# Pets in the house????



## Macrocarpus (Jan 30, 2018)

How many of you allow pet animals in the house? Not talking about unshaven and unwashed husbands, I mean ANIMALS? The one big NO-NO I held my kids to was "Outside Pets Onlly". I can clean up after babies and toddlers and think nothing of it, but I;ll be darned if I play nursemaid to a dog or cat, on anything else in the fur or feather line.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

I have 2 indoor cats.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

We've had fish, snakes, hamsters and rabbits indoors. Hubby hates cats and I don't like the idea of cleaning up dog hair so we never had either of those.

I do really want to get a pet skunk. It would have to be an indoor pet because I would not want to confuse it with the wild skunks.


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## Gayle in KY (May 13, 2002)

I've had mice, gerbils, snakes, frogs, lizards, hamsters, cats, dogs, fish, chinchillas, rabbits, and even a lamb. The lamb was fun! It would chase me all over the house and we'd both jump up and down the stairs. It was even housebroken.

At one time, I had all of those rodents at once, around 300 of them. I raised them for a pet store. If one got out, I had a cat that would corner it, but not kill it.


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## Gayle in KY (May 13, 2002)

I forgot, I also had birds (several different kinds)


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Dogs, cats, baby pigs, newborn goats, calves, a mule colt, and in West Africa I had a baby Chimp living in my wall tent. But you are right, I would never keep ANIMALS inside.


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## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

I have two big dogs that are with me regardless of where I am. Inside, outside....I don't consider them house dogs because they are outside so much. But as I type, they are both crashed out on their doggie bed. We never used to have inside dogs, but we've softened with old age. My boys are grown and gone; and now I have my girls. 
On occasion, I've also had baby goats in the house that I was bottle raising.


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## frogmammy (Dec 8, 2004)

Always have animals in the house. Makes the house worth living in!

Mon


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## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

We have dogs. Had a cat, but it would only come home once a week or so, gave her back to the farm she came from where I think she was happier. We have an African Grey parrot for the winter. He’s about to go back to the farm for the summer. I won’t allow pet mice, rats, ect. I go to great lengths to kill those, why would I keep one as a pet?
One rule here is no dogs/pets on the furniture, beds, Ect. And no damage to the house, otherwise they would be gone. I also raise respectful dogs. If they jump up on someone, they get a boot up their hiney.


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## Wellbuilt (Dec 25, 2020)

We have all kinds a pets in side dogs 2/3 at a time , Maine **** cats up to 3/4 at a time 
4 ‘ lizard birds fish I have 15 kids so the pets are not a big deal


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## stars at night (Mar 12, 2021)

mzgarden said:


> I have 2 indoor cats.


I have one
View attachment 96542
beautiful female (spayed) Ma
View attachment 96542
ine **** cat ---4 yrs young and she will never go outside. I drew her,


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## stars at night (Mar 12, 2021)

I have one beautiful Mine **** Cat and she will never go
View attachment 96544
outside


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## stars at night (Mar 12, 2021)

Wellbuilt said:


> We have all kinds a pets in side dogs 2/3 at a time , Maine **** cats up to 3/4 at a time
> 4 ‘ lizard birds fish I have 15 kids so the pets are not a big deal


WOW.....just WOW


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## 101pigs (Sep 18, 2018)

Macrocarpus said:


> How many of you allow pet animals in the house? Not talking about unshaven and unwashed husbands, I mean ANIMALS? The one big NO-NO I held my kids to was "Outside Pets Onlly". I can clean up after babies and toddlers and think nothing of it, but I;ll be darned if I play nursemaid to a dog or cat, on anything else in the fur or feather line.


When a kid we were have Birds in the house in Cage. We were required to keep the cage clean. Dog, Cats, etc. No way. I still don't have any Pets in my house. However i don't care what other people preferr to have in their house.


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## RJ2019 (Aug 27, 2019)

I was raised to not keep inside pets. My kids and I tried a cat briefly, and NO WAY. Awful creature, yowling all night and scratching my window screens out. Litter boxes, disgusting, especially with toddlers who think they are sandboxes. I was elated when the disagreeable thing ran away.
Have an outside dog now.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Posted 5/5/21 12:57 AM CDST

In addition to my usual 2 to 4 dog pack, I have had a nanny rejected kid goat and while a friend was on vacation 3 years ago, 
I kept his 45 pound house trained miniature horse that wore rubber house boots for 2 weeks.

