Going Dogless Through Life

I know exactly what you mean. I could not go dogless. I have a lab german shepherd cross puppy called Orbit. Puppy love.

I own one of these. (Her name is Snowflake.)
http://www.pawsruskennel.com/photo-lucky.jpg

I've a seven-year old Yellow Lab named Savannah, who adopted me (literally - moved out of neighbor's yard and onto my porch - eventually, tired of having to come and get her, they let her stay). And last year I adopted a black-lab mix (really a Heinz 57 mutt,) named Black Dog, who is *her* puppy - they frolic for hours and occasionally pay attention to yours truly (helps if I have treats in my hands). Savannah is my "one dog," - I'll have others when she passes on, but I think that none will live-up to her charm, love, devotion, and goofiness. Black Dog? He's just a doofus, but entertaining, and he doesn't sulk for days on end like Savannah does (I reprimand BD and S runs and hides in her kennel).

One of my closest "oddball" friends loves dogs so much that he is now living in a trailer next to a pound (no-kill) in the wilds of Alaska - he says that the dogs are far preferable company to humans. I think I'll go live with him.

Part of my motivation for wanting to move to a house (besides escaping crazy/evil neighbors in my apartment) is so that I could have a dog. I am all about the kitty love, but I would love to have a dog too. OTOH I'm afraid that I will end up like the Osbournes and will end up with 100 dogs and cats running riot over the household.

Nicole - it's not a bad way to go - I've decided to be over-run with critters rather than having children (er, other factors have been considered, besides my love of animals, of course). Of course, you can also get involved with raising puppys for the Guide Dog/Assistance Dog programs. Or think about volunteering for wildlife rescue and rehab (at one point, in my last home, I had seven baby raccoons tearing everything apart while one bedroom house two orphaned baby bob-cats. Many renovations were required before I could put the house on the market, but well worth every penny.

What about cats? Man, if you give a good cat a few weeks of your attention, you will not be disappointed. I was a dog-lover my whole life until my girlfriend insisted on getting a cat (as companionship, since I spend many hours holed up in the bedroom on my computer). Well, the first few weeks I had nothing lined up in the way of jobs and a brand new kitty that was very skiddish about her new home. I pet her for a while and she'd run away, I'd feed her and she'd wolf it down like saying "thanks" before she ran away again.

Then, something miraculous happened. Over the course of a few months, our little kitty became the cutest little baby I'd ever had the pleasure of knowing.

She's always right there, following us around. She desperately wants to be included, she's curious and talkative. Often, while I'm working at the computer, she has her hind feet on the corner of the bed and her front feed on the arm of my chair and she's rubbing her little neck against my right arm. When you look to see what she's doing it's so fucking cute. She's totally cuddling. Like a little furry girlfriend or something! She's saying "hello, I love you, pay attention to me"... It's pretty weird, but oh so cute.

After 3 dogs in my life and only 1 cat, I think cats are better. This little booger is in a perpetual state of absolute babyhood. Whereas dogs sort of settle into a dopey kind of grown-up personality, cats always seem to maintain that element of innocent baby exploring cuteness.

Don't get me wrong, dogs are awesome, too. They seem to be more idiotic or something, though. Even though I know cats are only about as smart as an octopus, they are always interested in everything and appear to be desperately trying to figure things out. Dogs get to a point where they're like, "Yeah-huhhuuhuhuhuh, I'm your dog, I'm your dog, dahuhuhuhuh, pat me on the head, dahuhuhuhuh...."

im dogless at the moment, and its really awful. we had 2 beautiful dogs, one who died 3 years ago at 15 years of age, and the other died just last year, at 17. i hadnt seen her for ages because i left the country and she stayed with her dad. that was hard enough, leaving her, but when she got ill and died and i was far away it was Terrible.
i dont really have the heart to try and 'replace' either of them yet, and my living circumstances dont allow it anyway, but i intend to be 'dogged' again one day soon.
they really are the greatest to have around!

yeah! one for our side!!

When I met my S/O on-line, before we decided to meet, I had to answer three questions:

1. Was I a smoker? (NO)
2. What did I think of Babylon 5? (It wasn't too bad, but I didn't watch much TV)
3. How did I feel about cats? (Didn't hate them, didn't love them)
Here's what I didn't add:
1. I'd just quit smoking two months before, and ended-up re-starting when I moved (the stress of driving across the U.S. towing an overloaded-U-Haul trailer that had three blow-outs, driving a car that was so over-loaded that I had to pay tow-truck drivers to haul the car and trailer over the few mountain ranges I had to cross).

