Author Topic: Convincing the Parents  (Read 4309 times)

Offline Binky

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Re: Convincing the Parents
« Reply #15 on: March 24, 2007, 03:30:33 am »
I can so relate to this.  In fact, I just found a note to my parents, complete with drawing, from when I was eight years old.  It says "Puleeeeeezzzee eee can I get a dog.  I neeeeedddd a dog.  I promise I will take care of it."  My mother has a collection of these notes from the time I could write until I was 11 when my parents broke down and let me get a dog.  I stayed up with the puppy for exactly one night and spent about two days housetraining her- then my Mom and Dad took over, just as they knew they would have to!  Not that I didn't love the dog but I was a kid.

Of course, 15 is a lot more mature, but it would still be your parents' dog.  Even now that I am a "grown up" it is a lot of responsibilty to care for a dog.  My husband and I haven't had a vacation in three years b/c we have all the animals and it's hard to find someone to care for them. There are no quick overnight getaways, or even day trips as we can't leave the animals alone for too long.   

Penny, the beagle I got, ended up being my Dad's little baby and he never regrets that we got her but my parents were ready to accept that responsibilty and did not resent the dog or me.  If your parents really do not want the dog,they will not be happy with you or the dog when you go to sleep over a friend's house and they have to walk and feed, etc.

It seems like a long way away to you, but you will be on your own soon enough, and then you can choose to have all the Danes you want! 
Binky-Great Pyrenees
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Sigfried-Cat  RIP Sigs
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Ferdinand-Nigerian Dwarf goat

Offline Imani's Mom

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Re: Convincing the Parents
« Reply #16 on: March 25, 2007, 11:41:39 am »
Just wanted to add a few thoughts here... if there are people in your town who own danes (you mentioned you play with them at the dog park) maybe you can prove to them that you would be a good candidate to house sit when they need to go away, and of course house sitting includes all the fun and hassles of babysitting the dane(s).  If the owners work all day, maybe they would hire you to walk and exercise their danes after school? OR, if you have a rescue or humane society nearby, you could start with volunteering there, and maybe your parents would agree to let you foster a dane if one is surrendered.  Then you would gain firsthand experience in what it takes to be a dane mom, and what to expect from a rescue dog when the time is right for you to get your own.

I have to mention that my own daughter, who is a freshman in college this year, is finding it very hard to spend the amount and quality of time with HER rescued dog that she originally spent with him. She now has classes- She lives at home and goes to a community college (because of the dog); has a job, and of course wants to be out doing stuff with friends, going on trips, etc. As it is, we paid for his vet care, cherry eye removal, and foot the bill for all of his food and care, as she would definitely not be able to afford that on her own.  In our case, it is a good thing we love Jesse, because when she transfers to another school after next year, there is no way she is going to be able to take him along if she lives in a dorm, and I seriously doubt she will make enough money on her own to be able to afford to live somewhere else and afford his care while going to school. The biggest issue with Jesse is that he was a seriously abused and neglected rescue, and bonded very hard with Kim, so if she is away overnight, he won't even eat, and paces constantly til she comes home.

Weedsport, NY