The horse was a house horse that thought it was a dog and got along with my dogs even though they don't understand what's wrong with his bark..


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

All pets always allowed in my house - with the exception of those not housebroken. Have had to tell only one person that their dog was not welcome.

I just figure sweeping and vacuuming more is off-set by the love and enjoyment they give me.


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## SpringCrkAromas (Aug 21, 2005)

My German Shepherd is my baby, of course he's allowed in the house.


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

I used to be opposed to animals in the house, but I guess I softened up in my old age.
We have 2 indoor dogs, spoiled rotten and just part of the family.
We lost our outside dog to kidney disease, so now we have a hyperactive, incontinent Border Collie pup.
We tried her in the house, but she pees every time she gets excited which is a lot.
She comes in for treats when the other dogs come in, but she's happy to go right back out.
She's getting better, someday she'll probably spend more time indoors, but we need her outside.


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## robin416 (Dec 29, 2019)

Always. Hubs wanted his Redbone Hound kept in a pen outside, I kiboshed that idea. Best house dog ever.

I hated the dog hair but the bond was tighter between us and the four legged critters.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

At one point we had one large Aussie, a tiny Shelty, and 3 cats. Finally got all the cats outside where they can catch mice and not stink up and tear up our house! Our large dog died of old age and we now have just the little Shelty, which is not too bad. I am not much for pets in the house either but our one small dog is OK. Cats are a big NO for me - not fond of paws on my food counter that were just pawing up a litter box! Not too crazy about them chewing up a sandwich left unprotected for a minute either! Our outside cats are fixed and live in a shed with a heater where they come and go as they want - a pretty great life for a cat.


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## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

I couldn't live without house pets. I currently have a dog, two barn cats-turned-housecats, a fish, and I wouldn't mind reptiles, rodents, more fish, birds, and stuff but my husband would probably quit


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## Macrocarpus (Jan 30, 2018)

LOL; Different strokes for different folks I suppose. Thinking back, my ancestors lived in rooms over a stable where their draft horses and milk cows lived. I went to great pains to build cofortable shelters for my own cattle, goats and feathered animals on the farm. I just spent a wad of $ to build a shed for four geese, a tractor and my ATV. My good friend in OK has taken orphan calves into his home and kept them in a bath tub for several days until they could safely live outside in a barn. I had forgotten that I once allowed my son to keep a frizzled dove in a cage inside. The thing would stand on the piano and coo when he practiced. Even so, I don;'t want the blooming things in my house.---cats, dogs, snakes, goats, lambs, all the same INSIDE as flies and roaches to me . LOL, and fifteen kids is a bunch, but I came out of a hatch of ten myself.


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## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

Macrocarpus said:


> LOL; Different strokes for different folks I suppose. Thinking back, my ancestors lived in rooms over a stable where their draft horses and milk cows lived. I went to great pains to build cofortable shelters for my own cattle, goats and feathered animals on the farm. I just spent a wad of $ to build a shed for four geese, a tractor and my ATV. My good friend in OK has taken orphan calves into his home and kept them in a bath tub for several days until they could safely live outside in a barn. I had forgotten that I once allowed my son to keep a frizzled dove in a cage inside. The thing would stand on the piano and coo when he practiced. Even so, I don;'t want the blooming things in my house.---cats, dogs, snakes, goats, lambs, all the same INSIDE as flies and roaches to me . LOL, and fifteen kids is a bunch, but I came out of a hatch of ten myself.


I definitely know there's a fine line. Some people have animals, and even not necessarily that many, and it reeks of cat litter or dog urine, or bird cage smell, etc etc. People who slowly turn their house into a barn should maybe keep the animals outside.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

stars at night said:


> WOW.....just WOW


Whoa back up..you have 15 kidos? I want to know how you do it! My 4 just about killed me from 13 years old on


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Dealing with the breeding brussels griffons dogs is a pain in winter. Cats i reduced # and moved the 2 left outside. Getting covid and living alone changed my mind on animals in general. But many years we had all kinds of babies in the kitchen, calfs from the neighbors dumped newborn kittens in the bathroom, injured chickens guinea turkeys even bunnies that people thought to drop off in the driveway. I did a opossum litter of 12 to release. ( by far the hardest) and 2 Car a baby raccoon that caused a 2 car accident. She was a joy to be mama to. She comes to visit off and on gets her cookie and off again. As i age im thinking ill become contently allergic.


