Tibetan Mastiff or Shelter Dog: Persona Non Grata In My Home
A Tibetan Mastiff recently sold in China for $1.5M
When I was 14 my parents got me a dog for my birthday. Roxanne never grew to be more than seven or eight pounds, but she was the undisputed giant that ruled day-to-day life in our family. Having a dog fulfilled me in a magical way that every child should experience.
Unfortunately no child of mine will understand that kind of love. At least not for many years. Upon reading that a Tibetan mastiff has just become the world’s most expensive dog — selling for just over $1.5M in China — I realized that even if a dog pooped gold, at this point in time, it’s not welcome in my home.
As much as members of my family have been begging for a dog for the past several years, there’s just not a chance that it will become a reality anytime in the foreseeable future. I pick up after enough people each day and deal with too much bodily waste and slobber to take on one more living creature at the moment. Plus, living in the mountains of Colorado, the amount of snow, mud and dirt that gets tracked into our home is like something out of a Grimm’s Fairy Tale or Edgar Allan Poe story. It’s just creepy. And that’s with people who know they’re supposed to take their shoes off when they walk inside. Try wiping the paws of a dog after it comes back in following each walk. No, thanks.
Kids beg and swear up and down they’ll care for a dog. But even at the age of 14, I still wasn’t the main figure in Roxanne’s life — my parents assumed the majority of the responsibility. Which tells me it’s not everyone else who has to be ready for a dog. Just me.
The Tibetan mastiff sounds beautiful. I get that they’re prized for their thick coats (translation: shedding), noble bearing (translation: snobs), and because they’re good guard dogs (translation: aggressive), and in China they’re considered status symbols like fancy cars and big houses. In the town where I live, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and just about any dog from the local animal shelter are the status symbols. But choosing a breed will be the easy part. It’s choosing when I’m ready to take on another living anything in my house that will be the looming issue for years to come.
How do you know when the time is right to get a dog for your family?
Image: Wikipedia
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Never. That’s always the right time, LOL. I can’; do fur, wet fur, smelly fur, smelly breath, poop or pee from a dog. Not to mention the stinky juice form their anal glands. All of the above just gross me out. Can’t abide dogs/cats on furniture either.
But I love birds and we have 3 of them.
LOL. Not only do we own two dogs, but I board them at the house and own a dog walking business. I adore animals, That being said, dogs are a huge responsibility. In some ways, it’s like having another child. Also, dogs aren’t just born trained. It takes a lot of time and effort to get your dog to the “such a good boy” stage and if you don’t have the time or inclination to do the work, it’s not a good idea to just get a dog anyway. You won’t be happy and the dog won’t be happy. Oh, and the person you lie through your teeth to in order to get them to accept your pooping, peeing, jumping, flea ridden dog, will want to punch you in your crap lousy face when you return from Hawaii. :/
@Linda — If I get a dog would you come and train it for me? If I had a trained dog (and a better trained husband), I might be more likely to take the plunge.
I’m sure you could find a trainer where you live. At bare minimum, I’d recommend the sort of class they offer at most community centers. If you have dog who is trained for your specific household, then it’s really very pleasant, I think. Dogs are so smart and if you work with them, you can generally end up with the dog of your dreams. I just don’t think people should go in to it thinking it’ll be no work. Poorly behaved dogs are really, really dreadful to be around.
Oh, FTR, I can’t even train my *own* husband! nHe still does whatever the hell he wants after 23 years of my input.
@Linda — Yeah, when I have less work with the humans in my house and I’ll start to think about a dog.
Gee, after reading that rant … I guess the right time to get a dog would be right after you move out. If we were married, I’d be shopping for Milk-Bones already!!!
It’s not about when it’s right for my family, it’s about when my family is right for a dog. When I move to a house with a yard where it can run about without needing to be on a leash, then there will be a dog in our house. It’s not even a question (though our cats may disagree). Some people don’t want to live with animals ever, some people only want animals when its convenient, and some people can’t live without animals.