I do agree that you should have a life, even if you have dogs, and that you should be able to go out occasionally, but I also think dogs are the home-body's pet. Why get a dog if you aren't going to spend time with him/her? Dogs are pack animals and they just aren't meant to spent countless hours alone, IMO.

I explain my feelings about this, even, to everyone people who has adopted a dog from me, especially if there isn't another dog in the family. Dogs are, without a doubt, companion animals and you get back what you put into your dog. You're dog is lucky to have your landlord's family.

Just me, but if I wanted a pet that didn't follow me around or get excited to see me I'd have a gold fish.

ETA: Nothing against fish here, just not my style. My aunt, on the other hand, used to have her fish boarded at a local pet store when she went out of town :)

Serious? You can board fish???? I'm not a fish or bird person but who knew? lol


I understand the shelter thing but why not take them when they are open? Dumping animals in the middle of the night is horrid. Last winter someone dumped a box of kittens over a shelter fence. One cats tail ended up in a puddle, before the place opened the next day the tail had frozen solid and had to be amputated. I know shelters charge to surrender animals now and people losing their homes can't afford the fee. But there has got to be a better way.

I'm always seeing dogs to give away or sell on my local flea market and the owners excuse is either they do not have enough time to devote to the dog, they have a child now and can't keep the dog because of this, or they are moving and can't take the dog with them, it irritates me sooo much!!

People who get an overseas job transfer can't take dogs unless they go through 6 mo of quarantine. Soldiers deployed can't take their pets. Unless family takes in the pet (if they have family) or a foster home can be found till the owner can return it gets surrendered. I was going to foster a dog for a soldier deploying to Iraq, but it would put me over the legal limit of dogs for our city. If anyone is interested in fostering a soldiers pet while they are deployed contact your local Army National Guard or Military of any kind. They should be able to tell you who is in charge of that program.

What a wonderful idea.

My dog or cat wont have to go through 6 months of quarantine just for going to another overseas job, it is poor planning when the animals have to go through that. the 6 months of quarantine is to recieve and test for the rabies vaccine. Pretty much every country allows people to do their own "quarantine' where they go to their vet, have their pets re-vaccinated against rabies, wait 30 days then have their blood drawn and sent to a testing center. It'll come back pos or neg as to wether or not the dog is fully vaccinated against rabies and thus starts the 6 months of quarantine. When the person arrives they have to present the documentation that their pet went through the process of being quarantined and tested by their vet.
Being in the military I have my cont. plan if I have to deploy, first I would send them to my parents, if they cant take them for any reason then the Rizzo would go to my grandparents and my cat to my sisters. Some people just dont plan ahead the way they would with their kids so a lot of pets wind up abandonded or put in shelters because they didn't plan ahead.

I don't want to sound like I am trying to pick fights or anything, however my dog does come out with me every chance I get... however, there are places that it is inappropriate to take an animal, like dinner, or on vacation where he would spend all of his time in the hotel because most places still do not allow dogs to be in/out and about.

So yes I am lucky to have my landlord to watch over them when I cant be there for him. He doesn't spend countless hours alone, and I agree that he shouldn't which is why he comes with me wherever/whenever he can. I don't think they are a home body's pet, I think they are the active person's pet...they like to get out, see and explore new places. A homebody doesn't give that to their dog, they get the daily around the block walk, maybe a trip to the dog park, and their own yard and apartment/house/condo.

While Rizzo is still going through a socialization period, I think he does enjoy going out and seeing the world, even if he does still get a little skittish around new things. He is learning, and beginning to enjoy it.

Hmmm, maybe our definitions of a homebody are different. My dogs go to the pet store, hardware store and any where else I can take them. Us homebodies have to shop, after all. And I enjoy having my dogs with me.

