/an/ I really want the companionship of a dog. I don't exactly have all the "required funds". I work 40 hours a week but I'm beat after work so no walks or romps (unless I'm off). Work takes the piss out of me so on days that I work, I just rest and recuperate once home. I'm looking for an older dog or senior dog to fit my activity levels when I'm not working.
I can afford things like a leash/harness, collar, food bowls, food, toys, and a doghouse if necessary (although I'm unsure what circumstance I'd be in leaving a senior dog outside for extended periods of time). Also at my current residence it's possible to install a doggie door. We have a huge property with many acres but no fence and part of the property is near the road of course.
I can do those but I probably won't be able to afford vet stuff. As for the cost of the animal itself, aren't shelters practically giving animals away for nothing just to get rid of them? I'm going for that, then. In fact I'd even be happy taking in a stray dog temporarily (because it'd probably be infested with parasites).
Please tell me what I'm in for /an/. I am dying for companionship
If you can't afford to drop $1,000 for vet bills at any given time you can't afford a dog, anon
I know you're lonely but getting an animal you can't take care of isn't going to magically cure your mental problems, and that dog deserves a real family who can take care of him or her properly
>>2129634
This.
Don't put yourself in the position where you'll eventually have to watch your friend suffer slowly and die because of your inability to provide.
Get a girlfriend instead. Cheaper, legal to have sex with, and you can swap her for a new one when you get bored.
>>2129644
I am a girl. I have a boyfriend. LDR.
The answer is simple. Just don't take it to the vet except for vaccines.
Can't stop people from owning pets anyway, no matter their income. At least I'm not looking for a puppy like everyone else, only going to abandon it once it gets older.
>>2129648
Okay, then, so you obviously knew what you were going to do anyway.
And you already decided that owning the dog is more important than having a safety net for it in case something happens.
Do what you were going to do anyway, OP.
>>2129648
>BLAH BLAH BLAH I KNOE BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE
Continue being a dumb moody cunt. I'm sure that'll take you far.
Besides fur on all the things, and saliva on my face/hands, I just simply asked what I am in for. I didn't ask whether to do it or not, that is my decision.
My family has owned a dog before but she's long dead. I know what they're like. It's not like my family isn't used to pets.
>>2129666
You're in for vet bills
If you can't afford vet bills you're in for a dog who is going to be suffering because you aren't adequately prepared to own a dog.
Why don't you get a nice friendly cat?
Go to your nearest shelter, and just see which cat seems to warm up to you and is chill and comfy.
Cats don't take as much time, and their food bills are cheaper.
>>2129666
>I'm looking to get an old dog, but I'm too tired most days to walk it, and too poor to pay for its vet bills
You will not get any confirmation of your shitty life choices from me. I hope your equally retarded boyfriend likes your father issues.
>>2129672
This is a great idea anon.
The only complication is that my family already has a cat. This cat is fine with dogs but not other cats. She sleeps all day. Very territorial though. Very distant. Never comes out. Hisses and spits at other cats. Prefers to run and hide from everything/everyone. Will only like you if you feed her. So yeah not much of a pet.
How shall I introduce a new cat to the house? Also can two cats share a litterbox or is it safer to buy another and squeeze it in somewhere?
Sorry pic upside down but it's of the current cat
Backstory so you know I've tried this before:
A year ago I tried to take in my dead aunt's/her son's cat after the aunt had died of cancer and her son got sent to jail. They were the primary caretakers of the pet. I was 100% prepared to take care of her because I had already been doing it for several months since nobody else stepped up to the plate. Upon moving the "new" cat to our house, the gray and white family cat was said to hiss and spit at her.
My family forced me to send the "new" cat to a shelter, which I was very sad about, even when I was adamant about taking care of her. I had already been doing it, because my aunt's brother (my uncle) was living with the cat at the time and severely neglected her. I stepped up to the plate and became the cat's caretaker. Yes I even did the litterbox every morning. Cats don't take too much effort.
