Would you ever be able to live in a dogless household?

Question

tomorrow my boss is putting his Yellow Lab to sleep. this is a dog he has had for 12 years and she has been not only a great hunting dog to him but also a great companion. he swears he will not get another dog ever again. it got me thinking about how hard it would be to let go of a dog. i know eventually i would try to cope and get a new dog. but i would never want to live in a dogless household. so tell me would you ever be able to survive in a dogless household?

Answer 1

i would be able to survive, but it would take some getting used to.

Answer 2

Nope. Never would happen. I love my dogs dearly but I am not oblivious to the fact that they won't last forever. and when they go I will get another one and love that one just as much.

I think my house would be too quiet and too clean without a dog

Answer 3

No way my dogs mean the world to me  

Answer 4

As a dog lover & owner, I have always been around dogs so not having one around would be unimaginable to  me.

Unfortunately, some dog owners use their dogs as commodities but not as pets. I wonder he decided to wait 12 yrs. to get rid of his dog!?  Was his dog ill or something?!

Answer 5

Not for very long. When my dogs went the very idea of a new dog never entered my mind as well as the fact not my mother's cancer came back with a vengeance and the next thing you know i am living with my grandmother and unlce and his hard to ignore shih tzu. Mookie was by far a good dog but not my type of dog. That went on for two years until I moved up here to maine.

Dog friendly places are either highly expensive or almost impossible to find because most people get them and then stay there. I know have a dog friendly place and will be getting a dog in the next month.  for me it had been just way to long without a dog but when you loose one for some people they can't even imagine having another one - sometimes they change their minds and sometimes they don't

Answer 6

NO I couldn't.  Not for long.  My dogs are like an extra arms.

Answer 7

I lost 2 dogs within 6 months. My 16 years old chocolate and my 11 year old beagle. I will never get another dog.

Answer 8

when i was little and my maltese died. i was not allowed to have another. I grew up some and bought one on my own. my family loves her now and wouldn't trade her. i think it takes time and then you realize you need another if you are truly a dog person!

Answer 9

No way, in 21 years we've always had at least one dog in the house

Answer 10

I went 1year without a dog,Tessa my last border collie died of cancer at the Young age of 6years

old i couldnt face opening up my heart to another dog,it hurt so bad but i also hated being in the house myself,felt so lonely even though i had friends,family & a husband,didnt walk anywhere just felt like a part of me was missing.

It took me about a year to go see some border collie pups & thats when i saw Skye she was the spitting image of Tessa & i know you arent ment to get a paper cut out of your old dog but i couldnt help it.

Did i ramble on???????..lol

Answer 11

No, I always want to have at least one dog!

Answer 12

Its always hard to consider replacing a beloved family member when your still in the grips of grief, so many people say never again, but dogs are just the best and they fill your life with so many joyful moments and fun.  We lost our little mini foxie x jack russel and we thought we'd never get another dog, i mean how do you replace your best friend?  But the love for these intelligent, happy canines makes it hard not to have another one in your life, so we've got three more now, each with a personality of their own Roxie: super intelligent and a couch potato, Sarah: Always one to voice her opinion and loves a cuddle and Pickle: a hyperactive bag of energy.  All three never fail to bring happiness and laughter to our lives.  So the answer to your question, would i ever be able to live in a dogless household? Nah, wouldn't dream of it!!!!

Answer 13

Never!

Or at least not for an extended period of time. (more than a year)

I have a husky and a lab and they are pretty much my life. I mean I work, I have friends, etc but when it comes down to it I cannot wait to get home to them. And a lot of the time I'd rather spend time with them instead of people haha. Maybe it's because I got them right before a really difficult time in my life and they helped get me through it. Maybe it's because I've volunteered at a dog kennel since I was 10. Dogs just give you this sense of companionship, unconditional love, loyalty, fun... They also give you a purpose in life in a way since you're the one they rely on for everything. I would be so bored and lonely without my dogs. And while I love my dogs to death and would be devastated if they passed, I would definitely get another. A lot of people think the same as your boss. They feel it's too hard because they'll miss their deceased pet too much or it's betrayal somehow, but it's not as though doing so takes away from your feelings for your other dog or would replace it. Plus don't you think your dog would want you to be happy even if they're no longer there to do it :)

Answer 14

I grew up in a house where we never had less than 5 animals at any given time (cats and dogs).  When I moved out and got married, I havent gotten a dog of my own.  I have been dogless for about 3 years and while I love having a spotless house, I do miss having the companionship of a dog.  We are planning on getting a lab for our daughter when she gets a little older (she is only 8 months now).

Answer 15

No. That is why my family has 2 dogs. 2 days after Christmas our beloved dog was put to sleep due to cancer. We snuggled our another dog while crying for a long time...  Now we have an 8 month old puppy. I hope your boss will be ok and I wish his lab fun up above us.

Answer 16

Survive yes, like it no. It's very hard to let go. Maybe after a month or so your boss will find he misses the clicking of little claws..

Answer 17

I couldn't do it.  They bring so much joy to my life.

Answer 18

I've heard many people say that they would never get another dog (my parents included), but I've rarely seen it stick.  Some people may only wait a few weeks, others a few years, but eventually, they all want another companion.

I did live without a dog for almost a year, as I had just moved out on my own, and at first didn't have the income.  But that changed, and as soon as I had found a good breeder, Emery came home.  I could survive for a little while, if it was necessary, but not forever!

Answer 19

No, I always would need a dog in my house.

Answer 20

I lost my dachshund when she was 12. We buried her and sat an angel on her grave. After just a few weeks I was at the pet shop and a little Dachshund saw me and had a fit to get to me. I held her and instantly my heart was filled with love. Lady (Olympias My Fair Lady) must have sent the puppy my way. Lady is gone but not forgotten and now Sophie fills our day. When Sophie was 8 months I found another dachshund and the two keep our house happy.

Answer 21

My dog died two years ago, and I've been dogless since then.  I miss him.  I can't wait to get another, but I need a house with a yard first!

Answer 22

I couldn't do it. I may wait a while to get over the loss of my dog but would definitely get another one.