Saturday, June 28, 2014

28:06:14 Do we, Don't we...?

We've been contemplating expanding our family. I'm nervous. I've never been a dog owner. I'm so aware of the pitfalls of getting excited and rushing in. Of not thinking it through. Of all the dogs who are abandoned in shelters because they weren't a good match for their family.

I'm also aware of the asthma and eczema in our family that get stirred up around animal fur. It's a topic that has been raised many times around the dinner table. Now there are many breeds of dog that are said to be "hypo-allergenic" We have spent time in the company of friends dogs. We've intentionally cuddled and rubbed skin watching for a reaction. The lack of itching or wheezing negates my strongest argument against a dog.

We've discussed "who's" dog it might be? The reality of daily walks and poop scooping have been stressed.  Two of three kids have stepped back. They would be happy with a dog joining the family but don't need or want the extra responsibilities that go with it. They understand that by stepping back they get a much lesser say in choosing breed, colour, name etc. They are fine with that.

Things moved up a level from contemplating to reality this week when we heard through a friend of ours of a family looking to re home their dog. The dog ticks all the boxes in terms of breed and allergy. We are waiting to see if we can arrange a meeting. If it doesn't work out we will go back to looking for a reputable breeder for a puppy.

In the meantime we decided to get out some books from our local library so we are prepared for whatever changes are over the horizon...

Any advice would be very gratefully received! 

3 comments - click here to leave your comment:

  1. How exciting and yes a little scary. I know how you feel, the added responsibility, costs etc. We have had Molly for 4 years now and she is so loved and is a huge part of our family. The joy she brings is worth the work involved in having a pet. Molly is a moodle which is a cross between a maltese and a poodle. She doesn't shed at all but does need grooming which doesn't happen a lot here but she gets clipped every 7-8 weeks depending on the time of the year. When we go away we have found there are a reasonable amount of pet friendly accommodation which we are happy to try and find so she can come with us. Anyway best of luck deciding and like anything it is scary at first but it just becomes normal after a while.

     
  2. Go for it! What a wonderful addition a dog would make to your cute family! Your kids are old enough to seriously participate in the care of a pet and they will get so much from a sweet dog! Good Luck!

     
  3. We are a two dog family and as much as they annoy the heck out of me sometimes, I adore them and our two cats. There's definitely more to clean up after but the joy and unconditional love they bring to your family makes it worth the extra work. We have a purebred Chocolate Labrador that I bought after my first husband passed away so the boys would have something happy to look forward to. He's going to be nine this year. So hard to believe. We also adopted our neighbors' dog about five years ago. They paid $1,000.00 for this little cockapoo (part cocker spaniel and part poodle) and a couple of months later they decided they didn't want him anymore. He's a great little dog. Hypo-allergenic. But he LOVES to dig holes and tinkles in the house every so often. He's gotten much better with the tinkling but the holes have gotten worse!!! : ) Oh well. We love him. He suckered us in!!! LOL!!! Best of luck. I say GO FOR IT!!!! xoxo

    ~ Wendy