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How many dogs do you have currently? 

 

 

What breed? 

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them? 

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 

 

 

What do you love about having a dog? 

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? 

 

 

Will you always have a dog?  

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?

 

 

Why do you have a dog? 

 

 

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How many dogs do you have currently?  One.


 


 


What breed?  Random mixed breed medium sized dog.  I've had people mention border collie, husky, some dog that doesn't bark, and about 5 other breeds as possible mixes.  We might do testing one day if we can find the money.


 


 


What brand of food do you feed them?  The kind she was eating when she came to us from the rescue, which is not top quality by any means, but seems to be fine for her.


 


 


How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? We've only had her for 6 months and so far she's not that expensive - food, getting nails trimmed, licensing.  She won't play with toys so we gave up on those after a few.


 


 


How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog?  We tend to travel without a partner so the kids and I will go away and leave DH with the dog and then DH will go somewhere solo and leave us with the dog.  If we both go to our place in the country, we bring the dog.  Longer trips - not sure - our friends have offered to dog sit as she is the sweetest thing and they love her.


 


 


What do you love about having a dog?  Forces me to go outside and walk twice a day, since she will only do her business on walks and they need to be semi-lengthy.


 


 


What do you hate about having a dog? Forces me to go outside and walk twice a day, since she will only do her business on walks and they need to be semi-lengthy.


 


 


Will you always have a dog?  Not sure.  I personally wasn't a dog person but she's a great dog.  I'm not sure we'd ever be able to find such a great dog again - she may have ruined dogs for us.


 


 


How many dogs have you had in your life?  This is it - first one.  We've always been - and still are - cat people.  She's actually a remarkably cat like dog, perhaps that's why we get along so well.


 


 


Why do you have a dog? DH wanted her.  (In fact, I've realized that when it comes to animals we have had, 90% of them are here because of a story that begins "DH saw animal x and fell in love or DH came across animal y and couldn't say no or some such thing.)


 


Edited by Raifta
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How many dogs do you have currently?  One


 


What breed?  Shih Tzu


 


What brand of food do you feed them?  Mostly home-cooked. "Crap from a can" (various brands) when I'm lazy.


 


How much do you think you spend on your dog every year?  I have no idea. And as I told DH once early in our relationship when he asked that question "No. And I don't care." He's a smart guy and he understood he better not ever ask that again. ;)  We do budget for routine vet expenses (annual well check, flea and heart worm preventatives) and a couple of sick visits a year.


 


How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? We bought an RV about ten years ago and one of the main reasons was so the dogs (we had two at the time) could travel with us. Unless we were going overseas I doubt we'd ever leave the dog behind. The main reason we have just one small dog now is that it's easier to travel with him than with multiple larger dogs. 


 


What do you love about having a dog?  Companionship and unconditional, non-judging love.


 


What do you hate about having a dog? I used to hate the shedding but I took care of that with the current dog. So . . . nothing.


 


Will you always have a dog?  As long as I'm able.


 


How many dogs have you had in your life? Dogs of my own as an adult -- eight. And a lot of fosters.


 


Why do you have a dog? They make my life happier.


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How many dogs do you have currently? 1

What breed? Golden Retriever

What brand of food do you feed them? Iams. We tried the fancy grain free stuff, but he had the worst gas on the multiple brands we tried.

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? Way more than the cats. Between all the vaccinations, the preventative medications, and grooming it's a lot.

 

How often do you leave them to travel? Or do you travel with your dog? Three times a year. He's a wuss at the kennel so we pay a pet sitter.

 

What do you love about having a dog? It makes my dh happy.

 

What do you hate about having a dog? So much more work, money, and hassle compared to cats.

 

Will you always have a dog? I hope not.

 

How many dogs have you had in your life? Including childhood dogs, 4

 

Why do you have a dog? Dh wanted one.

Edited by mamaraby
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How many dogs do you have currently? One


 


 


What breed? A corgi


 


 


What brand of food do you feed them? purina one, the one with salmon. She ate that at the breeders, so we never changed.


 


 


How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? Depends on travel, maybe $200-$300


 


 


How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? We do not travel with the dog. Usually, someone is home or we hire a friend to dog sit.


 


 


What do you love about having a dog? They are such a great extra presence in the house.


 


 


What do you hate about having a dog? Cleaning up the yard


 


 


Will you always have a dog?  Yes


 


 


How many dogs have you had in your life? 4


 


 


Why do you have a dog? Because dogs are the greatest gift God ever gave to man. They make us better people.


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How many dogs do you have currently? 


1


 


What breed? 


Chihuahua mix


 


What brand of food do you feed them? 


Purina Beyond b/c it's the only thing that he's willing to eat that actually agrees with his tummy.


 


How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 


+/- $1,000


 


How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 


He comes with us.  When we had our 2 big dogs, we'd leave them once a year or two.


 


What do you love about having a dog? 


Right now, just that he's cute. My daughter has spoiled him and he's rather annoying these days.


With my big, scary guys, I felt very safe.


 


What do you hate about having a dog? 


Poop.


 


Will you always have a dog?  


Undecided.  I have, however, banned cats once my 11yo cat leaves us.  The puppy is only 2, so we probably have a decade + ahead of us.


 


How many dogs have you had in your life?


3


 


Why do you have a dog? 


Because I'm a sucker.


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How many dogs do you have currently? 

 

Three, which in our case means a 1:1 ratio of dogs:humans.   :001_smile: 

 

 

What breed? 

 

One whippet, one American Eskimo, and one chihuahua/dachshund/terrier mix.  Whippets, by the way, are the best.   :001_smile:

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them? 

 

Mostly Costco's brand, but we also throw in some high quality food from a local butcher's shop.

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 

 

I've never added it up.  In maintenance only years (routine vet visits) it's not that much.  In years when the whippet's delicate skin gets torn and needs stitches, or the Eskie develops several rotten teeth that have to be pulled, or the chihuahua breaks her foot or tears her ACL, it's definitely more!

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 

 

I love my dogs, but I HATE traveling with them.  We hire a house/dog sitter, once or twice a year.

 

 

What do you love about having a dog? 

 

Dogs love unconditionally, and they are always happy.  They're good role models!  :D  I love the way they are so happy to see us when we come home - whether we've been gone a week or 15 minutes, it's like a party.  Something as simple as a walk around the block is all it takes to make them giddy.  I love that when I sit down to read a book or watch tv, there's always a dog that wants to curl up in my lap and cuddle with me.  Their joyfulness is contagious and their affection is heart-warming.

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? 

 

Hair.  Everywhere there is hair.  Every surface of my house, every article of clothing.  I cannot do enough vacuuming and dusting to keep up with it.

 

 

Will you always have a dog?  

 

Absolutely.  If for some reason I ever made up my mind not to have one, that would be gone the instant I happened to walk by a dog adoption event.

