Dogs and Cats

I’ve been thinking a lot about dogs recently, and not so recently. I have probably been thinking about having a dog of my own since I moved home from college in 2007. I lived on campus and having something that barks was unthinkable, though my roommate and I did consider having a contraband cat. We needed some type of pet and both loved cats, but we didn’t end up getting one. I pet sat a cat over one summer that I stayed at school, but I was constantly nervous that someone would find out.

When I graduated and moved home I was back in a house with my own cat and our dogs. When I moved in with a boyfriend, he had a cat that didn’t get along with other cats, so I had to leave my cat at home with my parents. But the boy and I got a kitten, so I had two cats living with me and one that was mine when I visited home. Things didn’t work out with the boy and I miss those two cats, and My cat was old and passed away in January 2010.

I rescued a new cat (in December 2009) that was all my own. He’s adorable and sweet, but he now also lives with my parents while I’m overseas with my (also adorable and sweet but in a different way) husband. We’re going to pick up said cat from my parents once we live in the united states again, but until then I find myself in a pet void.

Pets are an important member of any family (even if you’re a family of one, maybe especially then).
They are important the way eating healthy and exercise is important.
They are important the way vacations are important.
They are important the way religion (to some people) is important.
Pets are the happy, healthy embodiment of pure love. (which is why animal cruelty is a heinous offense. I even have a problem with people who gets pets without thinking and then get rid of them, not for the betterment of the pet, but because the human doesn’t feel like having an animal anymore.)

But I’ve distracted myself. It’s been a while since I’ve had this wish for a dog and I want to have dog someday. But it has to be the Right dog. It has to be the right breed, and it has to be the right personality. I have taken those online quizzes ‘Which Dog is Right for You?’, I’ve read all about different breeds and mixes, I’ve looked at pictures for hours of dogs and puppies, I’ve read and watched training information, determined to have an awesome dog. I’ve stopped people walking with a dog I think looks like a nice dog to ask about it. But the last step, the easy step, to go get a dog -has been put on hold time and time again.

Right now is actually a pretty good reason to pause, we live in south Korea and getting a dog home would be expensive. But everything else about the situation is ideal (I’m home all day, we have a small yard). The only, only thing that really makes me stop (besides a doggy plane ticket) is my cat at home. This cat, Teddy, gets along with dogs. He even loves to play with my parents toy poodle, the two of them get along very well. But I want to raise my puppy with that cat so they’ll be friendly. It’s going to be hard enough to take Teddy away from his playmate when I get home, but I would feel really bad if we had a new dog that would make Teddy feel alienated.

Am I thinking too much about the mental well being of my cat when considering a dog? No, absolutely not. How else can you have a harmonious pet life in your home unless you are careful about who and how you introduce into the mix. I expect my animals to live for 10-15+ years… that’s a long time to have fighting cats and dog (or cats and cats) if you’re not careful.

So, someday I’ll have a dog (and she’s gonna be awesome) but until then I continue to take pet ownership seriously and hope everyone else treasures the fuzzy pet in their life.