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## jimLE (Apr 18, 2018)

I grew up in the country.so I grew up with indoor and outdoor pets alike.each breed and size of pet has its place.my last dog was half lab and half rot.she was a outside dog.but every once in a while.id let her inside.i now have a pomeranian. she's a inside/outside dog.but mostly inside


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Macrocarpus said:


> How many of you allow pet animals in the house? Not talking about unshaven and unwashed husbands, I mean ANIMALS? The one big NO-NO I held my kids to was "Outside Pets Onlly". I can clean up after babies and toddlers and think nothing of it, but I;ll be darned if I play nursemaid to a dog or cat, on anything else in the fur or feather line.


What are you doing on a homesteading forum?


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## doozie (May 21, 2005)

Who will keep your seat warm while you're away if you don't let them inside.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Having an inside dog was a great comfort to me when my husband was traveling. How could the dog watch the the house if he were in my fenced back yard? Anyways I enjoy the company which is why there is a cat sleeping next to me right now.


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## Macrocarpus (Jan 30, 2018)

"What are you doing on a homesteading forum?" One does not have to live wth his animals to homestead. Do you keep cattle in the house? Pigs? There are many things one can do on a homestead without treating animals as guests or members of one's family. If people feel that they want a pet in the house, fine, but I will not have that. My livestock lives outside.


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## Rodeo's Bud (Apr 10, 2020)

All pets are inside pets for us. Couldn't imagine an outside dog.

A LGD sure, but not a normal goofy dog type dog.

I do like outdoor cats, but alas, ours have become indoor cats and I can win that argument. They do keep the local mice population down.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Posted 5/7/21 1:44 AM CDST

As far as pets in the house , in addition to my current two dogs, realistically I have all but 2 of my house animals since I was 4 years old in my home.

When my family went from having small pet cemeteries on our properties to cremating our passed o pets , I approached the current owners of our former homes asking to allow me to exhume the skeletal remains in tin smith made sheet metal casket boxes under cement slabs with small tombstones in exchange for re-sodding the grave site.

As all the current owners knew of my grand father from their family or personally knew my father and our family and understood that my intention was to cremate their skeletons to place on a bookcase shrine with my other dogs ashes, they all allowed me to have a landscaper friend exhume the remains and landscape/ re-sod the plot for freed up space in the pet grave spots they were using .

As I got the remains, the pet crematorium cremated their skeletal remains at minimum cost charging me more for the urns LOL.

Growing up in a small town area has it's advantage when you have money to spare and a quirky desire when you consider dogs the best people you ever knew 

I now have 10 of my dogs in urns with pictures of our era covering many years of my life waiting to be interred with my and any other of my dogs cremains in our family plot when my time comes.

The two I don't have were hunting dogs and are buried in a dog cemetery a hunting club I belonged to has and I have their pictures on the shelf in their chronological places and consider them in their place of honor with their brothers and sisters of the hunt runs .


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

I have one short haired dog that is inside. A " Pet Door " is nice to have, but since I moved to Florida,,, I don't have one. You can imagine why !


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

I have three large dogs in the house, and 3 LGDs outside who never want to come into the house. Well, the female LGD did come into the house when I brought home the new English Shepherd pup, but that's because the LGD is a good mama who wants to make sure all the young animals are well. She hasn't been in the house since.

There are three cats who go in and out of the house, a barn cat who occasionally shows up to be brushed, and another barn cat who prefers the great outdoors but will come in once in a while just for the heck of it.

Occasionally, we will have goat kids or the odd chicken or duck in the house. 

It's a farm. My housekeeping standards may not be up to those of other folks, but our feet don't stick to the floor, and we can make it to the couch without breaking a leg. If an inside dog tangles with something stinky and/or dead outside, they are subjected to a bath. This keeps the doggie smell down.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

Of course they're inside they are part of my family.
No way left outside.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

altair said:


> I definitely know there's a fine line. Some people have animals, and even not necessarily that many, and it reeks of cat litter or dog urine, or bird cage smell, etc etc. People who slowly turn their house into a barn should maybe keep the animals outside.


But if I don’t let the dogs in I’d have to wash dishes!


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Pets in the house? Always. Otherwise what is the point? Having a dog or cat has given us more pleasure and companionship than having a perfectly clean house ever could. And they are great for kids because they teach compassion and responsibility.