2. I had seen B 5 once or twice and thought it was a rip-off of Star Trek (later I realized the error of my ways on that issue).

3. I liked cats, but prefered dogs, and am actually allergic to cat dander.

Luckily, we were deeply in love before the whole truth came out. Now I keep suggesting that we get separate houses so we can each have the pets we desire. It seems like a logical step.

i don't think i could be dogful, i need pets that are easier to neglect, like cats

i would kind of like a dog, but i don't think i could handle it, responsibility wise

Goofy Airedales rule.

that thread title sounds like the title of a john hegley poem

The family has had at least one dog around for many moons, with only brief exceptions. When the current beastie passes on, however, I think that'll be it.

In my case a pet would be a nice thing indeed, but it would also require more care and attention than I could give it given my work schedule (and moving into an apartment from a house pretty much kills the dog thing anyway).

Yeah, that's the downside of dogs, they do need more attention, frequent walks, etc.

Goofy Airedales are the shit.

Scaredy Cat, that whole "Yeah-huhhuuhuhuhuh, I'm your dog, I'm your dog, dahuhuhuhuh, pat me on the head, dahuhuhuhuh...." attitude...it depends on the breed of dog. It sounds like you're describing a golden retriever. I love goldens and the like, they're super sweet, but prefer the intelligence, attitude and sense of humor of terriers.

My cute dog story: I was playing Tomb Raider at my sister's house, and I initially had a tendency to freak out screaming when I'm about to be killed. Of course, my dear Airedale friend ran in frantically to save me. He was very confused to see me simply screaming at the computer, but came up and put his head on my lap.

I love cats too, but for me dogs win hands down. I'm dogless at the moment (my little, non-yappy terrier died a couple of years ago). But I've done some work at the humane society, and I do some dogsitting, since I can't own a pet where I live. It sucks to be dogless.

Christine, is yr dog an American Eskimo? They are such sweethearts...

I am now dogless but my mum has owned a black poodle since she was 16. When the 'current' black poodle dies, she always says it's irreplacable, but the poodle people send reinforcements within a fortnight. None of ours have ever been yappy, or had stupid haircuts. The last two, Molly and Willie, had six months' overlap, and Molly was by far the smartest pet I have ever met (she barked forcefully if shouted at, just for starters). Willie is also smart, intelligent enough to push down power window buttons in back seat while sister goes through automatic car wash, as a form of revenge. Poodles will run t'ings if you let them - or sometimes they just decide to regardless of your opinion on the matter. I think they're close to cats (Molly grabbed stuff in paws as cats do).

We never had a cat. According to my mum, they moult and are sneaky, but if she had one she'd name it Pyewacket after Kim Novak's cat in Bell, Book and Candle.

Y'all just be careful you don't end up in a Marie Prevost-like scenario.

I'm not dogless, I'm dogfree! *ducks*

roommate's dog peed on the fucking floor last night because roomie didn't come home and didn't warn me; i think people need more training than dogs do

People need a helluva lot of training.

I haven't been dogless since 1984.

I could never be cat-less. I've had dogs... Well, my family growing up had dogs on and off (it was never really my dog). But I've always had cats. When I was in college, I was sad b/c I missed my kitties back home. As soon as I graduated, I made sure to find an apartment that allowed cats.

On a very sad note, my mom had to have her kitty, Emma, put to sleep this morning. She had cancer. She wouldn't eat or drink and had to get pumped up with fluids each week to keep her going. :( So I was just thinking about how long I should wait until I suggest she get a new kitten to cuddle.

I am very allergic to cats and dogs, sadly. If I weren't, I'd have cats rather than dogs, but I have to live with neither.

Sometimes I kinda wish I had a cat instead of a dog so I could make it chase laser pointers, but dogs are great too and I've had one most of my life.

I've been catless since 1992. :(

get a cat!!

TODAY!!!

Chang II: the Revenge

I went dogless for 12 years after I left my parents house. I will never do it again.

I always find it so morbid when I mention that, after Lucy, I will not have a new dog. Various reasons, really. But, no, I think I will go dogless through life again. :-(

i was expecting dog to eat little girl

Och!