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?

 

Two in childhood, two in my earlier adult life who have passed away, and the three that we currently have.

 

 

Why do you have a dog? 

 

For us, dogs are one of the things that make a house a home.

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How many dogs do you have currently? 


One


 


What breed? 


Carolina Dog AKA American Dingo (most fascinating breed we've had yet)


 


What brand of food do you feed them? 


4Health


 


How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 


Haven't got a clue. Mostly just for dog food and routine shots. We make our own dog toys for her. 


 


How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 


We hardly ever go anywhere where we need to board her.  Maybe, on average, once a year.


 


What do you love about having a dog? 


Their companionship and unconditional love, and they are usually always in a happy mood which can lift our moods when having a bad day. They are also a great deter-ant to someone wanting to break into your house, or as protection for myself & DD when walking the wooded trails around our neighborhood.


 


What do you hate about having a dog? 


There's really nothing I hate about having a dog, but the biggest annoyance, I guess, is shedding hair.  We usually get rescue dogs or pound puppies, so we're never looking for specific breeds of non-shedding dogs.  


 


Will you always have a dog?  


Absolutely; as long as we are able. This was a prerequisite to my DH before I married him (as well as a cat)!


 


How many dogs have you had in your life?


Since I was born, and I'm now 53, so lots.  I still remember their names, what they looked like, and each of their personalities.


 


Why do you have a dog? 


See "What do you love about having a dog?" above.


Edited by Saddlemomma2
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One dog. A Vizsla (Hungarian Pointer). Lean, well-muscled, and athletic. Fast!

 

He eats a balanced Prey Model Raw diet from diverse whole animal sources that I put together. No carbohydrates. No commercial food.

 

Knock wood, expenses have been low. Food runs about $60 a month. Vet bills have been limited to the basics.

 

Chester is like family. 

 

Bill

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How many dogs do you have currently? 


     One


 


What breed? 


     Doberman Pinscher


 


What brand of food do you feed them? 


     Taste of the Wild


 


How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 


     Less than $100 per month for food and treats, plus yearly vet stuff and heartworm pills.


 


How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 


     We have never left him before, but are planning a trip this summer. I'd like to take him with us, but he's a big dog who needs lots of exercise, so we'll probably board him. 


 


What do you love about having a dog? 


     They're lots of fun and provide unconditional love and companionship.


 


What do you hate about having a dog? 


     Chewing!! Our current dog likes to chew everything! He cannot be left alone for more than 5 minutes. 


 


Will you always have a dog?  


     Probably


 


How many dogs have you had in your life?


     Four 


 


Why do you have a dog? 


     Because I love them and they make me happy. 


 


 


Edited by Vintage81
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How many dogs do you have currently?  I have one.

 

 

What breed?  Dachshund

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them?  A Taste of the Wild dry

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? Gosh I don't know. He gets an annual checkup, lab work, and any shots he needs. He also gets chiropractic treatment every other month. I have Petco grind his nails every two weeks. He's on a dental chew that costs $25 per month. And he's on flea and heart worm meds. I bet I spend a fortune on him.

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? We have a kennel that our vet recommends that we have had nothing but positive experiences. We go out of state once a year and board him for 6 or 7 days.

 

 

What do you love about having a dog?  He's so affectionate. I've had affectionate cats but this dog is way moreso than I've ever had experience with.

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? I wish he would do his business in the yard, but ever since our last dog died, he rarely goes out in the yard. He goes on the deck and I have to keep it cleaned.

 

 

Will you always have a dog?  No, my DH is a cat person. He really misses having cats. I think he'd prefer to keep our dog until he dies and then go back to cats. I'm trying to talk him into getting another dog. I really want another dachshund.

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life? I had two when I was a super young child so I had no responsibility for them. I had one when I was a teenager that I had full responsibility for and didn't follow through. My mom gave him away. I've had two dogs as an adult and lost one last November.

 

 

Why do you have a dog? I just wanted one. DH and I had only had cats and I wanted to try a dog. My first dog wasn't as affectionate as I had wanted so a few years after we got her, we got another who is a lap dog.

 

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How many dogs do you have currently? One and he is dying from metastatic cancer that is in his lungs and liver and who knows where else.  He is doing very well though and living much longer than we expected.


 


 


What breed? looks like a corgi/poodle mix.  Has poodle hair and corgi shaped body and basic size.  


 


 


What brand of food do you feed them? Natural Balance duck and potato canned food supplemented with small amount of Natural Balance potato and duck dry food.  He is allergic to so many foods that this is one of the few pet foods he can actually eat.


 


 


How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? Don't calculate.  Over a thousand, I am sure since we do board, his food is more expensive than cheap brands, and he had to have xrays and ultrasounds to diagnose his cancer.


 


 


How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? We board our dog.  When we travel we are usually going to places where dogs aren't allowed- like museums and restaurants and I don't see the benefit of him hanging out in a crate in my hotel room when I am gone almost all day.  Also, he is too big to fly in the cabin so he would have to fly cargo.  Altogether, it is much more humane to leave him at the nice kennels at our vets where he likes the people who care for him and he has more room than in his crate that we own.


 


 


What do you love about having a dog? He is not only a companion but he is a great watch dog and I really appreciate that.  Especially at this point in my life when I am home alone a great deal of the time.


 


 


What do you hate about having a dog?  I don't like dealing with dog elimination issues- picking up poop, making him go to other areas of the yard not to kill plants, etc.


 


 


Will you always have a dog?  As long as I am able to care for one and also as soon as I can find another poodle or poodle mix after this one dies.


 


 


How many dogs have you had in your life? Only had one as adult after my son was born.  I think 8 plus foster dogs we have kept.


 


 


Why do you have a dog? He is a watch dog and a companion.  One of my previous poodle/mix dog twice protected me or us- once when he took a very serious dislike of a worker sent to our house to repair something (and he never before or after that every acted the same way with any other workers or visitors to our house so I am sure there was something not good about that worker- I held him and was ready to throw him at the worker if he attacked me or the kids) and another time when he started growling at night and running around when we were living in an area with frequent robberies and those robbers would escape into the golf course next to our house or potentially into our neighborhood (this was a military base next to a commercial district).


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This is our current pup, Zoey, our Carolina Dog (a breed also known as an American Dingo).  She's now 2.post-61834-0-36294900-1487692781_thumb.jpg post-61834-0-48448100-1487692821_thumb.jpg post-61834-0-60286600-1487692899_thumb.jpg

 

I'd never known about this breed until we adopted her.  The rescue claimed she was a GSD/Great Pyr.  I knew this couldn't be right because of her small size at 4mos. when we got her.  I also knew she wasn't a huskey because we always had one in our house while I was growing up. However, I was sure she was of Asian descent rather than European because of her eyes and face.

