Great discussion guys, I agree we can't convince people they're worth it, shame they're missing out!

I agree with you fully there.

I used to get the same sort of thing. My mates would be out all night drinking and while I'd often go out with them for a few hours I would leave early because of the dog. I've never totally given up my social life because of a dog but my dog is a living creature and his needs come before me going out getting wasted I'm afraid.

I used all of those excuses to myself for years! If you ask my hubby it was for 20 odd, years, but no idea why apart from I dont have a social life and my kids activities fit pretty well into dog walking, i got to the point i had no idea why i was saying no, so decided to stop saying no!

And i am so pleased i changed my mind, i deal with the poo, the kids, my childminding and having to not be out long and i love every minute of having the pair of the waggy tailed gorgeous dogs that i have, i love the fresh air and exercise i get, i love the total love and lack of regard for my personal space when they sit on me with their bum in my face!

I dont like the worry when they get hurt, but that is cos of the pain i feel, and then the anxiousness i feel for them, but the love i feel is beyond any worry. I had no idea i would be like this and be the one to want a second!!!

If people dont like dogs then, to me, thats fine. I usually dont like their kids which often behave in a similar fashion to what they accuse dogs of!

We have a lot of anti dog people around, but that is up to them, i was never really anti dogs, just they werent for me!

I also think the same of some other peoples children even tho i have two of my own.

I do joke that if i hadnt of resisted getting dogs for so long the kids would never have happened if the dogs came first!

I am naturally finding that i am levitating now towards the more doggy people, but this happened when i became a christian, and when i had children a little filtering happened in my life, not by deliberately losing friends but just by the way my life changed and the people that i started to meet and get along with.

Completely agree, might have to start using that as a comeback when my friends complain

We still manage to have the odd night out, even as dog owners

We were at a gorgeous wedding on Saturday, from lunchtime to midnight.... however, we had ensured that the dogs were suitable exercised before we went out and someone came to be with the dogs for a few hours; feed them and play with them in the garden etc. The dogs then went to bed as normal.

Actually, they were quite peeved when we got in at midnight, as we had woken them up!! Murphy only opened one eye to see who it was then went back to sleep

Of course, it's not a regular occurence; but if you have dogs, you don't have to be hermits!

exactly. i go out quite often. but i make sure my dogs are with someone suitable. they are always exercised beofre i go out, fed if the timing is right, so i leave as little as possible to whos looking after them for me.

Same here. Neither of us are big drinkers but we go out for meals, we go to a table top wargames club (I don't play but I go for company) and we've been to social events the army have organised. We just make sure Rupe is exercised before we go and he'll quite happily settle in his crate for a few hours. We have nobody to look after him, if we were going to be gone longer than 5 or 6 hours he'd have to be put in kennels. As it is he's only once been left more than a couple of hours.

People just make excuses so maybe its better that they don't get dogs.......... however others need the experience to learn that actualy it's all worth it..... my partner never dreamed of keeping dogs.. then I persuaded him to take a pup... he wouldn't go back now.. he also loves the dogs
Dogs are worth it, there's not a day passes when my dogs don't make me laugh and smile How can THAT not be worth it!