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Dog Dilemma

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norseamd said:
is that good for them. does swimming more let them grow more
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It's POSSIBLE for them to grow that large, but it's pretty rare for them to live that long in the first place, especially if you are beginner aquarist. Not saying you WILL kill it, but it will likely die at some point after a few years. Aquariums are not the natural habitats for fish no matter how hard we try to make them suitable for them, without constant monitoring at some point your water levels will go off in some way and you may not notice or you may get a parasite and not recognize the signs, fish gets caught in the filter, any number of things.

And as I said, they aren't required for a tank, especially if you are willing to scrub algae whenever it gets bad, doesn't take long and it isn't much work anyway.
 
EliteRetard said:
Yeah I agree with the others, 4 cats and a dog is to much...you need to get rid of at least 2 cats if you want a dog. Otherwise it's to much insanity and not fair to the pets. And proper training is a must for dogs, even if you have to pay a professional to help out.

Mixing cats and dogs in the same environment is also usually a bad idea, you'll need to setup a proper environment for the cats to get away. As in give them access to lots of high places. They need to be able to pretty much move around the main living areas without touching the floor. Not much different than if your parents all decided to move in with you, you most certainly would want to have your own space even if you generally get along O.K.
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This makes no sense and defines a problematic animal situation.

I have 10 indoor cats currently (5 are for adoption) and 3 dogs. No one is killing each other and many times the dogs and cats sleep together.

It is work, but not necessarily that much more. If the kids want the dog to, they should learn responsibility for it and handle the walking and cleaning up of the poop. (however; it's ultimately on the adults if the kids refuse/grow tired of this...I have found many do enjoy going for dog walks though and don't mind 'poop bags' if the parents don't freak them out about it).

You can train your dog to only go in one spot as well.

Our two small dogs just walk out in the back yard (mini chihuahua and pomeranian) My texas heeler mix usually only poops on his walks and will just play in the backyard (he will still usually pee in the backyard though).

10 cats is a lot of work though and requires quite a few litterboxes and 2x a day cleaning.

Also yearly vet bills have to be considered. Just for a basic exams, "HeartGard" for the dogs and shots my 13 animals run close to $2000 annually when all is said and done.
 
Sorry bro, sounds like your wife is set on the dog. And the dog run sounds like she's going to let it out to poop in the yard instead of walking it. Guess who is going to be shoveling crap every weekend?

I might be wrong on the dog run, but if I'm not, that's incredibly lazy and unfair to the dog and you.

Best you can do is to negotiate that there be no more new cats when the existing ones die. Or be a man and just say no more new pets, ever!
 
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you're not a pet person and you already have 4 cats? sounds like you've already put up with a lot lol. since you're getting a dog at least ask for a say in what dog they bring home. something you can tolerate. do your own research on food. you got people who says it doesn't matter, some say natural only, some are raw diet only.
 
The words "puppy fever" just sort of strike me as a bit of a concern. I have to echo the same sentiments that another poster said...what void is a puppy going to fill that three kids and 4 other pets still aren't?

I love animals. I really do. But I also have kids, a house, and a career that I struggle to juggle well on a daily basis. Let alone take care of myself. Dogs are a very different..err..animal than cats for busy homes. They need let out, can't really be left by themselves over a weekend, and another thing you have to consider if you take a week long vacation with the family. Working for a vet helps as you probably have access to discounting boarding..but still. It's one more fee and thing to do before and after coming back.

As a man, a husband, and a father, I can certainly understand the anxiety and resentment of adding another high maintenance living creature to an already busy home. My wife wanted the dog in our household. Who's the one that ended up cleaning up the poop? Me. Who ended up being the one taking her outside when it was cold? Me. Who cleans up all the hair on the floors? Me.

She wanted something warm and cuddly and another thing to love before we had kids. But didn't really want to do much of the other other work required with it.

Just saying. Doesn't mean your house is the same way. But I understand your husbands resistance.
 
Linflas said:
Getting rid of 2 of the 4 cats is "fair" how? Given the absolute numbers of unwanted cats and dogs put down daily in this country what you are really saying is kill 2 of the 4 cats to get a dog. As for mixing cats and dogs in the same environment there is no reason they can't get along if introduced properly. We have 8 cats and 4 dogs and they all get along just fine.

IMAG0138.jpg
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+1

I have 6 dogs and recently rescued 2 cats that we brought into the house. They all adjusted and get along or in the case of one of the cats, at the minimum tolerates each other well.

I would also say that if everyone in the house is not on board with the addition of a dog, it's not a good idea.
 
If she is adamant on having a dog. Let her agree on this, it's her pet anyway. ^_^

1. Takes care of it. Provide the food and bathe it.
2. Cleans whatever mess it's gonna create.
3, Pay for any damages it incurs, in house or outside.
4. Bring to the vet for shots/checkup.
5. Walks it around at least once a day/every other day.
 
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Add up the costs of owning this new dog per month or per year. Include some degree of compensation for the labor/work husband will have to do due to the dog.

