Pet Wars

We are a petless home. Well, except for the carnival prize goldfish that lasted two days (but still illicited tears and a funeral). It wasn't our intention to have no pets at all, in fact we all really like the idea of having a pet, but there are a few things standing in our way.

First of all Regan has a fear of all animals she does not know. That being said, there are a few she has warmed up to over time and that has prompted us to consider actually getting one. I would love to get her a dog known for being gentle and disability friendly, and I think it would be a great companion for her and our whole family.

Secondly, I really need to move so there is no reason to have a pet in a house you don't intend to live in for much longer. Trying to deal with a pet and pet hair when I have enough to do at the moment is just not realistic.

Thirdly, what kind of pet can we all agree on. I would personally like a cat, because I love how independent in nature they are, and how fun their personalities can be. John Mark and I had a cat when we got married, and I just loved that prissy thing. We had to get rid of him when we brought Regan home from the hospital, first because it was angry with being neglected and peed everywhere, and secondly it thought Regan's oxygen tubes were a chew toy. So it was out the door within a week of Regan coming home, but since I had a baby at home to deal with the loss of the cat did not affect me that much. ***On a side note Rebecca was trying to encourage a stray cat last week who was on our back patio one evening. She put out some grilled shrimp we had eaten earlier in a bowl, and left the outdoor lights on. I am pretty sure it was not used to people, and took off.

The last problem we have is that if we decide on a dog we have very different ideas of what kind of dog to get. My parents and brother have golden retrievers, and I love those dogs. They are wonderful sweethearts and even Regan works well with them. The girls and I are huge fans of Golden's. John Mark wants more of a manly guard dog. He like rottweilers, dobermans, and German shepherds...all of which seem very scary to me. I know it depends on the individual personality of the dog, but they just don't have that warm feel I would want in a family pet.

Luckily we are not deciding on a pet today, but it is becoming part of the daily conversation here, as the girls are anxious to know what kind of pet we can get when we move. Want to throw in your two cents, I would be happy to hear all opinions.