Tell me NO--I am nuts! :)

[k0xxx]

When we were married, one of the many things that we talked over and agreed on would NEVER would have an inside dog. Then after moving out here to the sticks, our young daughter (city raised) would get nervous being alone at night. So, after a lot of hemming and hawing, we broke down and got her a dog. It grew up to be her best buddy and her protector.

Now we have four rescued dogs ranging from a 60 pound lab/chow mix, to a 110 pound Great Pyrenees, lounging around the house. We do shave them 3 times a year (except the Pyr, which we just trim back to about an inch long) and it really cuts down on the hair problem. They also get bathed once a week.

They are trained to not enter the kitchen without permission, and when we sit down at the table they know to go lie on their beds. It takes a lot of time and effort to keep up with them in the house, but they are so nice to have on a winter night as the wood stove dies down.

IMAO, Get the girl a dog, and get her one that is large enough to protect her.

 

[miss_thenorth]

If you don't want one, don't do it!!!!! Like someone said earlier, If momma ain't happy, ain't no one gonna be happy. I also do not like small dogs. I have a 50lb and a 90 lb. they live out in the garage and they are the happiest, and I'm happy b.c they are happy outside. I have an indoor cat, that we are turning into an outdoor cat, b/c I am not enjoying him inside anymore. He has takes to not using his litter box, so now he can go wherever he wants outside.

 

[SKR8PN]

So......what's the bid deal about having a big dog in the house??
Put some covers on the furniture and have at it.

We wouldn't have it any other way!

 

[miss_thenorth]

Don't get me wrong--I love my dogs, but when we lived in the city, my two dogs were in the house. While the hardwood floors survived, my windowsills in the livingroom were trashed from them jumping up and barking at everyone who walked by. Screen doors did not last more than a coupla years. Forget about keeping the grout on the tile floor from getting all stained. Dog hair was everywhere, especially from the rottweiler. I came to hate cleaning up after them. Ifyou don't have a heart for having an indoor dog, only resentment will come of it, so you really need to really consider all the pros and cons of having an indoor dog. Because , face it, a 6 yo is not going to reliably take care of the dog--momma will be stuck doing it. Feeding, watering, wiping off paws when the dog comes back in the house, picking up poo out of the yard, cleaning up after "accidents'. It's not for everyone.

 

[FarmerChick]

believe me these posts are helping me alot


hmmmm

I guess it truly comes down to "what I (me, and no one else like Tony or Nicole---lol) can stand cause I am "this house" truly lol



while those pics are wonderful and enjoyable----I couldn't handle those dogs in my house lol



so in the end----what the "momma" personality can stand is all it can stand lol


this post is just making me realize is what I can do is "what I can do" and find a way to fit it into my type of personality hmmmmmmm


thanks everyone this is very good therapy

 

[Blackbird]

NO! You are NUTS!

Is that what you wanted to hear?

I don't do inside animals either.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

ha! SKR8PN i love that pix of the dogs all over you!

that being said.....

we dont let our dogs run loose in the house. our dogs stay in the DOG AREA and leaving it is a beating offense (we dont have many takers). we have a sectioned off, easily gated, tiled area in the kitchen directly by the door were they hang out. its easy enough to teach them to stay in one place (maybe a mud room?). i tried having them in the kitchen but its kinda hard having 250 lbs of dogs all stretched out (Dog #1 and Dog #2 are as big as i am when they lay down)... so we arranged the kitchen specifically to accommodate dog beds for everyone.

but if they are inside/outside they will track every piece of dirt in - and drag fleas inside - which is our big problem now. we even get a light layer of dust from them.. i dont have any idea where it comes from ....

anyway - Dog #1's main job in life is to guard me - and he does a dang find job. personally i love a big ol' German Shepherd. our next dog will be an akita b/c we need a hunter... not recommended for kids tho

 

[FarmerChick]

thanks Blackbird

I needed to hear I was NUTS


lol lol


or am I getting older and senile and willing to change?

hmmm as I hit 50 soon I am getting more "shall I say" ""different"" but somethings are hard to switch in me :/

 

[Blackbird]

Well, if you get a dog, I say get a big LGD, they can be as cuddly as a bunny (maybe you should get her a bunny?) but they could also guard those goats of yours from wild dogs.

 

[patandchickens]

What if you agree she can get a smallish dog *but* you get veto power, so that you can pick one that YOU can live with TOO.

I am totally not a small-dog person, but I used to know one particular small dog (found as stray but an absolute 100% dead ringer for a Tibetan Spaniel. Rare dump-ee, or lookalike mutt, who knows?) that I would have LOVED to have owned. She was not in the least yappy or ditzy or aggressive, she was active but in a controllable way, with great intelligence and trainability, and super friendly.

So if you "shop around" you may well be able to find a smallish dog that suits both your tastes *and* your daughter's.

Good luck, "have fun" ,

Pat