 

I started researching but couldn't quite find a mixture of breeds that might fit.  Finally, I came across a site that asked the question, "Does your dog look like an Austrailan Dingo? If so, you have a CD!"  I had no clue, so I looked up dingoes, and, BINGO!  Zoey looks exactly like a dingo.  Then I started researching CDs.  Sure enough, she has almost all the markers.  About the only thing she doesn't do is cover her scat like a cat.  Other than that, she does do the following traits for CDs:

  • She has the physical characteristics: deep chest, coloration, almond-shaped eyes, widow's peak, mask, hook-shaped tail.
  • Digs snout pits (in fact, she dug 12 of them just outside the door of my greenhouse while I was inside puttering. Imagine my surprise when I walked out to find all those little holes!)
  • High prey drive.  She has a nose on her that won't quit, she uses it.  She hunts rabbits with DH.  We never had to train her at all.  She goes out with him, tracks the rabbits, will flush them, and chase them back to DH--all naturally.  She has even caught them herself.  She will kill them and bring them back to DH.  Along with the cat, she helps control the population of rodents to a minimum in our fields and gardens rodent pests.  Now that she's older (2), her main occupation while outside is hunting.
  • Sight hunter as well.  This girl will chase anything that moves: snowballs rolling down our snowbanks, grasshoppers (great snack for her), toddlers running (thankfully, she just chases after them and doesn't bowl them over or jump on them).
  • Silent while hunting. We literally cannot hear her going through the woods, even with her collar on.  The only thing we can hear is the occasional whisper of her blaze-orange nylon dog vest scraping against branches. Many CD owners put bells on their dogs.  We tried to do that with Zoey, but she refused to move once it was on.  We had to take it off.
  • Leary of non family strangers.  She will accept and be friendly towards strangers if we act accordingly, but she's not overly so.  She will not let absolute strangers near enough to touch her.
  • Extremely intelligent.  You only have to show this girl something once.  Like dingoes, she's a spatial thinker and can figure out problems.  For this reason and the high prey-drive thing, these dogs need to be trained very well.
  • FAST: DH saw her chase down a rabbit on the unencumbered trail and kill it. They are supposed to be able to run up to 30mph.
  • Jumpers! She can be at a standstill and jump up to 4'.  We've seen it.  We had to train her not to jump over our fence.
  • Highly energetic: These dogs need lots of exercise.  DH walks around the perimeter of our 50 acres each morning with her: rain, snow, whatever. She goes with us when snowshoeing, skiing, walking, hunting. She has free reign of the property when we are outside with her because she has been trained. Otherwise, she has a large fenced-in area.
  • CDs den with their puppies: Zoey either curls up into a tight "dingo donut" to sleep or smashes herself up against a wall or furniture in weird, almost anatomically impossible positions.
  • CDs regurgitate for their young and greet with copious face licking like wolves: We noticed immediately that Zoey is fixated on licking our faces and smelling our mouths. In addition, when greeting other dogs, she has no concept of sniffing their hind ends.  She absolutely frustrates other dogs by constantly seeking and attempting to lick their faces while the other dogs are trying to sniff her hind end.  Zoey doesn't like them around her hind end, so she sits down or constantly turns in circles while trying to lick their faces.

Because I've never had or heard of this breed, I did a lot of research on them. These dogs are the only ones in the US still running wild in the woods & swamps of our southern states, mostly the Carolinas (hence their breed name), Georgia, & TN. However, they can also be found in the West. They are considered a "pariah" or "primitive" breed and rare.  The oldest ancestral skeleton is about 14,000 YO, they are thought to have traveled with ancient tribes over land bridges. Native peoples supposedly domesticated them and used them as pack dogs.

 

There is absolutely no European blood in this breed.  They have not yet been diluted by commercial breeding or hybridization.  Right now, organizations are attempting to preserve land for them and get them protective status.  Several breeders and rescue organizations are also trying to educate others about the breed.  Unfortunately, because shelters have no clue what they have when they come across them, they are either destroyed or altered immediate at young ages which destroys any chance for conservationists to breed them.

 

Shelters usually come across these dogs because someone has "found" so-called abandoned puppies in the woods or culverts, etc. and "rescue" them.  Unfortunately, many times it's just that the pack is out hunting or hiding. Due to Zoey's behaviors and her origin circumstances, we believe she may have been born a wild CD. She and her litter mates were found in TN and brought to a high-kill shelter there. The 3 males were euthanized. The 3 females were rescued and shipped to a Maine rescue where we adopted Zoey. Poor Zoey had been in 4 different situations and accumulated 4 different names within a very short period of time. She was in the ME rescue for less than 2 weeks before we got her.  She was very shy and withdrawn at first.  To avoid any more confusion, we kept the last name she was given.  

 

I like to study animal behavior, and she has provided me with so many new behaviors to observe in one of our own dogs.  She has been an absolute joy to study and watch, especially as she matures.  Sorry if I've bored any of you; I just get so excited talking about how we stumbled upon this little known (to us) breed.

 

If any of you are interested in this breed, here is more info:

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How many dogs do you have currently? 

Two

 

What breed? 

A goldendoodle and some kind of pit mix.

 

What brand of food do you feed them? 

Blue Buffalo

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 

I don't think about it. I could look it up in Quicken if I wanted to know, but I don't.

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 

We leave them about once a year.

 

What do you love about having a dog? 

Companionship. Our dogs are family members and I love them. Now that I'm an empty nester, they help keep me busy and engaged. They were great companions for my kids when they were growing up and were a huge learning opportunity for them too. 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? 

There is nothing I hate. They are inconvenient at times. My doodle got me up at the crack of dawn today because it is getting light early and my bedroom window was open and she heard/saw a squirrel right outside.  :glare: 

 

Will you always have a dog?  

Probably. We've talked about not having a dog to make travel easier, but we'll have one at least until dh retires. I need the company.

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?

8. I've never been without one and have often had 2 at a time.

 

Why do you have a dog? 

See: What do you love about having a dog? I pretty much covered it there, but I would add the reasons have changed through the years. When I was growing up, it was my parent's decision and I just loved them. When I got married, it was a mutual bond and a companion. When I had kids they were protectors, teachers, and companions. Now as an empty-nester, they keep me from being lonely. Companionship has always been high on the list, but other reasons have come into play through the years.

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How many dogs do you have currently? 


1


 


 


What breed? 


She's mixed. Her mom is definitely a chihuahua but my dog looks nothing like a chihuahua. She was bigger than her mom when she was 6 weeks old! She looks just like a maltese or coton de tulear, or maybe Havanese. 


 


 


What brand of food do you feed them? 


I'm not sure. I think it's Whole Earth right now but we'll feed whatever nice grain free brand is on sale.


 


 


How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 


Too much. Maybe $500 on a normal year but more right now because she's young and we've been paying for training, shots, and she had an emergency hospital stay this year. 


