some consider animals such as dogs and cats as part of their "family" members, while some do not appreciate having them at home. lets look at this animals (consider dog and cats only ) known as pets and discuss the advantages and or the disadvantages of having them as pet ( You may choose to discuss their advantages, disadvantages, or both).
I have 3 extra family members, all poodles, 1 teacup and 2 standards. They are truly members of our family. My husband and I are from North Carolina and all of our family is still there, so we have pretty much been on our own for 26 years. As our children were growing up we thought a dog would be great company for them, but little did we know how important they would become. When no one else was around the "poos" were always there to fill in. At night our kids were comforted by having a dog "protecting" them from scary things. My husband gained a fishing partner. I had someone to comfort me when my mom died-not to talk-just to be there and lean on me. My son is in California this summer and he when he calls he always wants to speak to them. Right now everyone is out of the house but me and I have all three snoozing at my feet. Unconditional love is an amazing thing. Here is a good test for seeing how much your dog loves you. Lock your best friend and your dog in the trunk of a car for an hour. When you open finally open it, see which one loves you more!
ReplyDeleteHey Norma, this is an awesome comment. I think I will like to start with the "test for unconditional love". when I read this part, I busted into laughter. I may 'experiment" on it one day!! It is obvious that your family loves pets. This is very interesting. All the same, this pets could be amazing to some people depending on their exposure to pets growing up or they just happen to develop natural affinity for them.
DeleteYou know growing up, we had 7 dogs in our yard. They were not allowed into our house, but rather, they were kept in a very roomy dog house. Each of them has a separate room, but they have one common "living room". They were well feed, groomed and we took them to visit the veterinary clinic regularly. Guess what? they were raised for security purpose. we had a very big yard, so, the dogs are loosed at night to serve as security guard and they are taken back to the dog house in the morning. so, dogs could be very useful.
Growing up it seems that we always had a pet. I had dogs and cats as a child and loved them both. As an adult I have had a few dogs, all boxers. The first boxer we had came up missing a few months after we moved. We could never find him and we were devastated. A few years later we got a female boxer. She was a little wild and it was a little difficult for me to feel as if I loved her because I would get so frustrated cleaning up after her. She became very ill and it was then that I realized that I did love her. I went to visit her daily at the vet, but there was nothing they could do for her. The boxer we have now is about eight years old and he is definitely a family member. I believe there are advantages to having a pet. Some of those include the friendship and loyalty they show all family members, the responsibility they teach children and adults, and the companionship they can offer people. The only disadvantages I can think of are the expense of taking care of them properly and the feeling of lose and grief when you lose a pet.
ReplyDeleteHello Payne, Thanks for your comment. sorry for what you went through for the sake of your dog. I am happy for you that for the past 8 years you have being keeping another boxer. "the friendship and loyalty they show all family members". You know this statement, brings me to understand that we can actually learn loyalty from our pets. They are very humble depending on their up bringing.
DeleteAs per disadvantages, I had a bad experience with a neighbors dog growing up. I was pursued, and scratched by their dog and these one singular act made me to be very cautious when I come across any dog.
I grew up with dogs, both indoors and outdoors. My mother is a real animal lover and somehow strays would always find her and she would take them in happily. Just before my husband and I got married we adopted a lab mix from the shelter. She has been with us nearly ten years now and we have enjoyed our time with her. However, the lifestyle that we have now is much different than the one we had when we adopted her. We are much busier and we move frequently due to my husband's job which is hard on a dog. Advantages: I appreciated the protection my dog would provide while my husband was away on deployments. My dog is a good companion, she is well behaved and enjoys comforting humans if they are sick or distressed. Disadvantages: It is harder to find a dog friendly rental to live in when we move. Adding kids to our family has exponentially increased the amount of time we spend cleaning up, our dog only adds to this mess and that can be frustrating. Pet expenses add up quickly, between finding a pet sitter or boarding her when we take trips and regular vet visits we spend a significant amount of money each year on her.
ReplyDelete(ifurlong)
Hi furlong, Thanks for your comment. I have learnt a lot from this. I can see that your mother did a lot of 'humanitarian' service to the strays!! More grease to her elbow. Right now as we blog, I have a niece with a cat and a nephew with a dog, both staying under same roof. They love to care for this animals but, at the expense of their mother. So, its expensive taking care of this animals. one thing I don't really like about them, is the animal hair on the couch, very irritating to me.
ReplyDeleteI have two cats that I consider family members, so I am biased in my opinion here. From a more objective perspective, however, I do believe that animals can be both therapeutic and comforting to those who may be living alone or who are elderly or sick. I immediately think of service animals (dogs generally) who are trained to assist individuals with disabilities or animal-assisted therapy that can improve an individual’s disposition and cognitive functioning as two ways pets become more than just a household nuisance. Instead, these animals provide a sense of safety and feelings of well-being, which both contribute to my fondness for family pets.
ReplyDelete(rmcmullen)
Hi Rachel, thanks for your comment. You have every right to be biased!!!. Sure you are right, there are some dogs trained as "service dogs". Some are even trained to sniff out bombs ( they help the service men), drugs (cocaine, marijuana etc). These dogs serve at the immigration post such as airports and boarder lines. some of the dogs are even used to search houses where it is believed drugs exist.
ReplyDeleteI am 100% a dog person. My Fiance and I have had our miniature dachshund for 5 years and I consider her more of my family than my siblings. The biggest advantage to having a dog that you truly care for and give plenty of love and support to is that no matter how bad a day you have had as soon as you walk through the door their excitement will put a smile on your face. Even if I'm gone for a couple of hours my dog acts like she hasn't seen me for weeks. The biggest downside is the cleaning up after their messes. But I defiantly say the pro's out weigh the con's.
ReplyDelete"no matter how bad a day is.......their excitement will put a smile on your face". This is true. I have seen that over and over again, although I do not have a dog, and I don't intend to have for now, but my niece have one. Thanks Matt for your comment.
ReplyDeleteThis is an excellent use of the weblog to encourage discussion about the family pet and its importance in a person's life; a topic near and dear to many people.
ReplyDelete