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How important is a dog for a family?

CharlieMoy

CharlieMoy

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Just wondering peoples personal opinions? How do you feel dogs (or any other pet for that matter) benefit a family?
 
Very important. Two dogs are even better than one because they can keep each other company when everyone is gone. Make sure you get pet insurance (it's actually very cheap). We will always have dogs in our house.
 
I don't know if important is the word I would use. Love my pets but right now I can honestly say when they are gone I will not be replacing them.
 
Interesting.

My family had a dog (about 4 years ago) of whom we had lost to cancer. But because my mom is a stay at home mom, she was with her on her final days. Now both my father and I feel that another dog is needed in the house, but my mom was so devastated that she refuses to look past the bad times to get to the good. thanks for your thoughts on the topic.
 
dynarider said:
I don't know if important is the word I would use. Love my pets but right now I can honestly say when they are gone I will not be replacing them.
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I thought the same and have so far stuck to it. I really miss my setter "Bill", but as much as I'm gone it just makes sense to have "The Cat" only.
 
Thainer21 said:
Interesting.

My family had a dog (about 4 years ago) of whom we had lost to cancer. But because my mom is a stay at home mom, she was with her on her final days. Now both my father and I feel that another dog is needed in the house, but my mom was so devastated that she refuses to look past the bad times to get to the good. thanks for your thoughts on the topic.
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You need to get your mother to see that the dog isn't a replacement, but rather a new addition to your family. It will never be the same, but can be wonderful and different.
 
Thainer21 said:
Interesting.

My family had a dog (about 4 years ago) of whom we had lost to cancer. But because my mom is a stay at home mom, she was with her on her final days. Now both my father and I feel that another dog is needed in the house, but my mom was so devastated that she refuses to look past the bad times to get to the good. thanks for your thoughts on the topic.
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New pets really do help the bad times with past pets.

Four years ago, the day after Christmas, my cat at age 19 died. We were all devastated...for 19 years we had had her. Then in mid-January we got another cat and it really helped us look past the bad/sad stuff from our last cat. We still have her picture and ashes on a shelf in our house, but our new cat really helped.
 
Dogs are family members, as long as they fit the family, which of course is usually not the dog's choice. They need to be loved, and taken care of, just like any other family person. We have had dogs (and cats) for as long as I can remember. When my wife and I were living in a bad part of town we had Dobies basically for protection. The male Dobie actually saved my wife's life from an intruder.

When our girls were growing up we had the Labs. Labs are one of the perfect family dogs. They are so loyal, and loving, it's just unbelievable.

Now with the girls off on their own, and the amount of traveling my wife, and I do we have opted for a more protective "looking" breed. We now have Mik Boy who is a very large American Bull Dog. At 14 months, and 120 lbs, the bad guys tend to leave us alone. Picture this large fellow following "his" 4, and 5 year buddies, and their friends, up and down slides at the park. 20/20 says we should have named him Marmaduke.

Just this past month, I had a renter skip out on me who left what appears to be a St Bernard mix with absolutely huge paws. We think he is 5 months old. Plan was/is to find him a good home, but unfortunately for us, our youngest Grand Daughter has taken up with him.

As for pet insurance, it is a must. Any pet owners who have gone through pet cancers, hip problems, and what ever else might harm an animal will know what I am talking about.

Biggest issue with having a dog is if you can't take care of the animal both physically, and financially, don't get one. If you can't take the time to train, and socialize the animal to be safe around other people, and animals, don't get one. Between us, and our two daughters families, we have 8 dogs, in four different breeds. All 8 of these critters get along with each other when we have a family get together.

Now, if I could just figure out how to handle excess dog hair...........:banghead:
 
I'd be lost without my boys (Cocker=Boomer and Pug=Maximus)...I love dogs too much not to have at least one.
 
Its nice to have a companion. I have a basset who is pretty much attached to my hip. She hangs out in the garage with me, comes to work sometimes and chills on the couch and watches alot of baseball. I think its important to pick out a dog that fits your personality.
 
i'd say it's very important,

the little chores involved with any pet help teach the young family members responsibility, and the inevitable deaths of pets will help prepare them to deal with bigger and more serious losses down the road. In the meantime the companionship makes it all worthwhile.
 
