Dogs

[Swirls]

Seriously though, it's up to you. We had both cats and dogs when I grew up, and I still love both - I'm allergic to cats now, but it doesn't stop me from loving on my sister's cat whenever I come home to visit, or from playing with other cats when I see them. I take cheapo generic Zyrtec daily, and for the most part, it stops the sneezing/itchy eyes/runny nose that comes along with playing with kitty cats.

The ball and chain and I have two dogs - Oscar lives with me in NY, and Sophie lives with The Boss in Phoenix.

The two other main things to consider if you choose to adopt a dog (besides what you listed above) are: (1) breed, and (2) sex. Male dogs tend to be more energetic/rambunctious, which may pose a problem for your feline companions. All animals will either be pre-spayed/neutered, or will usually include the cost of said surgery in the adoption fee.

Obviously the breed will determine the dog's size and its temperament. If you go to a shelter, 90% of the dogs will be a mix involving either a labrador or a beagle. So if you don't want one of those two breeds, you might have to search for a while. Try http://www.petfinder.com and you can do some searches for specific breeds, and maybe get lucky.

The best website I know of for doing some digging on dog breeds/temperaments/etc. is http://www.dogbreedinfo.com. They have an alphabatized index of pretty much every breed known to man, including specifics on the breed (even going so far as what the specific AKC judging criteria are), how much exercise they should get, any known health problems with the breed, an assload of pictures, etc. They also have a quiz that you can take where it will automatically pick your ideal dog breed based on your specific criteria. Oddly enough, Mrs. Swirls took the quiz before she bought Sophie, and the breed it picked for her is the exact breed that I recommended.

[Radbird]

We're really debating adding another cat to our household or getting a dog for the first time. I know most of you are dog people, but we do really love cats. Either way, we want to save an animal from a shelter (no pure bred, high $ pet for us) and we want a kitten or puppy. I think a young dog or cat will fit in right away because they're dumb and happy go-lucky without the attitude. Luckily, Mr. Planet works from home so he has time to help with potty training duties. I grew up with dogs and cats. We also don't have a preference, nor experience regarding the pros and cons of different dog breeds.

Cat Pros:

Fit right into a household of felines
Low maintenance - no walks, we can leave them for weekends/long weekends with no worries

Cat Cons:

More litter to change?
?

Dog Pros:

A different type of pet, more enthusiastically loving?
Having recently experiencing a break in, potentially a security benefit
They can ride along in cars and accompany you to parks
More loyal

Dog Cons:

Frequent walks in this godawful cold and blistering heat
Less vacation freedom and potentially more expense
With three cats, we won't be able to get him/her a canine companion soon
Will he/she get along with our cats? We love our cats and don't want to make life uneasy for them
Puppies potentially more destructive

Sorry for the long post, but try to come up with something better than dogs rule, cats drool.

We did this a few years ago. We were a 3-cat household before we got our first dog in 2004. And we did it because of my switching to work-at-home status. The canine integration into the household was pretty smooth, probably because it was adult cats and a puppy. Dogs seem to quickly learn their place in that type of environment and I think the cats actually enjoyed "teaching" the dog her place.

It worked well enough that we added the second dog a year later. The advantages you list like security barking and enthusiastic love are good ones. I love the walking aspect and when it's not possible, you don't do it. Of course, I admit that our summer climate is significantly more bearable than yours and that influences my opinion quite a bit.

Less vacation freedom and added expense are real concerns to consider. Good luck in your making your decision!

(And now that we're down to a 1-cat household we're considering if that needs to change...)

[clake]

I've been a cat person pretty much my entire 34 years of life and have been absolutely amazed by the girl my wife and i adopted 4 weeks ago. The cat I've had for the last 10 years is still #1 to me but our new addition is really stealing my heart.



This is Abbey our 110lb Leonberger. (4.5yrs)

[Transmogrified Tiger]

You made a pro/con list for Cats and you only listed one con? Did you forget to come back to it or something?

[lukethedrifter]

You made a pro/con list for Cats and you only listed one con? Did you forget to come back to it or something?

I think the obvious answer is just get a cat and be done with the charade.

[Radbird]

They had a segment about the Awkward Family Photos website on CBS Sunday Morning.

This picture cracked me up. Rather than resurrect that thread, I thought I'd just post it here.

For the man that gets behind everyone in the family.

[slide_into_first]

http://www.nebraskadachshundrescue.org/about.htm

[lukethedrifter]

Mom's happy with her new and much mellower Jack Russell. My daughter really likes him as well, however that he eats his own vomit doesn't sit well with her.

[clevername]

forgot I had posted in this thread. I've given up on my beagle urge for now as I just don't think I can handle one.

Anyone have any experience with Boston Terriers? I've been reading some good things about them and have started considering one (even to the point of finding the local rescue websites to look around).

[cardinalkarp]

forgot I had posted in this thread. I've given up on my beagle urge for now as I just don't think I can handle one.

Anyone have any experience with Boston Terriers? I've been reading some good things about them and have started considering one (even to the point of finding the local rescue websites to look around).

Hyper...VERY hyper