*glances round the house at the chewed toys everywhere, the pawprints on a floor that am sure was a lovley pine colour a couple of hours ago, the water all over the kitchen floor where Mikey has slobbered & Sasi has had a bath in the water dish..The crumpled up hairy blankets all over the place & the mound of black hair from a constatnly moulting Ruby*

Worth it....

...Hell yeah!

Most of my friends have dogs, those that dont say they just havent got time...each to their own

[QUOTE=Insomnia;2275676I get:

*Not wanting to pick up poo
*They tie you down
*You can't have a social life and a dog
*Dog hair
*They smell
*Slobber
*I've got cats/other small pets
*I've got children

[/QUOTE]

I think if you look at the reasons behind those given, you wouldn`t want a dog to go to these people anyway.
People who have a phobia about mess or are too lazy to clean, people who are so insular that they think they don`t smell, people who can`t do more than two things at once...
These aren`t reasons - they`re excuses. And IMO generally an admission that they aren`t worthy of a dog.

"Dogs are sh1t machines" thats the response I most often get, but so are kids and plenty of people have those.

I often get asked why i've got 3 dogs, why isnt one enough? Having only ever been a single dog family in the past, i'd never go back to just having one. Having a pack running round is fascinating to watch and you learn so much, plus I can do different things with different dogs.

I think many people see one dog as being a big enough responsibility without having more.

i get the "youre mad" as i have two and im constantly researching about what breed to add as the third next year.

my dad's OH is like that. she cant stand picking up poo, but she is a huge cat lover and has always had cats, and has no desire for a dog, each to their own.

i dont think they are a hassle. i dont think they tie me down. but im DEDICATED to them. and like said before they arent reasons for owning a dog, but excuses. if i go out its usually to the OHs where the dogs come with, or my mums where the dogs come with, if i go the pub for a drink, one or both dogs usually come with. if i go somewhere where they cant come, then they stay at home, it doesnt kill them. if i go away overnight somewhere then they stay with someone i 100% trust them with.
im not constantly hoovering, they dont leave that much hair about the place, or make a mess. asbo has a habit of destroying stuffed toys? whats a bit of stuffing?
they dont poo alot, maybe once or twice a day... they dont cost me a fortune either.. alot less than what id have to spend if i had a child... saying that all the excuses given, are ones i would use to say no i didnt want a baby

and besides who could not want of these beauties

My MIL is always on at me about how much of a tie my dogs are. Thing is, I dont notice whether or not they are, our choice to have dogs, is a lifestyle choice, and I wouldnt change a single thing

All the mess and hair and water on the floor is fine as the dog does it.

It would be a different story if it was a person doing the same thing. They would be out.

Maybe the fact I don't want another person in my life as me and my dog suits me just fine says it all.

My catch phrase is. I would'nt put up with this from a person. LOL

Wow, my total sentiments! I'm a clean/tidy freak and wouldnt put up with mess from my partner. In fact, it's a big reason why I left the home I shared with my ex and yet the dogs can create a mess and i'll happily overlook that!

Isn't it bizarre how people think about dogs as a tie, and how they are poop machines... but will go off and have a baby....

I would class children as just as much of a tie (if not more) than a dog; and (whilst they are little) just as much of a poop machine as a dog....

My nephew and niece are just as much work for their mum as the dogs are to me; yet we're constantly asked if the dogs are a PITA, but she never gets asked that....

ah, dogs are a breeze compared to babies...Dogs is sick, it goes outside, pukes, comes back in snores head off. Baby pukes all over you, inside of cot, over the sofa, then wont sleep"!

the way i look at it is children live alot longer than dogs, and always need their parents.... children say "i hate you" when they dont get their own. they get in a strop when you wont buy them the latest game, or pair of shoes that are in fashion, most kids are alot fussier eaters than my dog! some kids have to be pushed to be exercised and healthy, dogs dont, and a dog is always happy to see you, not just when they want something