[jmjoseph]

I don't think you should get a dog. I'd feel sorry for the dog. The way you keep on about how much you "HATE" them. As far as your husband, a huge majority of men like, and want, dogs. Maybe it's like being a little boy again, I don't know. Speaking of that, you say you have 3 kids? What about them? Dogs( good dogs) offer so much love and companionship to children. I wouldn't dare take that from my kids, our dog is family.

[passmeby]

Exactly! I'm thinking about the dog itself! I know I dislike dogs a lot, so how could I possibly give it the attention it needs? I wouldn't. I would feed it and take it to go potty, but it wouldn't get anything else out of me! And I would get madder and madder at it as time wore on because I'd tire quickly of constantly cleaning up after and dealing with it. Heck, my neighbor's dog manages to inflame me and it's basically a decent dog!

Anyway, what I had been trying to convey was, although I do plain dislike dogs, I am trying to be a responsible person by not getting into a situation that I know I don't want to be in where there is a living creature involved. Some people apparently think that I'm going to magically change my mind about my feelings of dogs, but that's not going to happen. If I gave up and allowed a dog in, I'd always regret it and I'd probably end up hating dogs even more. I found that some people sort of villainized me for disliking dogs, which is odd. Just accept that some people don't like dogs or what dogs do! I'm not a bad person for not liking dogs. I love animals in general, and I've dealt with animals extensively through my life through having the farm, I know exactly what it's like to raise animals and to love animals. Dogs just aren't for me, I guess I just don't find them "cute" or enjoy/feel need for their companionship... nothing wrong with that!

I was jokking about actually letting him get a dog if he got in shape! He'd never manage it anyway, so I wouldn't have to worry about it!

[jmjoseph]

JudyKayTee agrees: Great answer - any questions can be answered by reading other posts, seeing what the history is.

Judy, I'm sorry I missed the child count. I was trying to understand the comments about her husband." he couldn't take care of a goldfish, if that gives you a clue",or " he just doesn't "get" it", even " he's lazy and impatient".
Then it comes to printing a copy of this post, but she'd SKIP pages. Why? She must not talk to him like that, I hope not. Either way, she's made it crystal clear that she doesn't like dogs. And that her house is going to forever remain dogless. I'm sure a poor dog in that type of environment would always have its tail between its legs... so they're(dogs) better off anyway.

I work with a guy who hates dogs too, so it's not a new issue with me. However, the older I get, the more I realize that dogs will be part of my life until the day I die.

[passmeby]

Perhaps I can paint a better picture... my husband more than likely has these visions in his head of this perfect, well behaved, trustworthy dog that never does anything wrong... that's not reality! He doesn't have that consistency and attention that is needed to raise a puppy into a good dog. I think some of it is him wanting that feeling of being a kid with his dog... but he forgets, his mom did the hard stuff! He didn't have to train that dog or clean up after it at all, he just got to do the fun stuff, so what's in his head isn't the reality of dog ownership. Not much that he takes on actually gets completed, so his basic background backs up my assumptions of how he would be with a dog. That's what I meant by saying that "he couldn't care for a goldfish"... that he just doesn't have that "stick-with-it" attitude towards stuff. Like the weight bench-he had these visions of being totally buff, but since he worked out a few times a week for a couple weeks and didn't get a six-pack instantaneously, he just dropped it. So, I think he wouldn't follow through with the proper training of a puppy (potty, basic behavior) after he has a few hard times with the pup. He'd probably just give up, and the dog would be banished outside and never get any contact... Trust me, I know him... he just fails to recognize this about himself. Like I mentioned about the silly contract I made him sign regarding the weight bench, and it was hilarious when I ended up being right on about everything I put in the silly thing!

Oh, you wouldn't believe your ears sometimes regarding the way I talk to him! I think I've maybe desensitized him a bit! Maybe that's why he keeps on asking!