So yeah how am I gonna introduce a new cat?
>>2129707
I don't know, maybe you could stop using animals to fill a hole in your life?
>>2129691
If she's very territorial and aggressive then I don't think she will take to a new cat well.
Given her personality, you'd have to put down an extra litterbox as well.
Honestly, I am not sure if another cat is the right pet for you then if the current cat doesn't get along with it.
Why do you want a pet exactly? What are you looking for in it? From what I'm reading, you seem to live with your family, yet you're worried about not being able to take care of a hypothetical dog's vet bills, which means that your family members must not really want to support you having a pet then.
>>2129713
1. I haven't for years. Current family cat doesn't count. She isn't mine. I don't feed her.
2. Why not? It's what everyone does. Everyone likes animals. They're nice.
Why are you talking to me like I'm a bad person? Lol. /an/ has always been so hostile. Unnecessarily hostile. I notice it in every thread. Lurker of this board for several years. It's like you guys are all on your periods. Jesus it's not like I'm bugguy or that anon who posts about throwing kittens into a sack then drowning them.
Chill and have a civil discussion. Otherwise, /b/'s that way
>>2129720
>If you don't agree with me get out!
You act like a typical retarded bitch. I wish women would leave /an/.
If you want an older dog OP, remember that you're only going to get a few years out of it, and it will probably need medication for pain or whatever else ails it in it's old age.
Honestly, I suggest something a little easier to take care of that doesn't necessarily -need- your attention, but does enjoy it, like a pair of rats or some type of reptile. In my experience, dogs are great but require a lot of your attention even when they are older. Cats are great, but not if you have other pets. Reptiles are awesome because once you got them set up, you only need to feed and they are good with just a few minutes of your time every day.
>>2129715
Hey I live with my parents while I save to move out. My family is pretty financially stable but I didn't want to say "hey I need some money for my pet" because it'd be disrespectful. I wanted to do it all by myself.
I want a pet because I simply want companionship. I spend most of my time alone whether it's intentionally or unintentionally, as it's been nearly all my conscious life. I was always the shy quiet girl and didn't have much friends. Adult me is an introvert, doesn't need much social interaction. I get all I need from work.
I've said Im a long distance relationship. And I simply want something concrete, right next to me, that loves me. When not at work I literally just stay in my room either sleeping or playing a small amount of vidya. Me and bf hang out often. But when we can't I miss him terribly.
>>2129730
You know, you don't need to pretend you're an adult when it's so obvious that you're in middle school.
>>2129729
I actually had fish before. All on my own. Did everything myself, no financial help from anyone. It was just a beautiful betta. I spoiled the fuck out of him. Wanna know why I don't reccomend reptiles? I know I'll get bored of them. You can't really hug or play with them, even if they're cute or awesome in their own ways.
If you want to know, I fish and his entire tank and supplies away to someone who I knew would take good care of him.
If I was going to get a reptile it'd be a leopard gecko. Already was doing a lot of research on them. But you're not really supposed to handle them
>>2129735
Well they're are certain reptiles that actually enjoy or are completely ok with being handled and don't get huge. I was looking into an ackie monitor for this reason actually, though bearded dragons are pretty domesticated too, though a bit lazy.
There is also a larger variety I feel in reptiles, and you -can- hold them, unlike fish.
There's other exotic pets too, but if you're in California, it's pretty limited on what you can get as far as exotics go.
>>2129730
>My family is pretty financially stable but I didn't want to say "hey I need some money for my pet" because it'd be disrespectful. I wanted to do it all by myself.
I see, I thought that perhaps your parents would not give a shit if you had a sick animal. That was my parent's policy and they didn't think an animal's life was worth much.
Honestly, I understand that you'd like a dog, but if you're not prepared for large vet bills, especially since old dogs = practically guaranteed health problems, then I'd have to recommend against it.
