Are there any ways i can convince my parents that i'm responsible enough for a dog?

Question

Im 14 Years old, and my 16th birthday is ages away, but ive recently been thinking about big presents that i would like since its such a big birthday. I decided i'd like either a dog or a chanel handbag. My preffered gift would be a dog but my parents say that i cant even take care of a rabbit and that they'd end up doing all the work. Ive tried to convince them that a dog is different from a rabbit and i would walk it every morning & night, feed it and clean up after it, but they still say im not responsible enough. Ive wanted a dog ever since i can remember but always thought it was such a huge request that i'd wait until a milestone birthday. I told them that i would like a dog or a chanel handbag but they just laughed and said they were way too much money and that i should just ask for a gerbil. It really got me thinking and now my heart is dead set on a teacup poodle. Are there any ways i can convince my parents that i'm responsible enough for a dog?

x-

Answer 1

Just because you're having a "milestone" birthday doesnt mean you're entitled to an expensive gift.

A dog is different than a rabbit..  its an even bigger responsability!  Dogs are also a 12-15+ year commitment.  At 16.. you should be thinking of what you will do after high school.. as it wont be that far away!  College and moving out dont really work out with keeping a dog.  Your parents dont want to be "stuck" with it when you leave.  Very few dorms allow dogs, and they have looooong waiting lists..  colleges dont really like freshmen to have apartments.  Affordable apartments are hard to find when you start out..  and its impossible to find affordable housing that allows a dog.  Plus you wont likely have the time or the finances when you start out to properly care for a dog.

There's also no such thing as a "teacup" poodle.. or any other breed.  "teacup" is just a label used by irresponsible breeders to sell an unhealthy runt for a high price.

You may do better off to ask for something practical.. like money towards a car.

Answer 2

I think that is very responsible deciding on your own to wait until after school.

Answer 3

Your parents house, your parents rules.  You only have 4 years left with your parents (unless you are going to live with them longer) and you can get a dog then.  If your parents don't think that you're even responsible to care for a rabbit, they're probably right.  Having a dog is much MUCH more of a responsibility than you think it is.  You have to feed it day and night, walk it ATLEAST once a day, let it out every half hour, make sure it gets in its bed at night, training it basic commands, housebreaking it, and so many more things that I can't think of at the moment.  It's harder to keep up with the responsibility than you think!

And just so you know, there's no such thing as a teacup anything.  "Teacup" is a cutsey little name backyard breeders and puppy millers advertise them with to make people think they're some kind of special kind of dog and a must have, while they really just inbred and full of health problems.  First they make you pay thousands and thousands of dollars for a tiny little dog, then the dog has health problems so you have to pay the money on the vet bills, and then the dog dies after a couple months.  In shorter words, they are RIPOFFS.  You should just get the regular sized Poodle, they are already small enough.

Best of luck!!! ♥

Answer 4

Do things without being told. Homework, clean your room, chores. Show that your responsible in other things and your parents will see that you can handle a dog.

Answer 5

There are several issues here.  I know you are young, so I'm going to be honest, but friendly.  Please don't take it the wrong way.

First issue - there is no such thing as a teacup poodle.  "Teacup" is a term used by bad breeders and people that have not done proper homework on the breed. Do more research, and this may help you to show your parents that you are serious about a dog.  http://www.poodleclubofamerica.com

The second issue is that you are still young.  At 16, the typical teenager is very very busy with school, friends, boyfriends, thinking about college, work, and sports/clubs.  Are you sure that you are going to be ok with staying home 12 hours a day to be with you toy poodle?  

And who will be paying for the dog?  Toy Poodles from a responsible breeder will be $750-$2000.  On top of that, they will cost you about $2000 the first year in set-up, vet bills, and upkeep.  After that, I'd expect $100 a month.  AND, you'll also need $2500 in the bank for emergencies.  You can't assume that there won't be one - most dogs have at least 1 emergency visit in their lives.

So, to "convince" your parents, you need to show them that you've thought about all these things.  If this were my daughter I'd want her to show me and discuss the following things with me.

- Who will pay for the dog's upkeep, including vet bills

- A set in stone schedule, and punishment if the schedule is not adhered to

- A plan for who will be caring for the dog if the daughter gets too busy

-  A plan for who will be caring for the dog when the daughter leaves the house

- A plan for the dog when the daughter moves out

- A plan for the dog's puppy training, obedience training, and ongoing training

- A plan for what happens to the dog when the daughter "gets sick" of the dog

- A list of responsible rescue groups and/or good breeders

- A list of why the breeder is good

- An overview of Poodle inherited problems and how the breeder will avoid them

- A clear understanding that the dog is a 15-20 year committment and will be a FAMILY dog

If your FAMILY will not care for the dog, then I'm sorry, but you should not get a dog.  Wait until you are on your own and have lots of time to commit to one.  In the meantime, enjoy your Chanel handbag.  : )

http://www.petfinder.com

Answer 6

I got my first dog to show at dog shows and train in agility at 14, so I know where you are coming from and understand what you are going through also. In fact, my parents STILL won't even let me consider another dog in this house. lol.

It is hard to tell really how responsible of a kid you are, not matter how much you tell us, and that is unfortunate. And I have been in the state where I have had breeders of the breed I wanted yelling at me over the internet, saying I am not responsible and making a bad choice. The only advice I can give to you is this, which I have read somewhere before:

If you really want to convince your parents that you are responsible enough to get a dog of your own, you are going to need to show them everything you can possible do:

Clean your room and never let a mess form.

