This thread basically sums up the raging internal debate I've been dealing with this past year :rofl1:
Want:
- um, PUPPY?!?
- Puppy will grow up into a (hopefully) awesome adult dog.
- I'd really like to apply the knowledge I've gained over the last 3 - 4 years about what I really want in a dog and about the breed and raising puppies in general.
- I love dogs, pure and simple.
- I have a lot of time on my hands, and though I am still financially dependent, my family is on board with the idea.
- There are some fantastic litters I have been watching and admiring.
- All these Chaz puppies are not helping. At all.
- It's a good time, and Trent is at a good age (almost 4).
- um, PUPPY?!???!???
- I am enjoying my relationship with Trent so much and can't wait to build that with another dog.
Do Not Want:
- I am enjoying my relationship with Trent so much, that I am worried a second dog will take a little away from that.
- I have a Trent. He's perfect for me and there is nothing I am looking for in a dog, or looking to do with one, that he cannot do/become, to be honest.
- Trent is very much an only child. He doesn't like to share and doesn't especially enjoy the company of another dog.
- Added expenses. Food, vet care, boarding, etc. We take vacations every summer, and there are always one or two weeks where we are going to a place that is not dog friendly.
- The amount of effort it will take. I am okay with taking more time to own a second dog, but I feel like two dogs is a big jump from one.
~ If I go hiking or to the beach, that is one more dog to watch and manage. Two off leash dogs is harder to watch than one!
~ If I go on a grocery run, that two dogs to fit in a small car, or I have to decide which to take along for the ride.
~ If I go to Petsmart or Home Depot, which dog do I take? What about my morning coffee runs (and a bagel/cream cheese for the dog)? That's me and Trent time!
- Regardless of what I have learned in the last 3 - 4 short years, I have a lot more to continue to learn and think about before I'm comfortable enough to believe that I can make educated decisions. This is a big one for me... the more I am learning right now, the more I want to continue to learn and experience before I go into choosing and raising a second dog.
- Again, I have only ever had Trent, and thus, a grand total of one dog in my life. I don't know what it is to like to have anything else and I'm worried about our relationship taking a hit from getting a second dog.
This is why my puppy plans have been pushed back another two years