I think a pet is an important rite of childhood but that "pet" can literally be anything! I don't want the work of a dog or even cat- just one more thing I have to care for/feed etc so my kids have pet chickens. chickens are super low maintenance and a pet *I* wanted so that's the pet they have. If my DH wanted a dog I may consider it but I don't want to get stuck being the primary caregiver for it.

Anonymous wrote:This is my husband’s argument to get a dog. He wants one for himself just because he loves dogs but he also says he thinks having a dog/growing up helping to take care of a dog is an important part of childhood* so he wants our kids to have that experience as well.

What do you think? I didn’t grow up with pets at all (parents didn’t want the mess or work) so I am apprehensive about the labor aspect of it but could be talked into it if it’s important for kids to grow up with a dog.

* could probably also extend this to cats or another household pet

Is your husband pulling his weight at home? Is he the one who is going to take care of the dog? If so, let him get a dog. If not, no.

Any other considerations are unnecessary. Your kids may or may not bond deeply with the dog. The My kids have very little interest in the dog, but it’s ok because he’s DH’s baby and DH is taking care of him. But it is nice to see DH happy.

LOL of course when you write about this in the "pets" forum the only people who answer are going to be pet owners unless they happened to catch it in recent topics.

That's the sort of thing that only someone who grew up with pets would say. I did not have pets, I do not want pets, so we are not going to have pets. I sincerely don't feel like I missed out on anything and I somehow manage to take care of myself, my things, and my children just fine even though I didn't have a pet to practice on.

Anonymous wrote:If he really wants a pet, he should get a pet, unless household members are allergic.

The other argument is ridiculous. Millions of people on this earth grow up without pets because they live in high-density living quarters and the prevailing culture is not conducive to pets.

Absolutely, he is an adult and he should have a right to have a dog or any other pet if no allergy.

He is also right about the kids growing up with pets are much happier and emotionally stable and fulfilled.
Some parents are jealous, yes, unfortunately, of an affection and bond of a child with the pet.

As to high density living quarters? Seriously, you can have a cat when you live in one bedroom place or rent a room, tons of people do. If not a cat then another small pet. Dog is a bit more of a production but much more health rewarding because of the walks and higher level of the emotional response.

Number of households in US owning...:

dogs:
48,255,413

cats:
31,896,077


If you consider total number of household in use at 120M that is a whole lot of households with pets,
consider lots of those are single people, elderly .. etc. So that is really a whole lot people owning
at the minimum dog or cat. Then you have other pets.

Your blanket statement PP is really not a solid argument.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My wife is against pet ownership on a philosophical level so I have no idea how to convince her as it’s not an issue about costs or who cleans what.

Hmm.. the only fix to that is to get the absolutely cutest animal you can find.

Or, get the dog, and buy her a condo.

Your wife is saving you a ton of time and money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My wife is against pet ownership on a philosophical level so I have no idea how to convince her as it’s not an issue about costs or who cleans what.

Hmm.. the only fix to that is to get the absolutely cutest animal you can find.

Or, get the dog, and buy her a condo.

Yes. And for adulthood. And grandparenthood. There's got to be a dog.

Anonymous wrote:My wife is against pet ownership on a philosophical level so I have no idea how to convince her as it’s not an issue about costs or who cleans what.

Hmm.. the only fix to that is to get the absolutely cutest animal you can find.