Some of the comments here are just mild jokes, so you don't have to take every word so seriously! The whole "print this out" is just a joke really... I know what I'm going to say next time, I got a few things out of this conversation, some of it was just from talking it out and realizing things that I already knew just don't think of on the spot. So the banter here has helped, and I appreciate the comments and conversation!

Oh, and thank you, artlady!

[passmeby]

Yeah, exactly, NoHelp! I think everyone thinks like that at least to some degree! I remember wanting nothing more than to get out of my parents house, but then moving back in a few times! Or an ex-boyfriend... after a while, sometimes they don't seem so bad and you forget how you felt when you broke up! Happens all the time!

[shazamataz]

Very true, everyone wants a perfectly behaved, lovely dog but it just isn't always so.
You have to put the effort into training the dog to be well behaved and unfortunately if the dog isn't well behaved from the start a lot of people just can't be bothered with it, not the dogs fault at all, it is the owners for not training it.

[Just Dahlia]

My dog was almost perfectly behaved by 16 1/2. The other 16 years he was just our love.:)

[shazamataz]

My dog was almost perfectly behaved by 16 1/2. The other 16 years he was just our love.:)

Haha, mine are only 1 and 2 years old and they are little terrors, Mum just bought a Citronella collar, I can't wait 'till I can borrow it! Grrr :D

I could never live without dogs, I have been around them my entire life but I can understand where passmeby is coming from, I feel a similar way about cats, I have just never really liked them... kittens yes, cats no :D

[Just Dahlia]

I like cats and I have had cats and I have taken care of them as I have all my animals, but I have never got attached like a dog.
I still cry like a baby when they die.:(

[passmeby]

How do you guys do it?! Is it just the want of the companionship? I honestly don't understand the love or feeling of need for dogs, I just never felt that way. I never had that feeling of need or want of a dogs companionship. When I see a dog or puppy, I don't see "cute" I see chewed up shoes, destroyed house, liability, hair everywhere and the smell! But when I see other animals, I do feel a sort of "want" for the animal, so maybe I do understand a little bit. But the animals that most excite me are large animals like cows and horses. I really shudder at the thought of a dog in my house! I don't really understand the whole desire or the sharing of your house with the dog! The dog really takes over your entire life. So that part, I will never understand!

Believe it or not, the smell of cows doesn't bother me a bit, nor does shovling their, uh, you know! But a dog... eeeeew! And it's inside! Double eeeew!

[N0help4u]

Yeah I always end up getting a dog and then can't go many places. My son has been keeping our Pit bulls at his house and he can't even go to visit my daughter because he has to stay home with them.
I don't know how others do it either.
You don't always know what kind of personality they are going to have until you are attached. My last dog had separation anxiety and cried and chewed things if you left
I miss all my dogs and feel really bad because I think they got sick and died before their time and all. They were always really healthy until they got old but then they would go fast.

[shazamataz]

Haha.
I guess it's just how you were brought up with them.
I had 26 Barbie dolls when I was little, my mum and dad got a new Great Dane puppy...
I then had 26 Barbie Doll Halves... some just had legs, others just had the top half.
I saw it as a reason to get new Barbie Dolls :D

Now I'm older I just love the companionship, they love you completely and expect nothing in return... well except for food :D

I don't know what it is but I just smile when I see them.

How are your feelings towards monkeys? Lol
If there is one animal I couldn't stand being anywhere near it is a monkey! Damn dirty, smelly, poo flinging... relatives :eek:

[artlady]

passmeby agrees: Yep, different strokes for different folks! I would def prefer a kitty! Or a horse. Or a cow... :)

That would still give the kids a great opportunity to have a beloved pet.Why not a cat?
I had a cat that acted just like a dog.She would fetch and everything.
I think that may be a great compromise.

[N0help4u]

Now I'm older I just love the companionship, they love you completely and expect nothing in return... well except for food :D

I don't know what it is but I just smile when I see them.