 


Normally, we pay for food, toys, an annual vet trip, and maybe a babysitter. I do her grooming myself which saves us a lot and she doesn't eat as much as our bigger dogs used to so she's much cheaper to maintain. 


 


 


How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 


1-2 times a year. We take her if we can. I try to have her stay with people she knows instead of a kennel because she's my spoiled baby.


 


 


What do you love about having a dog? 


She's so soft and cuddly. She's funny and fun and endlessly entertaining. She gets us out and doing things. She always loves us and is the best support for all of my kids when they are sad. She's a patient study buddy when they are struggling. She is a really, exceptionally, sweet natured dog.


 


 


What do you hate about having a dog? 


She's not always the sharpest pencil in the box. She has taken more than her fair amount of time to potty train and I feel bad leaving her alone. I dislike cleaning up poop and taking her out in the rain and snow. 


 


 


Will you always have a dog?  


I hope so.


 


 


How many dogs have you had in your life?


5


 


 


Why do you have a dog? 


I love animals. I really enjoy having them around and their personalities. I would be lonely without my pets and I enjoy having different types. Right now we only have cats and a dog, but that's because DH is a moderating influence!


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How many dogs do you have currently?  One, Jedediah Goldberg Evil Dog Naughty Pants.  Or, Jed for short.  He's my profile picture.

 

 

What breed?  Miniature American Eskimo

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them?  Nature's Recipe Small Breed Grain-Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog Food

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year?  I'm not sure, but he has trained us to get him a new toy every week when we go shopping, so more than we need to.

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog?  We boarded him once, but other than that he's traveled with us.  We do about 3000-4000 miles in roadtrips every year, and he sits on my lap for the entire journeys. 

 

 

What do you love about having a dog?   He's my constant companion.  He adores me.  He adores the boys and my husband, but me most of all.  It's hard to sum up unless you've had the experience.

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog?  That their lives are short.  Losing a dog is so hard. 

 

 

Will you always have a dog?  Yes.

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?  When I was a kid I had Spot (tiny toy poodle from 82-86--she was hit by a car after we moved to a new home) and Patches (cocker spaniel, 86 until I moved a few states away in 1996).  Then after I got married, we got Maggie (American Eskimo 98-2010) and Chewy (American Eskimo, 99-2011).  We got our current dog a few days before Chewy died. 

 

 

Why do you have a dog? I love the companionship.  I love the unconditional love.  I love the antics.  I love watching his joy at life.  I like that he barks people who come to the door.  

 

Edited by JudoMom
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How many dogs do you have currently? One

 

 

What breed? Hovawart

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them? Iams Grain Free and Newman's Organics

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? At least $700

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? Travels with us to relatives. Leave him with relatives if we are traveling.

 

 

What do you love about having a dog? Companionship on walks, play and love for the kids, feeling of safety on walks or at home, he is beautiful to look at. Plus my dog does not jump up on people. lick people, or sniff crotches (bonus points for him!).

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? The rolling in poop.

 

 

Will you always have a dog? No

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life? One as a child. One as an adult.

 

 

Why do you have a dog? I was never a fan of dogs. But I was looking on Petfinder for a dog for my mother in law. I saw his photo and said "That's my dog!" Applied and were allowed to adopt him (helped that I am SAHM and dh works from home, rescuer loved that he wasn't going to be alone during the day). My MIL has not forgiven me for "stealing her dog."

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How many dogs do you have currently?  One

 

What breed? Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

 

What brand of food do you feed them? Annamaet Grain-Free and Earthborn Holistic Grain-Free

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? $1500 (food, treats, bully sticks, supplies and toys, pet insurance, vet, heartworm and flea preventatives)

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? I travel with my dog unless I fly. In that case, he stays home with other members of our immediate family.

 

What do you love about having a dog? Everything. Aidan is like having a toddler who has a fantastic sense of humor. He is smart, a great problem-solver, communicates his wants and needs very well. We play a little game in which I say each possible want or need and when I get to the right one, he wags his little tail. We play a lot of games, mostly ones that he thinks up. He is a cute, cuddly, affectionate, mischievous, and friendly dog. He behaves perfectly when I clean his teeth or groom him. Sometimes I have to outwit him to give him meds by offering him a plate with four little lumps on it so he thinks it is a snack. He can take a full 20-oz. cup of milk off a table and set it on the floor without spilling a drop. He can eat 3 raw one pound steaks in less than 5 minutes -- without accidentally eating any of the packaging or the grocery bag. If he didn't bark at everything, I would have not seen the turkey vulture walk down our long driveway or a parade of 14 deer come down the path out of the woods, among many other interesting sightings.

 

I can go on for pages with Aidan stories that illustrate what a wonderful dog he is!

 

What do you hate about having a dog? Absolutely nothing. Unless you count their short lifespans.

 

Will you always have a dog?  Yes

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?  5, one at a time (Sheltie, Wire Fox Terrier, mixed breed stray dog who chose me, Rough  Collie, and my dear sweet Aidan.

 

Why do you have a dog?  I am, some might say, dog-obsessed. I love dogs. Terriers are never boring!

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We have 2 dogs.  Both rescued mixed breeds.  One is a poodle mix of some kind, not quite a cockapoo, but something like that.  No idea.  He's a basically a muppet and poodle mix.  The other is an Aussie mix.

 

Blue Buffalo dry food.

 

Expenses: vet check ups as needed; Frontline monthly; Heartguard monthly; food; extras as needed.  

 

We travel with and without dogs.  Boarding both dogs is not quite $100 per night, so it adds up.  We take them on a few vacations per year - mostly to my parents' farm; cabin rental in the mountains.  Other trips we board them - probably twice per year, for about a week each time.  We use a boarding facility recommended by our vet that also does a doggy day care.  Our dogs get excited about going, and we see them on the website every day while we're gone.  They look like they have a ball, and they are always featured in the facility's calendar.  :)

 

Dogs are family.

 

There's nothing I hate about having a dog.  Our current newest dog is 9 mos old, and has just discovered that she can leap over our 4.5 fence like a deer.  I don't particularly love that we are going to have to raise our wooden fence!  But that's all I can think of, at the moment.  ...Oh.  One more thing:  we lost our 8 year old to lymphoma last year.  That was painful.  Our other dogs have lived to 16 or so.  Whatever age they are, losing them is painful.  I don't like that part.

 

I will have dogs as long as I can.  I love dogs.  I have always had dogs - usually one or two at a time.  Never more than that at once though.

