To Pet, or Not to Pet? Pros and Cons, please!

[Stargazer]

GypsyJan,

^^^^^. Rofl!!

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

When I got Simon, a 30 lb. beagle, I had two requirements:

1. He couldn't be smarter than me.
2. I had to be able to pick him up.

 

[Cammalu]

So Spaceman, how did that work out for ya? With your handle I hope that you are the smarter of the two of you [emoji16]

 

[Dingfelder]

When I got Simon, a 30 lb. beagle, I had two requirements:

1. He couldn't be smarter than me.
2. I had to be able to pick him up.

Is this the real Spaceman Spiff?  How can we be sure he didn't take over your account?

 

[sushidog]

My dog is sure smarter than me. When he looks at me I think he does one of those Vulcan mind melds. He makes me pet him and feed him whenever he wants. He gets me to get up go to work, and go buy him food. Not the cheap stuff mind you, but that high dollar fresh pet. I put a roof over his head, pay for his medical care, bathe him and even clean up his poop. He's never even done one of those things for me.

He's obviously a manipulative genius while I'm dumber than a box of rocks.

Cats are even smarter. I'm wise to their game. That's why I won't let one own me.

Chip

 

[JD GUMBEE]

Here and in other posts, I see people mention they cannot afford a dogs medical care costs.

If you go to a kill shelter and adopt (especially a young pittie mix or larger) a dog on death row...you feed said dog on decent food/scraps...then after four years, the dog "needs" surgery you cannot afford and you ball your eyes out as he/she is humanely subjected to euthanasia... ...you have still SCORED a victory for that animal!
Most large black dogs never get adopted and are gassed right in the shelters. Especially 4+ year old dogs.
Nomad life is the PERFECT life for a dog. They were made for it.
Low income rabies clinics are everywhere.
Dog food is cheap.
For women especially, a large dog is the number one deterrent for rapists and break-in men.

 

[Dingfelder]

Good points, JD.

I'm very pro-gun myself, but still agree that the best deterrent by far is a dog.

 

[ckelly78z]

I am not in an RV at this time, but if I were a solo, I would definately have a best friend (15-30# dog), anything smaller, and they are delicate, anything larger, and they are too big to be in a van easily.

 

[Dingfelder]

We have Australian Shepherds. They are generally about 40 pounds and still easy to pick up, even for my 75 year old mother, and not so awkward in any way I can think of. I think once you get out of the range of "purse puppy" and pillow-size, you cross a certain hand-held kinda barrier that makes heavier weights start to blend together a little bit.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

Aussies/Border Collies/Shetlands are EXCELLENT van dogs.

Having a gun is good.
Just make damned sure you are able to squeeze that trigger at the moment of truth.

 

[ckelly78z]

Aussies/Border Collies/Shetlands are EXCELLENT van dogs.

Having a gun is good.
Just make damned sure you are able to squeeze that trigger at the moment of truth.

My "Aussie", is named Buddy, he is 65#, and full of energy, some off leash stick chasing, and ball throwing is a requirement every day, and isn't a puppy (7 years old). My wife's dog is a 10# white pomeranian who sheds everywhere, and is rather delicate, but still loves running the farm, and chasing chickens.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

My "Aussie", is named Buddy, he is 65#, and full of energy

One of ours is always mistaken for an Aussie.
This is one of the pups we bred to be seeing eye dogs for kids.
They lost the damned funding for the trainers by the time they were born, so she ended up becoming our daughters pet and guarding the grandkids.
We have one placed in Chicago with a disabled man that senses seizures before they happen and warns him, one in Germany, a huge male (weighs around 60 pounds) that looks just like this one. She had 9 pups.

We bred our Merle Shetland with a US national champion Border Collie.
Epic dogs.
Incredibly smart and they live to concentrate on your wishes.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

This is our big fella from that breeding.