Only drawback I see is that two dogs of over 60 and 70 pounds do a lot of "business" out in the backyard you gotta keep up with! :banghead:
 
Been there, done that. We put both our Labs down at the same time. One had cancer, and the other's hips were no longer working for him. At 15, and 16 years of age, losing these two friends was nothing short of a tear jerker for me, and rest of our family. My wife and I had already decided we would eventually get another dog, but it would be some time be for that actually happened. About 5 hours after we left the vet, our daughter brought over a little 8 week old brown, white, and black pup. We were not happy parents to say the least. If it had not been for our Grand Daughters, this pup would have left with our daughter. Now, 12 months later, he is just one of the family. We don't know what we do if something happened to him. :D
Thainer21 said:
Interesting.

My family had a dog (about 4 years ago) of whom we had lost to cancer. But because my mom is a stay at home mom, she was with her on her final days. Now both my father and I feel that another dog is needed in the house, but my mom was so devastated that she refuses to look past the bad times to get to the good. thanks for your thoughts on the topic.
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We have two labs, 1 maltese and one teddy bear. They are all very important parts of our family. The chocolate lab is my wifes and the black is mine and I hunt with both of them and they are the protectors of the house. The two little dogs belong to my daughters and are the entertainment. when my wife lost her first chocolate to kidney failure she was heart broken but while her new Bear has not replaced the first lab he has filled an empty part of it. All four are members of the family and get spoiled on a regular basis.
 
It's been well over a year since I put old Bill down. We keep joking about another, but heaven help me if I lost another in 12 or 15 years. Not to mention how expensive it gets when were on the road.

Liz thinks I need a Chuwawa (sp), lol. I have ears, hehe
 
thedue said:
It's been well over a year since I put old Bill down. We keep joking about another, but heaven help me if I lost another in 12 or 15 years. Not to mention how expensive it gets when were on the road.

Liz thinks I need a Chuwawa (sp), lol. I have ears, hehe
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Chihuahua :D
 
When my kids were growing up, we had an Old English Sheepdog named Clancy. He was a big part of our family and was great for the kids. He taught them how to love unconditionally, how to be responsible for something other than themselves, and was fantastic at guarding them from harm.

I would recommend them to families. I don't want one now because they are like having a perpetual 2 year old in the house and I have aged beyond the desire for that. Dogs are great, but not for me now.
 
I really don't know how I am going to handle it when it is time to put down my Golden. She will be 8 years old this year so hopefully she still has a few good years. She is definately a part of our family. That is her in my avatar.
 
Never really had many pets so I wouldn't consider it "important", more so I would consider it secondary as far as what is important to a family. Roof over the head, food on the table, clothes on your back, bills paid and steady income are important.
 
Floppy said:
New pets really do help the bad times with past pets.

Four years ago, the day after Christmas, my cat at age 19 died. We were all devastated...for 19 years we had had her. Then in mid-January we got another cat and it really helped us look past the bad/sad stuff from our last cat. We still have her picture and ashes on a shelf in our house, but our new cat really helped.
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Same here. Our Andy passed away after 18 years. He was a constant companion, was there to comfort us during hard times, share the holidays and fun and was a true member of the family. Andy slept on my pillow for 18 years. Still, and will always miss him.

We adopted Frank about 6 months later. Frank loves us but has his own personality. Momma's boy. We love him too.

Yes, get a pet if you are ready to accept a new family member.
 
C-Tech said:
When my kids were growing up, we had an Old English Sheepdog named Clancy. He was a big part of our family and was great for the kids. He taught them how to love unconditionally, how to be responsible for something other than themselves, and was fantastic at guarding them from harm.

I would recommend them to families. I don't want one now because they are like having a perpetual 2 year old in the house and I have aged beyond the desire for that. Dogs are great, but not for me now.
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I had an Old English Sheep dog too, his name was Jake. He was such a beautiful dog but he was sick from the very beginning. We lost him when he was 6 and my mother took it so hard, she spent so much time with him and it just killed her when he got really sick, he had liver disease. She swore we would not get another dog....however, about two weeks later we were at the Humane Society getting another one, she just couldn't be without that companionship. When we lost Jake we still have a smaller dog but he was 18 and we lost him shortly after, the doctor said he died of a combo of old age and a broken heart, those two guys were inseparable.

JB and I don't have kids so Ellie is our child. I can't imagine not having her. Just this morning she jumped up on the bed, sat on my chest and gave me kisses. There is truly nothing like the love of a pet.
 
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