Don’t get a dog

Oh Martha ❤️ Sending you lots of love.. I lost my girl 4 years ago and it absolutely broke my heart.

YANBU at all!

I think anyone who gets a dog is mad 😂

So much money and commitment and the loss of spontaneity because you’ve always got to think of the dog.

Never mind the walking…..and picking up dog poo 🤮

I really love looking at dogs when I see them around the park, they seem so joyful and charismatic, they’re usually very cute and they obviously bring their owners so much happiness but I’d never get one of my own!

The silly thing is @MissyB1 I am quite sure I will get another dog.
While I long to sit on a beach in sunny Spain, I know when I do, that will mean she is gone and I will then be sat there longing for another five minutes with her.

It is hard if you suffer with SAD or just generally with the bad weather though.

This made me cry. We went through it in 2018 with our boy and my heart was broken 💔. Martha is beautiful. Take care.

This is why I don't have a dog. I've looked into it so much over the years and it simply wouldn't work for me.
I have to make do with saying hello to friendly dogs in the park.

Agree with all you have said. It’s not something to take on lightly. My dog costs me over £200 a month with all food, grooming, treats, insurance, flea treatment etc. Aside from the expense, it’s a huge commitment. I walk my dog in all weathers at 6am before work and around 3/4pm when I’m in from work. This isn’t something I factored in as my last dog needed 15 mins a day and was a lazy madam.

If I go out for the day, I need someone to let him out/walk him.

It takes a long time to train a puppy. It’s hard work. It’s frustrating, rewarding, but also fun. Your house will be battered, but I couldn’t be without my boy and the love he gives. Dogs are pure joy 💙

I love my dog but if I could turn back the clock, I wouldn't have got him.

@WaitingForMojo agree. The worst days of my life have been when my dogs have died but they also have me the happiest days.

There was an article recently about many common dog breeds being bred to look ‘cute’ or for fashion, when it actually causes them a lifetime of discomfort.
I’ve personally never had a pet, because there seems something wrong to me : in terms of ‘owning’ an animal, trying to train or have it for human pleasure. It feels like its rights are taken, it has no real choice. And then the impact of pet food production, excrement on the environment - as well as many pets being poorly looked after.

@Manyandyoucanwalkover

I think there's a lot of truth to this - our cat provides 90% of the affection that a dog would for about 20% of the work. (He is admittedly a particularly sweet natured and friendly cat, I imagine if you had a more distant one that the ratios might be a little different!)

Ha ha, that made me laugh. I must say "bloody dog!" about 4 times a day.

our housecats rip down wall paper, wee on the carpet, steal food and scratch the furniture. We adore them.

But I agree, if you have an animal in your family, expect and tolerate animal behaviour. If you can't, don't have an animal in your family

42 is the meaning of life according to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, you probably need to be over 50 to get the reference!

Martha is a beautiful dog, lovely photo, and your post is very generous @TheMudWasWorthIt

TheMudWasWorthIt
What a beautiful picture. It reminds me of my old grey muzzled friend that I lost 28 months ago.
And your username says it all.

Well mine is! All she wants is a cuddle,a lap to be on and her litter tray sorted out regularly. The odd play with a toy. Been the same since we adopted her when she was three. Boy cat likes to go in the garden for a bit and stake out his territory, but is also mainly inside and on a lap or sitting on the kitchen table watching what's going on. They're a doddle compared to our late dog (who I loved dearly).

I'm so sorry @TheMudWasWorthIt and so sorry for Martha who is not only beautiful but so very obviously very loved and very loving.
Losing a limb is a good description of what it feels like.
I hope it goes as well as it can and that brighter days come for you in time.

I adore my dog, he's 12 and really the best ever but I totally agree that plenty of people who get dogs really shouldn't. The commitment and cost are often completely underestimated.

I'll never have another one, he's my second and I will be completely heartbroken when he goes, the pain of losing an animal is just horrific. Massive hugs to all those making hard decisions in the coming days/weeks ahead xx

This is very true, though with a cat and a toddler I can't imagine that we'd be a good fit for many rescues. (And in truth my husband has no desire to get a dog so we won't be doing it anyway.) I think my point still stands though, you have to be committed for the lifespan of the dog, no matter how old they are when they arrive with you, and I think there are plenty of people who don't think beyond the next year or so.

They are also a massive commitment. My previous dog went blind, and could no longer cope with car journeys. This meant we didn't have a holiday for 5 years. There was no way I was going to put him in kennels. He also destroyed quite a lot of my house. But I loved him to bits and miss him dreadfully.
I've now adopted 2 new dogs that I absolutely adore, but they were not toilet trained, so that's fun!

Having said all that, I adore dogs and I couldn't imagine ever not having them in my life and home. They give us so much joy.

I always thought I was a cat person, until I got a dog. Dogs all the way now. But I agree, cats are much lower maintenance.

Unlike strawberry ice cream, you can just leave a dog in the freezer or dispose of it if you don't want it.

Shouldn't be hard to grasp the difference between animal with needs and feelings and inanimate food item.

Animal that is alive, ice cream that is not. Animal that needs food, attention and maintenance, icream does not. So it's a slight difference.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, most people who think they want a dog, want a cat.

You want a pet you can leave for hours unsupervised, that you don't have to walk. That is furry and affectionate, and doesn't live in a tiny cage? That litter trains and grooms itself?

You want a cat, you idiot. Not a dog.

(Not minimising the care needs of cats - used to work in a cat shelter! But they're definitely more independent and it pisses me off seeing dogs being badly cared for when more people would suit a cat.)

I'm sorry to those who are losing or have lost dogs recently. So heartbreaking. <3

It's the smell I can't bear, I can smell it on peoples clothes, in particular jackets.