Husband gets new car/TV/PS4/computer/bedroom favor, etc. value equivalent to the number calculated above. Might be easier to do this on a month-to-month or year-to-year basis rather than up front based on lifetime expenditures, depending on your finances.

It sounds like you are getting a dog. IMO, rather than have husband stockpile resentment over the 12+ years of having the dog, come up with a compromise that husband can live with. Because the dog WILL destroy something or cause some incident that will set husband off someday. Better if the husband can point to the TV and say, "at least I got this shiny 70" plasma out of this deal" than suffer an incident that could threaten the marriage.
 
GagHalfrunt said:
Can't the dog eat one cat a day until they're gone?
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No, 1v4 on day one would go horribly wrong for the dog, whereas two dogs could easily corner 1 and the other 3 would be held back by one of the two dogs OR the simple being of two dogs would keep the other 3 back and the dogs would be allowed to have their way. :colbert:
 
Tell her she can get one after 2 of the cats die. Having 5 pets when you are not a pet person is too much. I have one cat and dog and I wish I didn't. I agreed to getting a dog but once that one dies I will never agree to get another one. The cat was mine from before I met my wife and since then I have decided I don't care for pets in general. Too much work and little to no benefit. I would rather get divored than get another dog. I really hate dogs.
 
nickbits said:
Tell her she can get one after 2 of the cats die. Having 5 pets when you are not a pet person is too much. I have one cat and dog and I wish I didn't. I agreed to getting a dog but once that one dies I will never agree to get another one. The cat was mine from before I met my wife and since then I have decided I don't care for pets in general. Too much work and little to no benefit. I would rather get divored than get another dog. I really hate dogs.
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scientific research theorizes that some people are just born haters in life. they naturally have a pessimistic attitude in life.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130826123147.htm
 
nickbits said:
I'm not sure what that has to do with finding pets pointless.
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nickbits said:
Tell her she can get one after 2 of the cats die. Having 5 pets when you are not a pet person is too much. I have one cat and dog and I wish I didn't. I agreed to getting a dog but once that one dies I will never agree to get another one. The cat was mine from before I met my wife and since then I have decided I don't care for pets in general. Too much work and little to no benefit. I would rather get divored than get another dog. I really hate dogs.
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yes you do

amazing how much the rest of your life means to you than getting another pet
 
nickbits said:
Tell her she can get one after 2 of the cats die. Having 5 pets when you are not a pet person is too much. I have one cat and dog and I wish I didn't. I agreed to getting a dog but once that one dies I will never agree to get another one. The cat was mine from before I met my wife and since then I have decided I don't care for pets in general. Too much work and little to no benefit. I would rather get divored than get another dog. I really hate dogs.
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This is the wife: Really you would divorce your wife over a dog? That really makes me wonder aboht you marriage, do you have children? That just seems like a drastic measure to not get a dog.
 
artemicion said:
Add up the costs of owning this new dog per month or per year. Include some degree of compensation for the labor/work husband will have to do due to the dog.

Husband gets new car/TV/PS4/computer/bedroom favor, etc. value equivalent to the number calculated above. Might be easier to do this on a month-to-month or year-to-year basis rather than up front based on lifetime expenditures, depending on your finances.

It sounds like you are getting a dog. IMO, rather than have husband stockpile resentment over the 12+ years of having the dog, come up with a compromise that husband can live with. Because the dog WILL destroy something or cause some incident that will set husband off someday. Better if the husband can point to the TV and say, "at least I got this shiny 70" plasma out of this deal" than suffer an incident that could threaten the marriage.
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Wife: I don't really think of getting a dog is something I need to compensate or pay my husband for. I wash his laundry, pick up his clothes from the floor, do a miriad of things around the house that benefit him, he does stuff that benefits me, its a marriage we work together. He already has both tv's he wanted, up graded computer etc so I don't think financial compensation is really needed.
 
HydroSqueegee said:
Wife: I don't really think of getting a dog is something I need to compensate or pay my husband for. I wash his laundry, pick up his clothes from the floor, do a miriad of things around the house that benefit him, he does stuff that benefits me, its a marriage we work together. He already has both tv's he wanted, up graded computer etc so I don't think financial compensation is really needed.
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that might work.

however if there is anything you can get that will might enjoy with the dog then that might be a good option. even if it only benefits him and the dog. then maybe he will like the dog more.
 
vi edit said:
The words "puppy fever" just sort of strike me as a bit of a concern. I have to echo the same sentiments that another poster said...what void is a puppy going to fill that three kids and 4 other pets still aren't?
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Wifey: The puppy-itis I mentioned was because we had an adorable litter puplies at work the other day, that were available to a home. I see puppies all the time and yes I want one. However I like certain types of dogs and will wait to get a kind I want not just a puppy for the sake of a puppy.
Getting a puppy isn't to fill some void. We had a dog, I enjoy having a dog and the kids enjoy having a dog, the dog is part of the family. I enjoy taking the dog hiking with us amd walking him to bus daily to get the kids. Its also a plus to have a dog when the kids are out playing since we have coyotes in the field behind our house.
 
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