PETS??? Ive noticed lots here...

[robinm1922]

Hi if you have a local ASPCA or something along that line it should be less expensive to adopt. I think fostering one before adopting is a great idea, it gives you a trial run without the commitment of adoption. The way it works here the foster family can also decide to adopt.

I love all my pets, I have a dog, guinea pig, tank full of fish and a hedgehog!
We have hit our limits, my difficult child would love a cat but husband is very allergic, she also wants a bird but I am done taking care of animals and they have a long life!
Maybe some time down the road but not soon.
I say go for a dog your kids will love them!

 

[allhaileris]

I've had cats all my life and my cat is for ME, but the little one we got as a kitten and has been very tolerant of daughter. Our older cat is just a meanie but taught daughter as a baby to stay away from her, which she still does. Those claws demand respect (and the cat has always been good at giving warnings).

As much as I want to say rescue a shelter dog, you're probably going to want to get a dog that's younger so there aren't any pre-existing issues of fear of kids or something like that.

 

[Andy]

husband and I had our mind set that there would never be a cat or dog in our house. We did not want the responsibility. My big thing is traveling. I want to be able to go away for a few days and not find someone to take care of pets left behind. I also do not want to pay vet bills, clean up messes, ect. Notice that I only see the negative side.

My kids CRAVE a pet. Diva got a kitten but found out a few months later that it wasn't worth the hassle of caring for it so found it a new home.

Then when difficult child fell into his deep state of anxiety his craving for a dog was unbearable. I could tell that he really did need a dog but although I do what I want in this home, there are certain things you have to agree on with your spouse and I figured this was one of those few. husband was even more set against a pet than I was.

One day Diva started looking at Bichon Friese's. She fell in love with them and I like that they do not shed and they like people. No growling or threatening our guests. I decided to let her purchase one because I knew if it was hers that I could hold her accountable for it.

I still hate having the dog because I believe it is considered a lap dog and needs people. I hate that it is home alone so much. We are not home most days so it is alone from 8:00 to 3:30 on most days. I had to come home during lunch for about 3 months while the kids were in school or working to let it outside. That was such a royal inconvience.

I try to focus on the positives which I believe do out weigh my negatives.

1. Diva is responsible for overnight. This meant she had to be home every night at a decent hour to let puppy outside every few hours. Anything to keep her home at nights is a big plus in my books.

2. difficult child is responsible for early mornings. This puppy has been very theraputic for difficult child. It is not the type of dog perfect for him but it will do.

3. Once Diva moves out and takes the dog with her, we can consider a more appropriate dog for difficult child. Though I would rather not have one at all.

4. Diva's friend loves our dog and will take her whenever we need to be gone overnight. I don't know what we will do if/when difficult child gets his own dog.

So, for now it is working out well.

 

[totoro]

We *thought* a dog would be great for K. We looked into therapy dogs, our Woman's Correctional Facility where we had lived started their training. But N was terrified of all things animal like or big like.

We had cats and they were both wonderful with cats, K especially.
So we started N getting to know dogs. We were told by a specialist to get N and K a puppy so they would all be *trained* together.

So we worked with N for about a year.
She lost her fear of dogs!
So we got our puppy!

Well N was great and it actually ended up being a great dog for her anxieties and sensory issues.

K, well that was a nightmare. It seemed to trigger something in her. She was great with horses and the cats.
But the dog, she choked it, kicked it, grabbed it's muzzle and screamed at it.

We ended up after much therapy and lots of tears... having to save the poor pups heart and soul, gave it up.

K has attacked other dogs since then. We continue to work on this with her.
My thought is I would do the volunteer and spend as much time with others dogs as possible first.

K was so good and still is with our cats. But the dog, I just don't know?
She still wants another, and has no idea that that was why we got rid of Clemey.

I just could not and would not let an animal live in a house with that kind of stress, it wasn't fair to her.

 

[Stella]

My difficult child has a cat and she absolutely adores her. She can be screaming the head off me one minute and talking to Jessie lovingly the next! I know many wouldn't agree with keeping a pet in the bedroom but the only way I could get difficult child to bed at night was to allow her cat to sleep at the end of her bed. (I let her out before I go to bed myself). It works though. difficult child goes off to bed at a reasonable hour every night - once Jessie is with her!

 

[Kjs]

I never had a pet growing up due to my brothers allergies. Chloe, my almost 8 year old lab is the best thing.....for ME. I can hug her and cry on her and she is always right there. I can just go for a walk with her to calm down. She is absolutely wonderful.

Then we got the second dog. Thought we would get Chloe a playmate. Get her a little more active cause Chloe is overweight. OMG. Chloe absolutely hated the pup. The pup was and STILL is high energy. I swear that dog can jump 5 feet easy from a stand still. I can no longer walk the dogs because this new dog pulls me all over the place. Makes it hard in winter when there are ice patches. She doesn't get the "leash" thing. So to make it easier for us we take the dogs to a park they can run with no leash. That doesn't teach her anything. So now at 2 years old she still can't walk on a leash. I feel guilty if I take Chloe and don't take her.

Calming for difficult child. Definately YES and Definately NO. Yes is for when difficult child wants to be with dog. Yes is for dog even being present. NO - is for when dog is sick. difficult child worries sick about her. difficult child has and still does call neigbhors from school to have them check the door. He is afraid he may have left it a crack open and thinks the younger dog can open the door! Younger dog jumped out the car window when she was 10 weeks old, and nobody noticed for miles. Then it was difficult child who noticed. Someone saw her jump and picked her up. Lucky for tags.

My dog of choice that I can lay on , yell at, hug....Lab. Second choice, golden retriever.

don't get me wrong - I love both my dogs and so does the entire family. I wanted a second dog just like the first. Quite the opposite. she keeps Me guessing. Keeps me laughing too. She has some very strange traits. Definately a difficult child dog. Vet even put her on doggie prozac for a while, didn't help.

 

[shad16_12]

thanks rite now we're looking at a pup in avatar with lab/boxer mom and golden retriever father...there are two black and white and 6 goldon blond more like retreivers...not ready for a couple weeks tho. I found a lab/spaniel for $50 but adams set on this mix for $200 and he's buying him with his birthday money and i want him to be invested.

 

[KTMom91]

Coming in late...I had a Lhasa Apso when Miss KT was born. He was the coolest, most mellow dog, and she was great with him. After he died, we had several different cats, but the menagerie really started when Hubby and I got married. We have four cats, one is Miss KT's, a rat (also Miss KT's), and a Jack Russell (mine, and my avatar picture). She's been really good with the livestock.

Now she wants a chinchilla. I think not.