 

 

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How many dogs do you have currently?   -- currently, just one

 

 

What breed? -- complete and utter mixed breed/mutt, unidentifiable unless we do a DNA test (*we know the momma dog was at least half blue heeler, but our mutt shows no evidence of that)

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them? -- Purina Pro Plan dry, rice & lamb formula

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? -- $120/yr on food; vet as needed; $30 to $50 for flea prevention; ~$60/yr on toys/misc; total $220/yr + vet when used

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? -- varies. For an overnight/2 day, we leave him home with a multi-day auto-feeder. For a camping or outdoor trip, we take him with us. For a long trip, we leave him with my MIL who dog sits for us

 

 

What do you love about having a dog? -- companionship, safety/security, goofy personality, unconditional love, life feels richer/fuller

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? -- the shedding, but even there, "hate" is a pretty strong word

 

 

Will you always have a dog?  -- I certainly hope so, yes

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life? -- in my adult, married life, we've had 3. A golden retriever/lab mix, who we had for a few years until we moved to Brazil; we rehomed her with friends who still have her.

In Brazil, we had a pure (registered) golden retriever, who had what turned into untreatable allergies. She moved back to the US with us, but shortly after that, we had exhausted all attempts at treating her allergies & keeping her comfortable, and we had to put her to sleep.

Likewise in Brazil, we had the mutt that we still have. We got the golden in 2010 (and had her until 2014, about 6 months after we moved her here), and got the mutt in 2012 as a puppy and still have him/will have him until he dies.

We already debate adding a 2nd dog, but it would have to be just the right dog.

 

*I started counting from my adult life, but as a kid we always had a dog, too; so did DH

 

Why do you have a dog? -- see above under "what do you love about having a dog" -- life is just better with a dog in it. period.

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How many dogs do you have currently? One, and not because we only want one, but because our dog is kind of a brat and hates every other dog (we've tried many of various breeds, both sexes, and multiple sizes).

 

What breed? Jack Russell Chihuahua mix

 

What brand of food do you feed them? Taste of the Wild currently.  She gets tired of brands so we have to switch every year or so.  She was on Bil-Jac last year.

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? A couple hundred probably.  Well, not including vet.

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? We don't travel very often.  We've had her 3 1/2 years and she's been kenneled twice.

 

What do you love about having a dog? She loves us so much. And she smiles so that's fun.

 

What do you hate about having a dog? She is a long hair and sheds so I have to brush her every day to get rid of loose hairs.

 

Will you always have a dog?  Yes.

 

How many dogs have you had in your life? Two that I remember.  We had a big mutt when I was a kid/teen.

 

Why do you have a dog? The kids begged and we finally had our own place and could get one.  She's fun to play with.

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How many dogs do you have currently?   -- currently, just one

 

 

What breed? -- complete and utter mixed breed/mutt, unidentifiable unless we do a DNA test (*we know the momma dog was at least half blue heeler, but our mutt shows no evidence of that)

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them? -- Purina Pro Plan dry, rice & lamb formula

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? -- $120/yr on food; vet as needed; $30 to $50 for flea prevention; ~$60/yr on toys/misc; total $220/yr + vet when used

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? -- varies. For an overnight/2 day, we leave him home with a multi-day auto-feeder. For a camping or outdoor trip, we take him with us. For a long trip, we leave him with my MIL who dog sits for us

 

 

What do you love about having a dog? -- companionship, safety/security, goofy personality, unconditional love, life feels richer/fuller

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? -- the shedding, but even there, "hate" is a pretty strong word

 

 

Will you always have a dog?  -- I certainly hope so, yes

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life? -- in my adult, married life, we've had 3. A golden retriever/lab mix, who we had for a few years until we moved to Brazil; we rehomed her with friends who still have her.

In Brazil, we had a pure (registered) golden retriever, who had what turned into untreatable allergies. She moved back to the US with us, but shortly after that, we had exhausted all attempts at treating her allergies & keeping her comfortable, and we had to put her to sleep.

Likewise in Brazil, we had the mutt that we still have. We got the golden in 2010 (and had her until 2014, about 6 months after we moved her here), and got the mutt in 2012 as a puppy and still have him/will have him until he dies.

We already debate adding a 2nd dog, but it would have to be just the right dog.

 

*I started counting from my adult life, but as a kid we always had a dog, too; so did DH

 

Why do you have a dog? -- see above under "what do you love about having a dog" -- life is just better with a dog in it. period.

 

Is your dog kept outside while you are gone?

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Is your dog kept outside while you are gone?

No. We have a dog door, so he is inside, radio on, full access to the house. He gets left with his auto feeder, an auto waterer, and the radio on plus the cat for company, and all his usual access to the house and yard.

 

He is small enough that a human cannot fit through the dog door, and it leads to a side yard that is locked, so we feel safe doing this.

 

We also let a neighbor know to keep an eye out as well.

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How many dogs do you have currently? 

One

 

What breed? 

Papillon/Pomeranian mix

 

What brand of food do you feed them? 

Blue Buffalo small breed

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 

Not sure.  Mostly food, routine shots, a couple of vet visits and boarding 1-2x. 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 

We've boarded him about 1-2x a year.

 

What do you love about having a dog? 

We got the dog for dd, who begged for about 5 years for one.  I have grown quite fond of him; he loves to sunggle.

 

What do you hate about having a dog? 

Not being long-time dog people, we get annoyed that he barks a lot when someone comes to the door, which for most people I guess is a feature.  Oh, and insisting on eating thing that are gross (cat poop from the box) and poisonous to him (chocolate, which he manages to get into from time to time even though we try to never leave it out - thank goodness it's never been too much to just have him puke back up with some hydrogen peroxide).  And the boarding thing.  But I'd say those are all annoyances, not things I really hate.  The cats shed more than this particular dog, so he's off the hook for that...

 

Will you always have a dog?  

No, this will be our first and last dog.  We're really cat people.  Dogs are a lot more work.  I'm happy visiting other people's dogs.  

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?

Just this one (same for dh).

 

Why do you have a dog? 

Because dd begged, and begged, and begged.  Of course I still do 90% of the work, even though she promised to do it all. Fortunately I didn't believe her so I'm not too overly upset about that bit.  She does love him, and he's really grown on me too, so it's all good. :)  And he really is adorable.

 

 

Edited by Matryoshka
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No. We have a dog door, so he is inside, radio on, full access to the house. He gets left with his auto feeder, an auto waterer, and the radio on plus the cat for company, and all his usual access to the house and yard.

 

He is small enough that a human cannot fit through the dog door, and it leads to a side yard that is locked, so we feel safe doing this.

 

We also let a neighbor know to keep an eye out as well.

 

How neat. 

 

I wouldn't have thought about that being an option. 

 

What does radio on mean?

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How many dogs do you have currently? 

- one

 

What breed? 

- Boston Terrier crossed with a Pug

 

What brand of food do you feed them? 

- Iams

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 

- Probably $800

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 

- We travel a few times a year and leave our dog at the kennel. She loves playing with other dogs.

 

 

What do you love about having a dog? 

