"AITA for planning on getting a dog?"
Hello! Earlier today, I got into an argument with my cousin because she thought it would be a bad idea for my husband (27) and I (28) to get a dog. I casually mentioned to her that in the next few months we’re planning on rescuing a dog. We’re unsure of the breed yet, but one of my friends helps run a Shetland sheepdog rescue so we are leaning towards a sheltie.
She is saying this is a bad idea for three main reasons: 1- The size of our home, 2- “How no one will be home for the work week”, and 3- Her fear that our cat, 4 years old, will be in danger and too fearful towards the dog. I respect her worries, but I think she is really inflating these worries out of proportion.
#1, We live in a 1,000 square foot Townhome. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a fenced in yard, but I obviously understand that dogs need exercise and 3 walks daily. We have a nice walking path around our neighborhood and a never used fenced in dog play area only 400 feet away from us.
#2, Although my partner works a traditional 9 to 5 out of the house, I am hybrid, and I only go into the office Tuesdays and Thursdays. Plus, my mother said she would be watching my dog on Thursdays, so the dog would only be home alone for one day a week.
#3 Is tricky. Our cat only met a dog once, and it was with six other people as well. She hid for the entire time so we couldn’t really get a gauge on how she would react with just the dog alone. Obviously, when I search for dogs online, I always make sure they have “cat friendly” experience. I’m sure our cat will have a hard time at the beginning, but I really hope that both my cat and dog will get along in the end.
I’d love to get anyone’s opinion on this. She made it sound like I was being a selfish jerk for wanting to introduce a dog in this home. I’ve done my research for about three years and I’ve always been a dog person. I’m definitely not going in this blind.
Thanks!
Here's what people had to say to OP:
Beckdawg19 wrote:
Okay, so I did read the whole thing, but this alone was all the answer I needed.
"I got into an argument with my cousin because she thought it would be a bad idea for my husband (27) and I (28) to get a dog."
Why in the hell does your cousin think her opinion matters here? NTA. That being said, I recently got a puppy myself and did a ton of research. Personally, I would agree that a sheepdog in particular sounds like a terrible match for what you describe, but nothing about your home/life is prohibitive to a dog in general.
OP responded:
What breeds would you think would work for us if it’s a no-go on shelties?
PushPopNostalgia wrote:
Might want to see if someone is willing to let your cat around their dog. Very important to see if she would tolerate it beforehand. Also, is that a working breed out of curiosity? A high energy breed might not be the best dog to start with.
OP responded:
Yep! Shelties are a pretty smart breed and big on herding and obedience. They are pretty high energy, but that’s what I’m looking for. The past few years, I’m getting big on working out, and having a walking buddy would be amazing :)
Although this would be my first dog under my name, it’s definitely not the first dog in my life. I grew up around high energy dogs and I also have done pet sitting for a year. Now that my family dogs have passed away, I have been pretty “dog deprived” (lol) and now I’m looking for a dog of my own!
Haunted1313 wrote:
A smaller dog would be better for what you have described. I have a King Charles Cavalier. He loves to try to play with any animal. Recently he tried to play with a chicken. It will depend on your cat but I’ve heard where they adjust and ignored each other or ended up being friends.
A side story: I cat sat once where I brought the cat to my house. I had 2 dogs at the time that stayed outside while we were at work. The cat figured out how to “play” with my dogs. He would put his paw through the blinds so the dogs ran into the window.
Twixlen wrote:
NTA. Lots of people have put a lot less thought into pet ownership and do just fine. Will it be a bummer to not be able to just open a door and let the dog out? Yeah - it will. Because no matter the weather, it’s on you to take them out. I brought a young mutt-small terrier (think Jack Russel) dog into my household with two cats.
What I knew was that he’d been exposed to cats at his rescue, and had shown no aggression toward them, though would be a high energy dog with a strong prey drive - which meant work for me. I didn’t have a fenced yard when I first got him - and we established a walking routine that happened 7 days a week.
It’s a big time commitment - our walks were between 1-2 hours of my day, and that time doesn’t include the extra dressing consideration needed in the winter. I took a week off work when I got him, and he stayed on leash the first 2-3 days. I used the “time out” method when he would want to chase (Jean Donaldson’s books are sooo useful).
SeaworthinessHot2770 wrote:
Just don’t forget it takes lots of work to potty train a dog. And also a young puppy will chew on everything. I think you just need to be very honest with yourself. Will you have the patience and time to walk a dog long distances multiple times a day. Myself I would love a dog but have cats. Because I would not want to walk a dog a long distance in hot weather or freezing weather.