Dog Dilemma

Image by static416 via Flickr

My husband and I have had pets for most of our lives. We just have not had any pets together. My husband misses having a dog. We’ve spent time recently at a local animal league thinking that we might adopt a rescue dog. No pet shop doggy from a puppy mill for me.

I’m torn. I’ve had a horse, dogs, cats, a parakeet (a youthful endeavor I vowed never to repeat after the family dog broke its neck when it got loose), gerbils (not by choice and my least favorite plus I discovered they’re cannibals when one died unexpectedly), ducks (which we gave up because we couldn’t protect them from the raccoons), turtles and goldfish. I enjoy animals for the companionship and joy they bring. I’ve loved some more than others because of their personalities.

Things to consider:

1. Time - Dogs require food, water, exercise, care, and companionship every day of every year.
2. Commitment - While we’re interested in a young adult dog, we have to consider that this is a 10-15 year commitment.
3. Wear and tear - Dogs can have fleas and ticks, accidents in house, scratch or gnaw the furniture. Plus there’s poop and urine in the yard that will need to be picked up/washed away.
4. Cost - Licenses, training classes, veterinary care, micro-chipping, grooming, toys, food, and other expenses add up. Choosing to adopt a dog is not based on frugality.
5. Dog-sitting – Who will watch the dog when we’re away? My husband likes big dogs while most of the pets in our area are “pocket” dogs. Kenneling is hard on companion animals. I had a dachshund who not only lost weight because he wouldn’t eat but also picked up kennel cough when boarded for a long weekend. Talk about guilt.
6. Exercise - Depending on the energy level of the dog, this can be a lot more than a quick walk to allow the dog to relieve itself. While we both get plenty of exercise now, there’s always room for more. Walking is a good cardiovascular workout.
7. Companionship - Dogs are great companions. They are loyal and loving, won’t belittle, judge or criticize. I think my husband might be part dog. He loves to have his head scratched.

In the end, the decision to adopt a dog was made for us. At the last visit, the dog we were interested in exploded into a frenzy of barking and charging when the dog in the next kennel was brought back from a walk. When I saw that I realized we would be biting off more than we could chew.

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