- actually, nothing really. I don't mind having a dog, but I don't love it. Our current dog is my most favourite out of any dog I've ever had. She's got a great personality and she doesn't do a lot of stupid things.

 

What do you hate about having a dog? 

- I hate that the minute I leave the house she immediately tries to do bad things. She'll go straight to the cat litter or the cat food (though we've solved both those problems with new litter boxes and feeding the cats on a higher shelf). If, for some reason, someone left food on the table she'll go up on the table and eat it. She has now figured out how to get on the kitchen counter as well - I have not witnessed this because she knows better than to do it when I'm around, but apparently she's been up there.

 

 

Will you always have a dog?  

- I sure hope not

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?

- four

 

 

Why do you have a dog? 

- because my husband loves dogs

 

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How many dogs do you have currently? One


 


What breed? Hound mix from the county shelter.  Maybe part Jack Russell. He's 50 lbs and very vocal. He's stubborn and not very obedient. He knows exactly what to do, will do it for food, but not just to please me. Dh thinks dog is just dumb and call him a "box of rocks".


 


What brand of food do you feed them? Nature's Select. Love that it is delivered to my door! 


 


How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? About $1000


 


How often do you leave them to travel?   Once or twice a year.  Or do you travel with your dog? Not this dog. We have a GREAT dog sitter. Yes, previous dogs. The lab in my avatar went everywhere with me!


 


What do you love about having a dog? Unconditional love! Unquenchable cheerfulness. My kids love him and he plays well with them. He's funny!


 


What do you hate about having a dog? Poop. And the fact that Dh doesn't love the dog. 


 


Will you always have a dog? Undecided. Current dog is only 2, so hopefully we have a way to go yet. Dh does NOT love this dog or dogs generally and not sure it will be worth the tension to get a new one when kids are grown. 


 


How many dogs have you had in your life? 3 that were mine: sheltie/GSD mix, lab, hound mix. 3 family dogs growing up: GSD, lab, golden. 


 


Why do you have a dog? Because kids should have a dog. 


Edited by ScoutTN
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Is the assumption that we like having said dog?   Because if so, I shouldn't be replying, LOL.  She's okay, but not my animal of choice.

 

How many dogs do you have currently? One.  She's enough.  Edited to explain:  This is a sanguine, pretty hyper dog.  So. excited. about. everything.  People told us when we got her as a pup that she'd calm down after a year or two.  Ha!  That was eight or so years ago and she still bubbles over and dashes around for everything.  There's no moving slow or calmly with her.  Her name means "Pause, and calmly think about that" haha. We were passing through a town with that name while we were deciding what to call her on the drive home from the rescue shelter, and then realized the ironic meaning later. 

 

What breed? Rescue dog, we were told German Shepherd / chihuahua mix.  :D 

 

What brand of food do you feed them?  Nutra Nuggets. We look for something not too expensive but where the first ingredient is a protein and not a grain.

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year?  Um, dog food times x.  If something minor comes up vet-wise, plus that (less than $100 usually). 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? Once a year.  She makes it a pain to go on vacation.  The places we stay don't allow animals and having to find someone to care for her is the hardest part of planning. 

 

What do you love about having a dog?  Pretty much nothing.  Okay, maybe that the kids like having a dog.  She's a funny, sweet dog, I'm just not a dog person. 

 

What do you hate about having a dog?  I wouldn't say "hate" but I don't like the constant care throughout the day that she needs, and see above about vacations and day trips.  

 

Will you always have a dog?  I hope not. 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life? Hmmmm, I think this is my third; one as a kid and two as a married adult. 

 

Why do you have a dog?  Because our daughter wanted one and was ready/mature enough for one and we wanted to bless her.  She moved out two years ago.  Sigh.  The next daughter down cares for her now.  Not sure what will happen when she moves out.  Maybe oldest daughter will be ready for a dog wherever she's living at the time.  :)

 

 

Signed,

A Cat Person

...which is kind of humorous, actually, because our cat is not always very nice; we still fear a swipe from her and she's 12 -- but I much prefer her over the dog

Edited by milovany
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How many dogs do you have currently? 


2


 


What breed? 


Boxer & Labrador Retriever 


 


What brand of food do you feed them? 


In daily weight: 2/3 Blue Ridge Beef chicken with bone, and 1/3 Fromm naturals kibble, plus supplements (one doggy is getting lumps and we're trying to improve health & immunity).


 


How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 


2016 it was just under $2,500 -- BUT the Lab was a puppy, so we were at the vet a lot.  I don't have numbers from earlier years.  Close to half of that is food, though.


 


How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 


Once or twice each year; we don't travel with them.


 


What do you love about having a dog? 


Doggos!  They're like furry family members that don't talk about.


 


What do you hate about having a dog? 


Nothing; I accept the fur everywhere and the dirty, crunchy, furry bed.   :lol: 


 


Will you always have a dog?  


We'll probably always have two: our future pairing is a Great Dane and a Corgi.  :D


 


How many dogs have you had in your life?


These are the first two for me as an adult.  We had two growing up, as well.


 


Why do you have a dog? 


Because dogs!  Well initially DH HAD TO HAVE a Boxer.  And then I HAD TO HAVE a Lab.  So now, dogs.  We're probably just nuts.  ;)


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How neat.

 

I wouldn't have thought about that being an option.

 

What does radio on mean?

Yep, we installed a dog door from the house to the garage, and another in the side door from garage to his side yard, with gates on both ends so he can get out, but not into the full backyard (contains the poop to one area).

Radio on just means we literally leave the radio turned on while we're gone; the noise helps cut down on separation anxiety.

 

We don't do this for longer than basically an overnight, though. Any longer than that and he goes to the dog sitter. :)

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ow many dogs do you have currently?

 

Two

What breed?

 

Dachshund and Boston Terrier

What brand of food do you feed them?

 

Fromm

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year?

 

I have no idea.

How often do you leave them to travel? Or do you travel with your dog?

 

Our dachshund joined us Christmas of 2015 and she has only been left one time. We've been traveling separately for 2016 with kids who have to be places.

What do you love about having a dog?

Everything but the bathroom accidents

 

What do you hate about having a dog?

 

When you can't tell what's wrong, but it's obvious they don't feel well.

Will you always have a dog?

 

Who knows

How many dogs have you had in your life?

 

1 childhood, 2 dachshunds before this one- they lived to 13 and 18

Why do you have a dog?

We enjoy it. Why not?

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Can I play even though we don't currently have a dog?

 

How many dogs do you have currently? 
None. It's a year this month since our last dog died and we're all feeling ready for another one now. The most we had at once was three, though one of them was our grand-dog.
 
What breed? 

He was a tricolor Shetland Sheepdog (that's him in my avatar). Although I feel like he spoiled me for all other breeds, we'll probably look for a mixed breed rescue dog.
 
 
What brand of food do you feed them? 