I would second the reptile option if you are amenable to them. I personally keep corn snakes and GTPS, but since you're looking for something to hang around and sit with, a ball python or bearded dragon would be nice.
>>2129735
>I actually had fish before. All on my own.
Uh, bettas are extremely easy to take care of compared to other fishes.
>You can't really hug or play with them
Sure you can't hug reptiles, but you can sit with them and hold them. If you get the right kind, they are very calm and also generally almost never try to run away. I've heard that beardies actually are quite sociable.
>>2129734
I graduated high school 6 years ago.
Nevermind. I got all I needed to know. I will simply adopt the nearest shiba inu and name him Doge. Then I will acquire a pitbull and dock and crop him. Next, I will begin leaving food out for all the cute stray cats to come eat, thereby noticeably diminishing the wild birb population on the property. Because of the food I'm likely to get stray doggos and other animals. Nevermind. I'll just shoot them. I mean it's my right to protect my property once an animal steps foot on it. Oh shit what's this? A baby bird that fell out of its nest? /an/ HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF A BABY BIRD? Nevermind that I don't have the time or energy, the baby bird is cute!
I think I touched on all of /an/'s pet peeves.
I got all that I came here for.
>>2129741
Not Op, but during my research on medium sized, friendly reptiles, I found tons of cute videos on how to make reptile harnesses and a very cute vid on a friendly ackie that I'll post with this. Reptiles may not be like dogs, but they are cool and friendly in their own way if you can find a good breeder and a pretty domesticated one.
The ackies are apparently social lizards as well, which makes it easier for them to be friendly with humans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x2IZACO5Io
Kristoffs reptiles is also a good youtuber, he's got a few different reps and does caresheets and such.
>>2129745
Jesus christ OP, ever heard of ignoring the trolls? Don't feed into it, it just makes you look like the idiot they are calling you out to be.
>>2129745
Don't get pissy because everyone is telling you what you already know.
But seeing how you talk about your life, you're used to making bad decisions.
To the reptile anons, ball pythons sound nice but my family absolutely will not have it. Boyfriend is cool with sneks. Parents won't like it but probably won't do anything about it as long as it stays in my room.
Please explain this: a very long time ago I was holding an uncle's pet ball. The snake was small, perhaps just one and a half feet long. I even safely wrapped him around my shoulders. Then I sat down on a hammock, and began gently rocking, and it's pattern was white and blue lateral stripes. The snake didn't move. It was wrapped in my arms. It stared at the hammock, unmoving. Then it did the S curve and I knew what was coming. He suddenly bit me.
Why? Do you think the stripes confused him? The gentle rocking motion? Or was he just tired of being held?
I wasn't manhandling him. Wasn't yelling or shouting. Wasn't petting him. Wasn't even talking or moving. Just watching him in amazement
>>2129757
He was probably just uncomfortable or scared from the movement.
>>2129758
I noticed when he bit me, his head quickly turned from staring at the hammock, to me. He could've bit the hammock but he chose not to.
No hard feelings. We all joked about how it was a lovebite. Didn't even bleed much. Didn't even hurt. Just left a bruise and teethmarks. 10/10 would hold a snake again. Not scared
>>2129761
Anyway, if you save up a bit, I really suggest something small like a pair of rats, or a reptile.
The reason I suggested the ackie was because they are social reptiles and are big enough to pet and hold. They also seem a bit more active, unlike the beardies which seem a tad lazy.
>>2129763
That monitor in the video is cute. It really doesn't mind touching! The guy even grabbed his snout. Many animals wouldn't put up with that.
Are all ackies like that or does that one just have unusual behavior?
>>2129773
It could be that that particuler one is just really friendly and the guy is a good handler, but since ackies are social lizards by nature, if you were to combine that with getting hand raised from a good breeder, and putting in the time with it as it grows, I bet you could get a very friendly one.
>>2129803
This sounds like something I'd really want then. Best of all they are becoming more common, so it might not be that difficult to obtain a hand raised one
