The on-going "dog debate"

 My seven year old, Andrew really wants a dog. I am not an animal lover (to say it lightly) and am not interested in having an animal join our family. This last summer Andrew was asking and asking to have some sort of pet. He would come in and google all sorts of pets and then come report to me the findings. One particular day he had googled the "cost of a goldfish". He came to tell me that fish were actually quite inexpensive, but that their habitat could be pricey. He must have caught me at the right moment, because I agreed that we could go and get some gold fish that very day! He was ecstatic! We all went to Walmart to pick out some gold fish and their habitat. We were planning on getting five gold fish, but my first clue should have been when the nice Walmart employee threw in our bag a few extras for free. We bought our 13 cent fish, a small plastic tank, scooper, and some fish food and we were off. It would have been awesome to have a photo of my kids walking out of the store that day, all with big smiles, thinking I was the best Mom ever.

Unfortunately, their joy was only short-lived. Each morning for the next six days we woke up to find another fish floating at the top of our tank. The scooper that I had bought to get the fish out while cleaning the tank, instead was used for a daily funeral service. By the end of the week we were headed out of town and there was only one goldfish still alive. With the history of the others behind me there was no way I was going to ask any neighbor or friend to come feed this last one. We left for our week long trip and were SHOCKED to find the fish still alive when we got home. I promptly fed him some food (after his week long fast) and he promptly...died!

One of the things I noticed about the fish is that besides watching them for a few minutes a day there wasn't ANY interaction. The kids noticed too and the plea was back for a dog. And really I don't blame them because out of all possible pets, I am sure a dog would be by far the most fun to play with. I wasn't raised with one, but I can see the love that others have for their family dogs. Andrew has had tears on more than one occasion about getting a dog. He occasionally watches a youtube video and is emotionally touched by the love these families have for their pets. I have told him that he can get a dog for his family when he's a dad, but his response I have to agree with, he'll have more time and more fun having a dog now than when he's a dad and he has to go to work.

So the debate still continues. In the mean time I have been greatly helped by friends and neighbors who have dogs. We have an open invitation with one friend to come and walk her dog ANY time we want. Another friend's mom brings her darling Yorkie puppies to soccer games for my kids to hold and play with.

 And two of our neighbors have dogs and these "chuck it" sticks where you don't have to touch the slimy ball the dog returns to you. Anytime Andrew sees the dogs out there he drops everything and runs to join in the fun. This supports my belief that the best kinds of animals are other people's, for example see this post- thanks to my neighbor's dog barking.

My sister in law, Amy tells her kids that she's willing to get any dog that doesn't poop. Unfortunately that now puts me in another predicament...Andrew is asking Santa for a "robot-dog". He says, " It will be perfect Mom. A dog that doesn't shed or poop and Santa's elves can make anything you ask for."

Wow, I'm in for it as this debate is likely to continue for many years...wish me luck!