We fed him Blue Buffalo.
 
 
How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 

Several hundred dollars counting food, well check ups, and vaccinations. We alternated grooming him ourselves with taking him in for professional grooming about every 3rd or 4th time.
 
 
How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 

We've done both, but mostly traveled with him. We became very familiar with the pet friendly hotel chains on the U.S. east coast. We boarded him twice. Both times he was miserable and so were we. 
 
 
What do you love about having a dog? 

What's not to love?
 
 
What do you hate about having a dog?

I don't hate anything about having a dog but can't deny they're more difficult than cats (we usually had/have both). 
 
 
Will you always have a dog?  

Probably not in my senior years when it might be too difficult for me to care for one. I'll always have pets but I think when I'm old I'll stick with cats.
 
 
How many dogs have you had in your life?

Eight. I've spent more of my life with dogs than without. Some were family dogs I grew up with. I had three at different times when I was single. With dh I've had 3 (plus we took care of dss' dog for about a year). In over 50 years I've only spent about 8 years total (not consecutive) NOT having a dog. 

 
 
Why do you have a dog?

Because they're dogs! Man's Best Friend. 

 

P.S. I wouldn't call myself either a dog person or a cat person. I love them both for different reasons and am always happy to share my life with either or both.

Edited by Lady Florida.
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How many dogs do you have currently? 

one

 

What breed? 

Australian Shepherd

 

What brand of food do you feed them? 

Taste of the Wild, have fed this brand to all our pets for many years

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 

$1,000 but over $500 of it is her meds for arthritis.  I only recently began taking her two a groomer twice a year, she and I are both now too old for the bathtub routine.  We get tired. ;)  The groomer does some, lets her nap, does some more, lets her nap, so it is kind of an all day thing for her, but they are wonderful with her.

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 

once in awhile but I always have a friend stay at the house.  We take her when we go to the grandparents.

 

What do you love about having a dog? 

having a dog.  I love her silliness, I love her OCD, I love her companionship, I love her loyalty and love.

 

What do you hate about having a dog? 

I could live without the shedding, but there is nothing I hate about having a dog

 

Will you always have a dog?  

almost certainly

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?

since childhood?  7, since being on my own, 2, one lived to 15 and the current one is 13

 

Why do you have a dog?

Companionship and protection

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How many dogs do you have currently? One

 

 

What breed? Standard Poodle

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them? Fromm Surf and Turf

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? I don't even want to know!  She goes to the groomer every 2 weeks.  I have asthma and cannot deal with bathing her.

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog?   We leave her several times a year.  My daughters dance competitively so we are gone for 3 or 4 weekends.  Then, we add in vacations, etc..

 

 

What do you love about having a dog? I can't imagine not having a dog.  I have had one my entire life.  The unconditional love  and companionship is the best.

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? The heartbreak of their death or sickness.

 

 

Will you always have a dog?  Yes!!  I will have a dog as long as I am able to care for one.

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?  I have had 7 poodles of all three sizes.  I also grew up with numerous dogs. I would estimate around 12.

 

 

Why do you have a dog?  I love them and they become like family members to me. 

 

Suzanne

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What do you hate about having a dog? The heartbreak of their death or sickness.

 

 

 

 

Yes. And yet we dog lovers are willing to go through it over and over again because the alternative is to be without a dog. That's unimaginable!

Edited by Lady Florida.
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Well, we've had dogs (2) from 1991 to Dec. 2016.  It's been a blessing to have 2 labs over the last 25 years.  Our first lab passed away in Dec 2002.   We purposefully waited almost 1 year before adopting our 2nd lab in 2003.  Our beloved Jordan passed away this past Dec.  We adopted both at approx. 7.5 weeks.  It's important to give them some time with their dog momma and siblings to be weaned and learn socialization skills/hierarchy.  We consider our pets more like family members - they are a part of our family, not just a "pet". 

 

 

 

 

How many dogs do you have currently?  Our lab passed away this past Dec. at 13 years and 10 weeks.  We will wait until later this year or so.  We just like to "wait" to bring honor to our pets who have gone to doggy heaven and  so we can breathe emotionally.  We are animal lovers.

 

 

What breed?   Labs - we are large breed people!

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them?  It's changed over the years.  I FULLY believe that the higher quality does make a difference.  However, we "just" switched to Fresh Pet/canine a month or so before she passed away.  It has NOTHING to do with the food.  She was not doing well for 1+ and we were doing anything to "help" her.  We started our cat on Fresh Pet/feline and she continues on it.  She loves it! 

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year?  This will vary.  Rabies is mandatory but some people do not vaccinate.  We do.  And, labs can have ear issues.  Their floppy ears makes it difficult to air to circulate and dry them out so they can get ear infections.  So, maybe $150 - 175 for her annual visit which includes yearly well exam physical and shots.   Medicines will be extra.  This last year we had extensive blood work.  This is not a cut and dry answer to your question.  Each case will be slightly different.  Food - for years we bought Taste of the Wild/Lamb, 30 lb. bag I think it is and it was about $45.  It lasted roughly 6 weeks.  So, that's roughly 9 bags x $45 (I'm rounding here) - approx. $450.00 just in food.  Prices approx. 

 

Puppies have all the start up costs from vacs.  For any age you'll need water and food bowls, collar, leash, toys and a bed or old comforter, Christmas gift/s, birthday gift/s! 

 

Boarding at a facility costs.  Friends and family may do so for free.  Many hotels will allow dogs of various sizes and they will probably require a deposit - very often dependent on size/lb of dog.

 

How often do you leave them to travel?  A few times a year.   Or do you travel with your dog?     DH and I traveled a bit with our 1st lab BEFORE our dd was born.  We'd take her in to hotel rooms, visit family out of state, etc.   With our 2nd lab, dd was 4 1/2 when we brought Jordan home, we didn't take the dog as many places because we had "child" equipment, etc.  We would go more on day trips than take our lab on long road trips. 

 

 

What do you love about having a dog?   Everything.  I believe families with kids, especially, should have a pet.  Companionship.  It's wonderful to "care" for an animal (they need us and we need them).   Personality....so much!

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog?   Nothing. Now dislikes - well, our 2nd lab used to "raid" our trash can.  Oh, the surprises we'd find on the family room floor.

 

 

Will you always have a dog?   Yes, probably.

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?  4

 

 

Why do you have a dog?  See above, "what do you love about having a dog?"

 

Edited by sheryl
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How many dogs do you have currently?

1

 

What breed?

Chiweenie rescue

 

What brand of food do you feed them?

Iams

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year?

Not enough to notice.

 

How often do you leave them to travel? Or do you travel with your dog?

It depends. Sometimes he goes with us. Other times, he is boarded.

 

What do you love about having a dog?

He completes our family.

 

What do you hate about having a dog?

