Empty nest in 4 years- dog or no dog?
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Anonymous
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Our kids begged for years and I always said I would have had a third kid before a dog. I wasn't into them..
Now i feel bad and am considering a puppy or older dog before they leave. I am worried i will want one and getting one once they leave seems beyond cruel. Or am I crazy and should enjoy our new freedom without kids and not even start in with it. Curious if people need/want a dog once kids leave or it makes no sense. I am torn- they seem great sometimes and too much work other times. We work from home... |
Anonymous
| Please don't get a puppy, OP. Get a shelter dog. And, yes, get a dog! |
Anonymous
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What else will you do with your life once your kids are gone? If you plan to travel, it makes no sense to get a dog.
You've made it this long, OP. Why get a dog now that your kids will be leaving? They can get their own dogs as adults... |
Anonymous
I have no dog experience and need a dog who is friendly with no issues I need to work on from their past. Seems 99% of shelter dogs are pit bulls.... i need basically guaranteed friendly like a golden retriever 
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Anonymous
It seems so quiet and lonely... |
Anonymous
| That’s tough- I would lean toward getting a young adult dog. You won’t have to deal with the extra work of a puppy, you’ll make your kids happy, and you will help an adult dog find a home. An older adult dog will be aging as your kids progress through college. Our family dog wasn’t able to tolerate being boarded as she aged, she lost control of her bladder, needed special food, etc, so it was difficult for my parents to leave her. This was all while they wanted the freedom to drive down to visit their kids in college on a whim, and while they were trying to buy a vacation home. Think realistically about your plans for the coming years, though. If they include lots of travel, it might not be worth it. |
Anonymous
Ok, then I take it back. Please, OP, DON'T get a dog! |
Anonymous
| The answer is always dog. |
Anonymous
LOL. PP you are quoting. *I* will absolutely have a dog when our kids leave the nest, but we have one now and I am the biggest dog lover in our house. So basically the opposite of OP. |
Anonymous
I'm someone who has been around dogs my whole life and there is absolutely nothing wrong with OP not wanting a shelter dog. It's definitely true shelters are flooded with pit bulls and dogs that have a lot of issues and it's okay not to want to take that on. Cats? Great to get from a shelter. Getting a dog from a shelter is a lot harder. |
Anonymous
I get that you feel that way. It's still better to not get a dog at all then get one from a breeder, though. |
Anonymous
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I just couldn’t deal with the extra work of caring for another living thing when my twins were little. Growing up, they’d beg for a dog or cat. I’d always wanted a dog, but couldn’t have one as a child because of my sibling’s allergies. My kids are now middle schoolers and I relented and adopted a dog 1 1/2 years ago — because I genuinely wanted one. We adopted a retired racing greyhound because they’re so easy. They’re docile, quiet, don’t shed much, don’t need much grooming, and don’t need a lot of exercise. They sleep most of the day. Our dog was just becoming an adult when we adopted him. He loves meeting new people and dogs. He comes to seeking out affection. He’s so happy to see us when we come home. He has fit seamlessly into our lives. The drawbacks are the expense and the fact that he’s too big to pick up and cuddle.
He’ll turn 9 the summer before my kids go off to college. He has a roughly 12 year life expectancy. I don’t know if I’ll ever get another dog because I’m single so 100% of the car would fall on me, but I love my pup so much and it’s been a real pleasure to experience dog ownership. |
Anonymous
| No dog. I love dogs, but empty nest years are for traveling and freedom, in my book. |
Anonymous
In your shoes I would not get a dog. You could foster dogs and then when you want to travel than you find someone to care for them ( if they haven't been adopted) My neighbors do this and they love to travel. This way you are providing care for dogs that really need shelter and finding them good homes! |
Anonymous
This - if you have any plans to travel. A dog really ties you down op. Of course you could just get someone to take care of it, or board it for your travel duration, but the dog would really miss you, and you cannot have any spontaneous travel. Who will take care of the dog, will always be an important consideration. |