DS desperate for a dog

[LJS666]

My DS2 is desperate for us to get a dog.

We have a house with a secure garden and I do work from home for about half the week.

However, I am just not an "animal" person, I don't want their fur in our house, I don't want to be licked, I don't want the kitchen floor covered in dog food. But I have never had a pet.

I can kind of see the advantages of taking a nice dog for a nice walk but then immediately think - what about my car if the dog has rolled in shit? Which they do I think.

I would never, ever be cruel at all and would fulfil any obligations I took on but I think I would cringe any time the dog licked me etc.

But perhaps it's like people who have never had children - they think, oh the shitty nappies, the screaming, never having time to shower.

We parents know that's all true and that we get past the shitty nappies because we love them.

I'm just scared about taking on a commitment that I couldn't fulfil.

Like I said, I wouldn't take on anything I couldn't go through with and would never be cruel.

my friend made his kids to realise how tough it is to have dog

told them to wake up one hour before their normal time and go out for a walk for 40 min no matter what's the weather like

same go for a walk in the afternoon and later on

that made them realise is not a cup of tea and reluctantly they agreed it would be too much for them

Oooh, interesting! :o

Haven't got CAT and tbh dunno how it works but please feel free to email me at [email protected] or the other address if you have it (and if not I'll give it to you of course). If you do, please say so on here as I only use that address for forums like this and never remember to check it. And of course if you'd rather not, no problem at all, I'm just being cheeky and nosey though if I can ever help I will.

Thank you all - parental "trying to please" was overcoming my good sense.

I am not a dog person, I like to pet them sometimes in the park.

I have missed our cat since she died but have no real yearning "of my own" to get a new one. I would like to "rescue" an animal but think it is misguided but well intentioned people like me who are probably the butt of the problem and then can't cope rather than cruel people.

And thank you for not being "judgy-pants".

No dogs for us - just wanted to run it by you all.

You are right, misguided but well intentioned accounts for a lot of the problems out there. As for judging, what is to judge? You want to do something nice for your son but realise that it is not the right thing....sounds perfectly fine to me

Vallhala, will mail you on the address you give above

LJ, Bella's right, there's nothing to judge and you are one of life's good people. As you say, far better to consider it all and get opinions and experiences than be one of the well-intentioned people who regrets making a rash decision.

:)

Will be on the look out for you Bella, thank you. :)

As you seem to have no experience of dogs, maybe you would be nicely suprised by how much fun they are and good company, all the messy bits are worth it, maybe you'd consider maybe offering to do volunteer walking at a rescue, and then if that goes well, maybe fostering a quiet dog just to see what it's like? no commitment there.

Don't do it. DSs were desperate for a dog last year.
I am a dog person so i agreed. One year later and i realise what a huge mistake it was. DSs aren't interested beyond a 5 minute play and certainly aren't interested in the business end of dog ownership.