling at you while he pees on the floor 15 seconds after coming indoors after being outdoors for a half an hour. He just doesn't get it.

He is not my dog, either. I let Faith have him.

 

I will get a dog of my own choosing some day. It may not happen until all the others die of old age, but I will find my doggie dearest who warms my heart and soul. I just have to get Sheep Daddy to stop bringing home dogs in the meantime.

 

I love dogs. I am a dog person, but I know that there are right dogs and wrong dogs for every family. We have a trio of wrong dogs, but we love and care for them because we have taken on the responsibility of making them members of our family.

[J-rap]

I am absolutely a dog lover.  I love, love, love having a dog.  I do not have one right now, and it leaves a big hole.  I will get one again someday, but the time isn't right now.

 

I expected all of my children to be dog lovers since I am.  Two of them are.  Two out of five.  You are either a big dog lover, or you aren't. 

 

They can be a lot of work (especially if you are family often on the go), but to ME, they are worth every bit of it.  If you're not a dog lover, the extra work can really be a headache.

[Cammie]

Sometimes the board mirrors my real life in a scary way!

 

I have a lab.  She is about 4 now and a lovely animal.  She is sweet and beautiful and just wants love.

 

She was NOT always like that.  She is lucky she is still with us, because from puppy stage until about 3 she was a total terror.  Aggressive, sharp teeth, difficult.  I remember being cornered in my own kitchen once when she was about 1 and being really scared.

 

This week I had a visit from a neighbor that has a lab puppy.  The woman was totally depressed.  Thought something was wrong with the dog...because it was acting like a typical lab pup!  I shared my story and I think she felt better that she was not alone and nothing was wrong with the dog...I don't think she expected to hear that this behavior lasts a few years.

[acsnmama]

Thanks for the stories everyone!

 

He was 5 or 6 weeks when we adopted him in January. I trained him like crazy, and yes, most of the responsibility was on me. We took him to puppy classes around 3 months old, and he did great overall, he knew nearly everything already, but helped socialize him. He was neutered at nearly 5 months old. For about 2 weeks before that he was being mean to ME. When I would correct him, he would throw a fit, literally. Barking and snapping at me, plus nipping at my kids heels or chasing them chewing on their shoes. He was being a complete brat. I started really disliking him at that time. He was neutered and within a week he quit acting that way. It's like night and day!! I'm still thinking about taking him to another round of classes though (next level up).

 

The problem is, it's hot here, 90-100 and humid! I don't feel like walking him, especially with the kids, my youngest doesn't last long before he wants to be carried! My kids do feed him (my 3 yr old always gives him bonus food, lol), my oldest cleans up poop, and they take turns letting him out during the day. However, it's the playing with him and walks. The kids think he's so cute, but until recently, we had to beg them to play with him.

 

I don't like having people over because he mauls them with kisses and follows them everywhere. He jumps on them too, but he never jumps on us, so getting him to quit jumping on others has been really hard as he doesn't do it often enough to get a clue on his correction. He's over 50 lbs now, so he needs to stop! Thankfully he's not a barker because he does bark, he sounds more like a 100+ pound dog!

 

DH hasn't been walking him as often because he has had knee troubles that have been flaring up in the last 2 months, he's waiting on getting surgery scheduled, in the mean time, he may only get 1 walk (in a day) and sometimes skip walking a day or 2 entirely. We try to get him some extra play time chasing balls and frisbees in the back yard.