Not wanting a dog

zena3101

For the person who put up the post about not wanting a dog - it is very sad and disappointing.

Would you ever say that about your children, that even though they are good, you just cannot get along with them? Can you give them away?!!! How would you like it if your children, in the future, want to chuck you in a nursing home, because 'you smell' and shed hair/cannot keep yourself clean??!

Getting a pet is a responsibility for life, and not something to be taken lightly, same as having children. If you do not think your children should be subjected like that, then your dog should not be either! They are one of the most loyal creatures on earth, and only wants love and affection from its family (you and your family). From what your post said, the family gets along with the dog fine, and as you had agreed to getting the dog previously, so you need to learn to man up, tolerate it and take on the responsibility, until you outlive it.

seven-day-weekend

zena3101 wrote: »

For the person who put up the post about not wanting a dog - it is very sad and disappointing.

Would you ever say that about your children, that even though they are good, you just cannot get along with them? Can you give them away?!!! How would you like it if your children, in the future, want to chuck you in a nursing home, because 'you smell' and shed hair/cannot keep yourself clean??!

Getting a pet is a responsibility for life, and not something to be taken lightly, same as having children. If you do not think your children should be subjected like that, then your dog should not be either! They are one of the most loyal creatures on earth, and only wants love and affection from its family (you and your family). From what your post said, the family gets along with the dog fine, and as you had agreed to getting the dog previously, so you need to learn to man up, tolerate it and take on the responsibility, until you outlive it.

Point 1. The OP did not want the dog in the first place. She can't make herself love it if she just doesn't.

Point 2. Because of this, the rest of the family should do the majority of the duties involved with looking after it, assuming they decide to keep the animal.

Point 3. This is the sort of thing I mean about treating dogs like children. It is NOT a child,and whilst re-homing would be a last resort, if the OP really can't live with it, imho, it is better to rehome the animal to another home where everyone will love it. The dog will soon settle if it is treated kindly.

Georgiegirl256

zena3101 wrote: »

For the person who put up the post about not wanting a dog - it is very sad and disappointing.

Would you ever say that about your children, that even though they are good, you just cannot get along with them? Can you give them away?!!! How would you like it if your children, in the future, want to chuck you in a nursing home, because 'you smell' and shed hair/cannot keep yourself clean??!

Getting a pet is a responsibility for life, and not something to be taken lightly, same as having children. If you do not think your children should be subjected like that, then your dog should not be either! They are one of the most loyal creatures on earth, and only wants love and affection from its family (you and your family). From what your post said, the family gets along with the dog fine, and as you had agreed to getting the dog previously, so you need to learn to man up, tolerate it and take on the responsibility, until you outlive it.

Exactly. :T One of the best posts here.

The dog hasn't done anything wrong, the only person who's done wrong in this situation is the OP by agreeing to an animal that she didn't really want in the first place....they are not a play thing.

That being said, if anyone in this position really has to re home a pet, then I hope they at least take it to a reputable place, and not just dump it at the roadside, people like that make me so angry. :mad:

Pollycat

zena3101 wrote: »

For the person who put up the post about not wanting a dog - it is very sad and disappointing.

Would you ever say that about your children, that even though they are good, you just cannot get along with them? Can you give them away?!!! How would you like it if your children, in the future, want to chuck you in a nursing home, because 'you smell' and shed hair/cannot keep yourself clean??!

You can't compare people with animals - and that comes from someone who doesn't have children and loved all her pets.

zena3101 wrote: »

Getting a pet is a responsibility for life, and not something to be taken lightly, same as having children. If you do not think your children should be subjected like that, then your dog should not be either! They are one of the most loyal creatures on earth, and only wants love and affection from its family (you and your family). From what your post said, the family gets along with the dog fine, and as you had agreed to getting the dog previously, so you need to learn to man up, tolerate it and take on the responsibility, until you outlive it.

I agree with the 'responsibility for life' but as for the bits in bold - maybe you should read the OP's later comments:

green_cloth wrote: »

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

We are going to have a chat this evening and I'm going to try my best to bond with the dog, I know its not the dogs fault, it's just how I feel.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend :-)

No update after that but at least she seems willing to attempt to 'man up'.

missbiggles1

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Point 1. The OP did not want the dog in the first place. She can't make herself love it if she just doesn't.

Point 2. Because of this, the rest of the family should do the majority of the duties involved with looking after it, assuming they decide to keep the animal.

Point 3. This is the sort of thing I mean about treating dogs like children. It is NOT a child,and whilst re-homing would be a last resort, if the OP really can't live with it, imho, it is better to rehome the animal to another home where everyone will love it. The dog will soon settle if it is treated kindly.

She doesn't have to love the dog or bond with it - she just needs to treat it kindly which isn't a lot to ask.

Children can become very upset when a pet is given away - as they think of it as a family member they can worry that this may happen to them in the future.

suki1964

missbiggles1 wrote: »

She doesn't have to love the dog or bond with it - she just needs to treat it kindly which isn't a lot to ask.

Children can become very upset when a pet is given away - as they think of it as a family member they can worry that this may happen to them in the future.

Yep, mum gave away our dog when I was 8

She then !!!!!!ed off and left her three kids when I was nine

Person_one

zena3101 wrote: »

For the person who put up the post about not wanting a dog - it is very sad and disappointing.

Would you ever say that about your children, that even though they are good, you just cannot get along with them? Can you give them away?!!! How would you like it if your children, in the future, want to chuck you in a nursing home, because 'you smell' and shed hair/cannot keep yourself clean??!

Getting a pet is a responsibility for life, and not something to be taken lightly, same as having children. If you do not think your children should be subjected like that, then your dog should not be either! They are one of the most loyal creatures on earth, and only wants love and affection from its family (you and your family). From what your post said, the family gets along with the dog fine, and as you had agreed to getting the dog previously, so you need to learn to man up, tolerate it and take on the responsibility, until you outlive it.

Are you trying to make the rest of us look daft, who've spent pages defending ourselves from accusations that we treat our dogs like children? :rotfl:

Person_one

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

The dog will soon settle if it is treated kindly.

Or it will end up as one of the 5000 or so that will die this year because there aren't enough homes, or it will spend months or years in kennels developing behavioural issues and anxieties or it will end up being passed from home to home for years because it wasn't trained or socialised properly as a pup so presents too much of a challenge for each new owner.

nashly

Mr N's sister gave her dog away when she had children, this was 40 years ago and he still thinks of that dog and feels sad. My brother was forced by his wife to give his dog away as she didn't like it after agreeing to it, the dog went to another member of my family, brother is now getting divorced. A neighbour gave up his dog and 7 years later is still full of regret. I grew up with dogs but only recently 8 months ago got one of my own, he is the light of my life, he adores me and I him, he is wonderful company. He doesn't smell as he is brushed and kept clean, he sheds slightly but that is easily cleaned up with a hoover. The minuses of dog ownership such as the commitment or hair are in my opinion far far outweighed by the positives, the love, cuddles, seeing my daughter play with him and joining us on walks - no mean feat getting a 14 year old out of the house with her parents!! to name just one or two. I really wish the OP all the best and hope that she can bond with her dog as animals can bring a lot of love into humans lives.

seven-day-weekend

missbiggles1 wrote: »

She doesn't have to love the dog or bond with it - she just needs to treat it kindly which isn't a lot to ask.

Children can become very upset when a pet is given away - as they think of it as a family member they can worry that this may happen to them in the future.

The OP does look after the dog and said she was going to try and bond with it.
Her one mistake was to agree to having it in the first place.
I take your point about the effect on the children.