Take out the trash and bring the cans back inside.

Care for that rabbit and groom it like it's never been groomed/loved before.

If possible, mow the lawn.

Water the plants if there are any.

Keep your grades strong and do homework.

Help with dinner the other nights you are able to.

Set the table before hand and then do dishes.

Try looking into a simple job that someone will let you try.

Once you have done all of this regularly for the desired amount of time your parents would like to see you do it in... then you could earn your dog...

Because by this time, you will have seen that all of that work equals up to the amount of work you will be putting into a dog for the next 10-15 years of it's life.

It's true, and to this day I am still doing this and I am 20 years old. But I love every second of it! I had a bit of an upper hand because I trained my families' Cocker Spaniel and my instructor recommended that I get into working with animals... but if you put the dedication into it and logically set up a plan with your parents, perhaps they will allow it.

Answer 7

tell them by getting a dog u will learn about and become responsible daaaa otherwise how u will learn

dont get a bag

get a dog however ,it gives positive energy my mom was like nooooo no i dont want a dog to little space an so on but, after getting one a chivava a week later she suggest we buy a friend 4 the  chivava  so we got a second one a mini-pinch :)

i cant tell u how much good a dog is

convince them if u have to use your tears

Answer 8

ok what i would do is i would ask for a small pet that yuo need responsibility for to keep healthy but doesnt need to much work that you parents would say yes to. then when yuo get that pet take very very very good care of it. and do alot of reasearch on that animal befor yuo get it and tell them all these cool facts on them to show them that you were responsible and looked up the pet you are going to get. Get It?

i would recomend a fish get a 3 or 5 gallon tank and get a very pretty male betta. every week clean the tank and feed it twice a day, gte it gravel for the bottom of the tank a couple plants and maybe a statue for decoration GET WATER CONDITIONER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it takes out the bad chlorine and everything that is in the water that could kill ur fish. hoped i helped and when yuo ar finishd with yuor fish (it dies) then yuor parents will be closer tobe saying yes to tat dog you want! =)!

Answer 9

ask them if you can adopt one. Be overdramatic make up 2 binders full of different dogs that need help at a shelter and reasons your responsible have a full seminar in your own kitchen and have a slide show while they are looking thru the book. have fundraisers and if you get allowance raise money to adopt it and to feed it for atleast a month then raise more money each month. also for another page go to a pet store dont tell your parents why and price a kennel for outside if its a big dog or a little kennel for inside my dogs kennels are connected outside. find space outside for the kennel too. if they dont take you to the pet store go to pet smart online. price it there. convince them lol

hope i helped

Answer 10

try to get a job.  I don't know about where you live, but i got a job right our of the 8th grade when i was fourteen and have been working ever since (23 now). working shows responsibility.  that way you show them that you will raise the money for vet bills, food, toys, training classes... stuff like that.  but you'd have to think about school and (if you do get a job) work... i was 15 and my mom bought me a collie. i took care of her all summer, then when school started back up, i'd go to school, then go to work.  by the time i got home, it was too late to play or anything.  so, since my grandparents live next door, we had them watch her during the day, and she pretty much became theirs, which is fine... but just think into the future when you think about getting a dog... what happens when you want to spend the night at your friend's house on a saturday?  you can't take the dog, and your parents may not want to be stuck taking care of it...

Answer 11

As a parent, the rabbit was probably the first step for them to see if you were responsible enough.  They probably figured either a) you would be "responsible" and care for it since it is a "living creature" or b) you would not be responsible for a 'living creature" and therefore a dog is out of the question.

My advice is to show you can care for the rabbit day and night, feeding and cleaning and bathing as necessary until your 16 then try to ask again.  If they do not have to care for the rabbit at all, you will be showing them you can handle the responsibility of taking care of a "living creature" whether it be a rabbit or dog.  To a parent, an animal is a living thing and a responsibility no matter what it is.  

Good luck and enjoy your birthday whenever it happens no matter what gift you receive!

Answer 12

You really need to make sure you ARE responsible enough for a dog.

You also need to make sure that you're willing to take car of it for 10+ years. You can't leave it alone all of the time, there are vet bills to pay, food to be bought, it needs to be properly trained, and when you're thinking of moving out in 4 years-you'll need to find a place that will allow you to keep a dog(most won't and if they do they charge an extra deposit and pet rent.)

Plan on going to college? Some schools require that you live in the dorms for the first year and you're definitely not allowed to have dogs there...

Keep all of these things in mind..

If you think you are responsible enough, you should maybe ask for another pet (a NEW rabbit?) now and prove to them that you can, in fact, take proper care of another living thing.

If you don't want to another pet you can try what I did when I was 16-

I wrote my parents letters(stating how I would pay/take care of it/etc), and instead of them paying for my dog, the birthday present was them ALLOWING me to get a dog...

Good luck..

Answer 13

lots of questions still need to be answered.  Do you make supper and clean up after yourself and your family? do you need to be reminded to clean your room? Do you do your chores and homework w/o being asked?  Do you do your own laundry and when needed your siblings or parents laundry because they need help?  When you start taking care of the things you dont want to take care of (and when you are not asked to do them or promised something because you did it)  then you are finally ready to have a pet or a child.  Good luck  Remember good things come to those that wait.  Happy Birthday Honey.