I do not want a dog.
Jan. 19th, 2011 10:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seldneiBefore I begin, let me lay out the following facts, the order of how much they factor into my not wanting a dog:
1. My husband has severe allergies. His allergist has told us that if we get a furry pet, Scott will very likely develop asthma.
2. The Zweeble is uncomfortable and very nervous around any dog bigger than a poodle.
3. We cannot afford an animal right now. No, seriously, we can't.
4. I am way too much of a neat freak to own a dog. This may or may not be a moral failing on my part, but it would definitely be a moral failing to figure this out after we got one.
All that said, I like dogs. I might get over the neat freak thing for a German shepherd. Sadly, they don't make tiny, hairless and dander-free German shepherd dogs, so I think I am out of luck.
Yesterday, in the yard, Z. and I were approached by a medium-sized, brown, floppy-eared mutt that I think is female. The dog is super-friendly--no barking, no growling, no nothing--though prone to jumping up. I checked the dog for a collar and found a collar but no tags. Very wet and super-smelly, and untrimmed nails. Z. was getting a little freaked out, so I took him inside and we both had to bathe to get the incredibly wet dog smell off of us.
When Scott got home, he found the dog eating our garbage. He tried to shoo her away to no avail--apparently my five minutes of being nice in order to check for tags means we've been adopted.
I called animal control and left a message. The dog stayed in the yard, barking occasionally (I know there are possums and such that tend to migrate through our yard at night, so I assume that was what she was barking at). At midnight, when I went to bed, she was still in the yard in that classic lying down but keeping watch dog pose. At 12:30, when I had to soothe the boy after a nightmare, the dog was asleep in the yard.
When we got in the car this morning and opened the garage door, the dog came in and stood up to look in the car window at us. I got her shooed out of the garage, managed not to hit her on our way out. When I got home, she was lying curled up in the driveway, and now she's sleeping on the front walk.
Now, see, somewhere in there is the moment when someone else, without those 4 issues listed above, would have taken the dog in, washed it, headed to the vet, and the story would end with us naming her something like Sadie and having a dog.
Yeesh.
I don't have an enclosed porch. I can't be here all day, so I can't put her in the garage to wait for Animal Control because they can't get in. My son is afraid of her, so I can't just take them both to the shelter--not to mention that as friendly as she seems, she is a strange dog that I do not know, and I am not taking chances with that and my three year old.
So ... I think I've done all I can. I may give her some water later, though.
Yup.
ETA: Animal control just picked the dog up! I hope she gets a bath and a good meal today.
1. My husband has severe allergies. His allergist has told us that if we get a furry pet, Scott will very likely develop asthma.
2. The Zweeble is uncomfortable and very nervous around any dog bigger than a poodle.
3. We cannot afford an animal right now. No, seriously, we can't.
4. I am way too much of a neat freak to own a dog. This may or may not be a moral failing on my part, but it would definitely be a moral failing to figure this out after we got one.
All that said, I like dogs. I might get over the neat freak thing for a German shepherd. Sadly, they don't make tiny, hairless and dander-free German shepherd dogs, so I think I am out of luck.
Yesterday, in the yard, Z. and I were approached by a medium-sized, brown, floppy-eared mutt that I think is female. The dog is super-friendly--no barking, no growling, no nothing--though prone to jumping up. I checked the dog for a collar and found a collar but no tags. Very wet and super-smelly, and untrimmed nails. Z. was getting a little freaked out, so I took him inside and we both had to bathe to get the incredibly wet dog smell off of us.
When Scott got home, he found the dog eating our garbage. He tried to shoo her away to no avail--apparently my five minutes of being nice in order to check for tags means we've been adopted.
I called animal control and left a message. The dog stayed in the yard, barking occasionally (I know there are possums and such that tend to migrate through our yard at night, so I assume that was what she was barking at). At midnight, when I went to bed, she was still in the yard in that classic lying down but keeping watch dog pose. At 12:30, when I had to soothe the boy after a nightmare, the dog was asleep in the yard.
When we got in the car this morning and opened the garage door, the dog came in and stood up to look in the car window at us. I got her shooed out of the garage, managed not to hit her on our way out. When I got home, she was lying curled up in the driveway, and now she's sleeping on the front walk.
Now, see, somewhere in there is the moment when someone else, without those 4 issues listed above, would have taken the dog in, washed it, headed to the vet, and the story would end with us naming her something like Sadie and having a dog.
Yeesh.
I don't have an enclosed porch. I can't be here all day, so I can't put her in the garage to wait for Animal Control because they can't get in. My son is afraid of her, so I can't just take them both to the shelter--not to mention that as friendly as she seems, she is a strange dog that I do not know, and I am not taking chances with that and my three year old.
So ... I think I've done all I can. I may give her some water later, though.
Yup.
ETA: Animal control just picked the dog up! I hope she gets a bath and a good meal today.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-19 03:32 pm (UTC)You made sure she was safe and found her a way to (hopefully) get adopted. Don't feel bad!
no subject
Date: 2011-01-19 04:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-19 05:42 pm (UTC)Here is the deal: I love animals but I don't particularly love dogs. I love cats, but I only have time/space/energy for one cat. I know a friend of mine who would take in every stray cat that exists just because that's how much she loves them. Good for her.
If you don't think that you could give the animal a good home though, then you shouldn't try and should let another person who COULD successfully home the poor beast have that honor. I'm sorry that it stressed you out though.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 09:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-21 02:52 am (UTC)But it really did strike me at one point that this was the sort of story that ends with a lovable mutt joining the family. Except, not so much. :)