Lizzy, and soon my IG foster puppy who could be my new agility dog, go to agility class once a week. If I decide the puppy might have the temperament to make a pretty good agility dog, she will also go to obedience classes. I also take the dogs to agility trials that are in the area for socialization, though I don't have one I am trialing, dogs shows in Jonesboro, and meetups in Atlanta at the dog park.

I don't really believe dogs care where they go as long as they get to go with their person, or pack. So a walk around the block or trip to the dog park make a dog pretty darn happy, believe me. My dogs have been to numerous dog shows, stayed in as many hotels, lived in three different states and traveled to many agility trials (different from a dog show) and they are just as happy to be with me on a walk around the block. Heck, my dogs are happy driving to the post office with me to drop off a letter.

I spend more time at home than away. I'm a homebody and I don't think it means I'm not an active person. I honestly think that before a person gets a dog, they need to consider how much actual time they will have to spend with the dog and in most cases, that time is at home. If they can honestly say that the majority of their time can be spent with the dog, then research further what kind of dog would be right for you. Not all dogs are good travelin' dogs, either.

Now my vent, all the people who get a dog then realize a dog doesn't really fit into their lifestyle. Guess how many times I've gotten dogs from people who where single, then find a person who doesn't want or like the dog? Or like the guy who drove to VA to get a puppy off the internet, from a "good" breeder and kept the puppy a couple weeks to decide the puppy was too much trouble. Or the person who wouldn't take any advice about housetraining from me, let her three dogs run loose in her house while at work, her unhousetrained dogs, and then decided to turn her two intact males and one female over to rescue because the baby, now starting to crawl might get into the pee. Or all the people who have gotten a puppy and when it turns one year or so, and they still haven't gotten it housetrained, suddenly develop allergies. Or, and these people really get me, the BYB who finds out the money isn't as great as they thought it would be, or get tired of the business or in over their head with too many dogs, and turn over their dogs to rescue, their intact unvetted dogs.

We were told our dog would have to be quarantined for 6 mo if we took a job in Australia. I didn't know quarantine had changed so much over the years. As far as dogs owned by military most do go to family, but if there is no family they need to be fostered or surrendered. I think the foster program for soldiers being deployed is a great program. They get their dog back when they return and the dog gets it's mom/dad back.

I just recently accepted an owner surrender of an under 3 lb Yorkie because of guess what? Yep, her new baby is allergic to a Yorkie!

Let's just say...the doggy became the side show and no longer interesting once the new baby arrived. I'd much rather just hear the truth...we need to surrender because honestly, we lost interest in our dog.

Sad world out there...with all the disposable pets! Something we need to teach our children along with stranger-danger...pets are NOT disposable!:rolleyes:

What really gets me is when people say they found an apartment which doesn't accept or allow pets so they have to give their pet up. REALLY? I live in a no pet building ... and yet my little yorkie monster stays with me ... admittedly it's not ideal but I love my baby. I'm apartment hunting & no place can go on list if it's not pet friendly.

I just don't understand how people can look into the eyes of their dog and leave them on the side of the road. breaks my heart.

My daughter is single. She got a whippet, chiuaua, minpin mix. She had him a week and wanted to take him back. She was living in CA and I talked her into just keeping him and trying it out for awhile. Four years later and he is her baby and spoiled, omg, spoiled.

She moved back to Texas a couple of weeks ago. Her requirement for her apartment was that it have a balcony and a dogpark.

Our daughter has a Morkie, she NEVER wanted to return it, but the apts have to allow dogs or she won't even connsider it. She won't leave her kenneled if she goes out, she drops her off here and I puppsit.

That is sad for the dog. To be the itty bitty baby and then be replaced by a real itty bitty baby. But if the previous owners are not willing to put in the extra effort and love for the yorkie then they should not keep it. A 3 lb yorkie is a lot of folks idea of the perfect pet and would love, love to have him/her! It is a fact that pets have to be rehomed for perfectly viable and good reasons. If one has to choose between your pet or your offspring...the kids come first. It is sad tho.:(