They are difficult to care for as they get old. It hurts that we have so few years with them.

 

Will you always have a dog?

I hope so.

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?

As an adult, 3. We have also cared for a couple of dogs during emergencies such as flooding and rescue.

 

Why do you have a dog?

The kids and I simply love them. They bring me joy, and I cannot explain it. Dogs to me are one of God's great gifts.

Edited by Heathermomster
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How many dogs do you have currently? 

Only one

 

What breed? 

A german shepherd/lab mix

 

What brand of food do you feed them? 

Costco's Nature's Domain Turkey and Sweet Potato (the only thing that has cured his chronic loose stool)

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? 

Right now, a ton.  But he is a puppy so I'm paying a lot for training, immunizations, and replacing chewed up toys.  The cost definitely decreases during the middle years.

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 

Haven't left him yet.  But will leave him at a boarding facility when we do travel.

 

What do you love about having a dog? 

They make you laugh with their goofiness.  And the walking buddy.

 

What do you hate about having a dog? 

The awful, stubborn adolescent stage.  We are currently going through this.  Of course the land-shark phase wasn't fun either.  The worst part is when you have to let them go though.

 

Will you always have a dog?  

I'm not sure.  I used to think yes, but life is much simpler without a dog.

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?

All throughout my childhood.  I'm on my second since moving out.  My avatar picture is my old dog, whom we lost in 2015.  I haven't updated it with my new pup.

 

Why do you have a dog? 

Because I love having somebody that gets happy to see me when I come home. 

 

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How many dogs do you have currently? 2

 

 

What breed? Bella is an Italian Greyhound; she is 15 years old. Obi is a German Shepherd; he is 2.5 years old.

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them? We feed them mostly Kirkland's lamb blend of dry food, but Bella occasionally has to eat the vet's low-fat wet food. 

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? For Bella, I would say we spend a thousand on average - vet visits and food and maybe one board; as she ages, that amount may increase. We think her cancer is back and if we choose to have it removed again, and have her teeth taken out, that will run us about $500-$700, I think. We haven't made a decision yet, primarily because of her age.

For Obi we spend a couple thousand yearly - vet visits, grooming and boarding, food. 

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? We never travel with Obi -- he's too large to travel easily with, on top of the three human children. When my FIL was living, we traveled about twice yearly, for about 10 days each time, and he boarded at our vet's office (in the past he has also boarded with our trainer). 

We typically took Bella with us to Dad's. This last travel was to Universal, though, and she boarded with Obi. 

 

 

What do you love about having a dog? The companionship is lovely. Obi especially seems to sense when someone is upset or sad. The guarding aspect of having a German Shepherd is nice as well. Bella is great to cuddle with -- she wants nothing more than a human lap to lay on :)

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? Them aging or being very ill is difficult. We lost our previous German Shepherd to cancer at the young age of about 3. That they aren't able to communicate about what ails them puts your heart in a tough spot. We aren't sure what to do with Bella's medical issues because determining her quality of life is almost impossible -- she's, by nature, pretty sedate. 

We let our late GSD suffer for too long, in my opinion. We kept reaching for more treatment options even though, in hindsight, he was in a lot of pain. We just couldn't wrap our heads around such a young dog dying. It's a regret that still tugs at us. Well, that and I remember yelling at him for pooping in the house. I almost never got another dog after, because I felt such deep regret about yelling at him.

 

I dislike re-filling holes that Obi has dug up in the yard. I really dislike stepping in them. Dog hair isn't fun -- especially when you're allergic. 

 

 

Will you always have a dog?  I hope so. I'm allergic, thanks to my third pregnancy, but I've had dogs my entire life and can't imagine life without one. I don't care for several, however. 

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life? I can't even count. I've never known life without a dog. I would say upwards of almost a dozen over my lifetime. Not all of them "mine," exactly, but family pets.

 

 

Why do you have a dog? Companionship and home security. I had hoped that Obi could act as somewhat therapeutic for our autistic son, as Obi loves this particular son; alas, this son is afraid of Obi, so that isn't going to happen. Obi's a bit... energetic :p 

 

Edited by AimeeM
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How many dogs do you have currently?  One

 

What breed?  Labradoodle (basically poodle/lab mix)

 

What brand of food do you feed them?  Canidae Pure Land (bison) with a little bith of Merrick beef canned food.

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year?  Hmm.  I've never added it up.  After the first year or so, it is about $1000 - 1200 a year.  This includes food (he's a big dog), regular check ups, one or two illnesses a year and a little bit of grooming. 

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel?   Or do you travel with your dog? 

We leave the dog with friends once or twice a year - usually a long weekend kind of thing, but occasionally for a week.  We swap dog sitting - we watch their dog when they travel.  There are some weekend trips we do where we can take the dog.

 

What do you love about having a dog? What's not to love?  The playfulness, the silliness, the getting outside very single day being good for my mental health, but most of all, the unconditional love.  It is always a joy to have someone so happy to see me that his whole body wags. 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? When they get sick and can't tell you what is wrong (kind of like having a toddler.)  There are some other annoyances, but not necessarily things I hate.  (Having to go out in really bad weather, having to always think of how long the dog will be alone and make a plan, the lack of sleep during thunderstorms or fireworks, the barking at the mailman, cleaning up vomit and they never seem to do it on a hard floor - only carpeting, etc.) 

 

Will you always have a dog?  I don't know.  It will be really hard to not have one, but I can see seasons where it might not be best for us or a dog.  (If both dh and I are working full time and don't have anyone at home or need to travel more without the dog.)

 

How many dogs have you had in your life?  Just this one. 

 

Why do you have a dog?  Companionship.  Unconditional love.  Keeps me young and active.  All the reasons I stated above about why I love ours.

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How many dogs do you have currently? 1

 

 

What breed? He is a weimaraner/staffodshre terrier mix. We did a DNA test.

 

 

What brand of food do you feed them? A mix of raw and whole earth kibble.

 

 

How much do you think you spend on your dog every year? Between food and the vet, probably around $700.

 

 

How often do you leave them to travel? Once a year but the last time we boarded him he did not enjoy it so we started bringing him with us. Normally I am not one for bringing my dog with me. Not everyone wants to visit with your dog and it is kind of a hassle making sure he is getting frequent walks to combat boredom.

 

What do you love about having a dog? Unconditional love. Greatest foot warmer.

 

 

What do you hate about having a dog? Drool and the expense of boarding or traveling with.

 

 

Will you always have a dog? No. I have gone periods of time without a dog. It depends on life circumstances.

 

 

How many dogs have you had in your life? 6

 

 

Why do you have a dog? Because my husband campaigned for a dog and caught me in a weak moment by showing me his picture and his sob story. He was supposed to be a foster dog. Once the dog entered the house I knew he would he going over my dead body. Which is why i didn't want to foster in the first place.

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