What would you do if you had to choose...

AgilityPup

Agility freak!
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
5,242
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
New Brunswick, Canada
#41
And just to throw out there - married and dating would probably result in two different choices for me. If I was married and hubby came up with random allergies and nothing else was working or helping, then yes, I suppose I'd have to get rid of the dogs... but dating? Oh heck no.
 

skittledoo

Crazy naked dog lady
Joined
Sep 27, 2007
Messages
13,667
Likes
5
Points
38
Age
37
Location
Fredericksburg
#42
This is a tough subject for me to really know what I would decide. I love dogs and I can't see myself without them. I was without a dog for a little while right before I got Bamm and I was the most miserable I've ever been. I don't think I could live without a dog. Luckily my husband is not allergic dogs, but if he was to develop an allergy he'd have to try and exhaust every single option because I'd consider rehoming. Bamm is not really a rehomable type of dog though so in Bamm's case, I just don't know what I would do.

Now if I wasn't married and I was dating a guy... dog comes first no matter what.

If I had a kid who was allergic I would exhaust every option as well... but if I had to rehome because no other option worked, I think I would be completely miserable
 

PWCorgi

Priscilla Winifred Corgi
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
14,854
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
34
Location
Twin Citay!
#45
Ryan is allergic to dogs (and cats, but I could live without cats!), and there are steps you can take to make it work. Things like hardwood floors and keeping dogs out of the bedroom, etc etc etc. He's been here with my zoo and there were some times where I could tell it was bothering his allergies but it wasn't like he was dying.

If he can deal with corgi + cat +chinchilla in my small room, well then I think we will be just fine :p
He is way worse with cats than dogs and Giuseppe has a small apartment now with 2 cats and carpet. When we go there his allergies get bad if there are plants in the house. No plants = way less severe allergic reaction. The new house is mainly hardwood flooring.
 

corgipower

Tweleve Enthusiest
Joined
Sep 19, 2007
Messages
8,233
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
here
#46
its more than just having a dog at home.. for some people dogs also touch the rest of your life. Training, the people you meet through them, volunteering, work etc..
I certainly understand you there.. for some people its more than just "Oh ill get another pet" its finding a new group of friends if you met them through dogs, something to do on the weekends etc.. and that would SUCK no matter how you spin it lol
True...but for me, if I ever do find a boyfriend, it most likely will be among the people I meet through training/competing/doing whatever other dog stuff I do, and odds are he'd be as dog crazy as I am and it wouldn't be an issue.

we could put some chihuahua in there and make them mini.

because DUH.. smaller = more $$

imagine...A fast agile smart hypo-allergenic protection dog..
that can fit in your purse :)
Well, toy poodle can make them small too. ;)
 

Southpaw

orange iguanas.
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Messages
7,788
Likes
1
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Minnesota
#47
I would try to make it work but honestly.... if it meant that I could never have a dog, then I couldn't be with that person. If I was married to someone who just woke up one day with dog allergies, then that's a different situation and we'd have to try to make it work. Even then, that would have to be a pretty nasty allergy that living with the dog is impossible.
 

MandyPug

Sport Model Pug
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
5,332
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
32
Location
Southern Alberta
#48
True...but for me, if I ever do find a boyfriend, it most likely will be among the people I meet through training/competing/doing whatever other dog stuff I do, and odds are he'd be as dog crazy as I am and it wouldn't be an issue.
^^ that's the same for me.

Well that or I'll seek out an engineer as per advice from someone close to Zoom lol.

Regardless, it's a must love dogs situation with me... Specifically must love Pugs.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#49
I could deal with the coat (even though I don't like it either) but the temperament isn't my thing (I mean it would suffice, but eh).

Annnddd I come back to the fact that we don't have a breed that is non-shedding that is also has the right temperament for protection.
Yeah I think I could possibly deal with Giant Schnauzer temperament but that's really the only low allergen breed that appeals to me at all. I do like havanese but they may be too easy going for me.

I also think the case where Sparks mentioned is different. I'd feel differently if I was ALREADY married to or in a dedicated relationship with someone. All I'm saying is that since I'm not... I probably would never get that far with anyone that hates dogs or would not be able to live with dogs. It would pretty much eliminate them BEFORE things got too serious.
 

~Tucker&Me~

Active Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Messages
4,940
Likes
0
Points
36
#50
So after reading this thread, I texted my boyfriend and asked:

What would happen if you became allergic to dogs? (He knows about my infatuation, we have been dating over 2 years)

And he answered:

"I'd nut up and get you your dogs :)"

:rofl1:

He's a winner, what can I say.
 

sparks19

I'd rather be at Disney
Joined
Jul 7, 2005
Messages
28,563
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
42
Location
Lancaster, PA
#51
OH yeah if it were someone I just met then that likely wouldn't work out for me. I don't HAVE to have a dog in my life to be happy but it's always nice to have that option :)
 

Zoom

Twin 2.0
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Messages
40,739
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
41
Location
Denver, CO
#52
If it's a first date type of thing, then sorry bucko, thanks for the conversation and have a good life.

If it's something that cropped up after things were already well-established, that would be really, really hard. I've been plenty happy being single before. I've been prepared to spend my life as a spinster, with plenty of dogs.

I'm a miserable mess if I don't have a dog. Going to college was really hard on me in that respect, to the point that I went and made friends with the local pet store just so I could go in and cuddle their puppies to get that fix.

So basically...I can live without a guy. Not so much without a dog. This is part of the reason why I am *terrified* to have kids--I don't really want them in the first place and if I did go through with it and then find out they were super allergic, I'm really not sure what I would do.
 

sparks19

I'd rather be at Disney
Joined
Jul 7, 2005
Messages
28,563
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
42
Location
Lancaster, PA
#53
Yeah I'm glad Hannah isn't allergic to dogs. she's allergic to cats but I can definitely live without cats lol. If she were I don't know what I'd do because I just couldn't see medicating my child every single day. I would try everything to reduce the triggers but I don't know where I would draw the line.

but this couldn't be a decision made on a whim because if we had to get rid of the dogs it would mean beezer would be PTS. he couldn't be rehomed again.
 

Bailey08

New Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
2,467
Likes
0
Points
0
#54
The only circumstances in which I would consider rehoming Bailey would be (i) if a spouse/live-in SO suddenly developed severe allergies that couldn't be managed or (ii) if a child had allergies that couldn't be managed. I would expect the former to take shots and do whatever else he had to do, and I probably wouldn't make a child do that (though I would take all possible precautions in the home to manage allergies and would give a child daily allergy medicine if needed).

I wouldn't get into a new relationship with someone who was allergic to dogs. However, if I didn't have a dog at the time, I could probably become involved with someone who couldn't live with dogs. I would be sad but I could manage. There's a big difference to me in rehoming my current dog and not getting one.
 

Lossalfling

Ferret Keeper
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
883
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Indiana
#56
hehe Last massive fight i had with my finace he said * Im only getting this chance to talk because you had to come home and get your dog huh*
 

Members online

Top