:

Yeah they do have their bonuses when doing a pro and con to decide do I want a boyfriend or a dog

[artlady]

Yeah they do have their bonuses when doing a pro and con to decide do I want a bf or a dog

That's pretty funny :)
At least with a dog you know you will have endless love and loyalty!

[shazamataz]

Haha, I would go with the dog N0help :p

[shazamataz]

Poo eating too.I was at the zoo with my kids one day and there was two monkeys on a rope and the one in back was picking poo out of the other one and having a feast! My youngest almost peed his pants:)

Reason number 6,572 not to like monkeys.

[passmeby]

Monkeys do stink and have some crazy behavior! Now that would be a tough pet to handle! Monkeys themselves are funny to me, but you know, I think monkey toys are cuter than the real thing! My daughter has a stuffed monkey that she sleeps with, she's had it forever, it's so ratty now! But she HAS to have it to sleep! We have a monkey puppet too, and she loves that!

Oh! I almost forgot! This morning I had a doggie in my house! My daughter had gone outside and brought her "friend" in for a visit. It belongs to a neighbor, she's a fat little Jack Russel. She's cute, but out the door she went! She goes around the neighborhood eating garbage and has no flea collar or anything so I didn't want any poo (nasty garbage-eating poo! ) or fleas in the house, so I let her play with the dog outside.

My kids do love animals, they get so excited to see really any kind of animal. For now, they have the 2 dwarf hamsters, and that's enough! I'm trying to teach my older daughter to take good care of animals, she's been slacking lately. She always had really enjoyed helping out with them, but the last time we cleaned the cage she didn't help. :( I've got to really keep on her about it, I can't let her get away with slacking off! I'm hoping that the hamsters will be a good teaching tool.

[artlady]

Monkeys do stink and have some crazy behavior!! Now that would be a tough pet to handle!! Monkeys themselves are funny to me, but you know, I think monkey toys are cuter than the real thing!! My daughter has a stuffed monkey that she sleeps with, she's had it forever, it's so ratty now!! But she HAS to have it to sleep!! We have a monkey puppet too, and she loves that!!

Oh!! I almost forgot!! This morning I had a doggie in my house!! My daughter had gone outside and brought her "friend" in for a visit. It belongs to a neighbor, she's a fat little Jack Russel. She's cute, but out the door she went!! She goes around the neighborhood eating garbage and has no flea collar or anything so I didn't want any poo (nasty garbage-eating poo!!) or fleas in the house, so I let her play with the dog outside.

My kids do love animals, they get so excited to see really any kind of animal. For now, they have the 2 dwarf hamsters, and that's enough!! I'm trying to teach my older daughter to take good care of animals, she's been slacking lately. She always had really enjoyed helping out with them, but the last time we cleaned the cage she didn't help. :( I've got to really keep on her about it, I can't let her get away with slacking off!! I'm hoping that the hamsters will be a good teaching tool.

It's a great teaching tool and a must have on everyone's tool belt.
Responsibility is getting so overshadowed these days with so many kids.
They are spoiled and that is cool but to be alowwed free riegn and to have no structure or rules is insnanity !

The new thing is to never say the word *NO* to your child under the age of 3.Are you kidding me ?

Sorry ,got off on a tangent.Rant:confused:

If one of Hubbys arguments was the kids need a pet than he should be acceptable to the idea of a cat.

He does not hate them and you like them,it seems like a good idea to me.
So many cats need homes,it is a sad epidemic.Heartbreaking.

Thanks Debbie Downer :) That's me !
Keep us updated Good Luck!

[artlady]

Reason number 6,572 not to like monkeys.

LOL! Oh so that's so funny!
My BF's brother hates monkeys too and you sound just like him.I have tears!
You sound the same ,too funny.
I think they are great as wild animals,I find them fascinating ,I love anthropology and zoology so that is why.
Im still laughing!! Thank-you Shaz.
It is nearly 3 am in New York.
Thanks for the :p:D