I also think it is extremely cruel to not know about the animal you choose to have in your life - especially dogs. They are pack animals and when you do not have other dogs you are their pack. If you kick them out of the pack then they suffer. 

Dogs have changed enormously over the millennia that they have been living with humans to the point that we have a very special relationship. Dogs have actually hijacked the human oxytocin bonding pathway that is normally reserved for our babies. When you stare at your dog, both your oxytocin levels go up, the same as when you pet them and play with them. When you ignore them or ban them they actually can become depressed. Also given their great capacity for empathy, dogs can also respond to their owners’ moods and feelings, like depression. Which is why they are fantastic for Veterans.

All of our pets - dogs and cats - added to our life. Even protecting us from harm.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

As long as it's not raining, cold, or dark we're all outside for most of the day.


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## Clem (Apr 12, 2016)

The dog that owns me will let me stay in the house as long as I don't pee in the floor or hump the furniture.


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## Kstar (Jun 14, 2020)

Every cat I've ever had has either been an indoor/outdoor cat or 100% indoors. That's how I always believed it would be. There was a point where we didn't have cats for two or three years and I didn't miss the cat hair all over stuff or the fact that I was playing maid to the cat. It has been all too tempting to have a 100% outdoor cat. Although, right now, we live so close to the highway that I'm concerned about her wandering off out there and getting hit by a car. If we were in the middle of nowhere with a lot of land not next to a highway, it might be all right. Although, then I might worry about coyotes.

Other than that I have hissing cockroaches, but those need to be indoors. They will die if they're kept outside.


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## Macrocarpus (Jan 30, 2018)

I am amazed---Not one really "no inside pets!" poster other than myself. Moreover, even I had to admit that at one point my son had a frizzled dove inside.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

no pets here in or out except the new neighbor has a cat that is wrecking havoc on our gardens and that isn't going over well. my son always had dogs that i helped to look after


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## Rural Kanuck (Apr 13, 2020)

Got given a rescued dog some 40 years ago and now on our 5th such fourlegged friend, some of them were quite leery of human contact having not been treated well when we first got them but they all eventually learned to trust us and became good friends. I thank my current dog for her company daily having lost my wife of 40 years to cancer a couple of years ago, he is an inside, outside, where ever I am, friend and companion!


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

No thanks, no inside pets for us.
My sister has three inside dogs and a cat and the house smells like a kennel, can't even stand to be inside the place.
God gave them fur coats so they can live outdoors like the rest of the animals.


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## RJ2019 (Aug 27, 2019)

Fishindude said:


> No thanks, no inside pets for us.
> My sister has three inside dogs and a cat and the house smells like a kennel, can't even stand to be inside the place.
> God gave them fur coats so they can live outdoors like the rest of the animals.


My dog lives outside and i will not be shamed for it. Last time I tried letting him in the house he lifted his leg on my christmas tree. And he is just WAY too hairy, the gobs of dog hair he sheds every time he gets in my car is gross. Furthermore, I rent, and I did get permissiom for this breed dog prior to bringing him home but he is approximately 5 times the pet weight limit on my lease agreement... pretty sure the owner doesn't want a 100lb dog lifting his leg all over the house. He has the run of the yard and a nice dog house.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

The only pets I’ve had that weren’t in the house were our working Great Pyrenees. They didn’t like coming in much either though when they did, they were perfectly mannered and housebroken.
We lost our beloved Jip dog last year and now are down to my daughters 12 year old cat who stayed with us when she moved out (our choice..we love him). Taking him to the lake for the summer with us for the first time today and hoping he adjusts well. He used to be indoor/outdoor but after a raccoon nearly killed him and the we moved to town, he’s 100 percent indoors.
I’d love to get another dog in a few years. It seems weird without one, but we want to be able to travel without worrying about pet sitters for a while first.


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## Macrocarpus (Jan 30, 2018)

kanuck; I too lost a wife --47 years, 5 mos and 21 days. The last thing she told me was that I was not fit to live alone and to get back out there. So, after two years I went out and got another indoor pet, no shedding, a lot of back-talk, but way the hell better than a dog or cat.. I highly recommend such. A good house-broke woman beats anything ever made for a pet.

By the way; a psychologist dealing with this subject wrote that the best candidate for an old widower was a widow from a good marriage. I suspect this is gospel truth and I acted upon it. Going on twelve years this time around.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Macrocarpus said:


> kanuck; I too lost a wife --47 years, 5 mos and 21 days. The last thing she told me was that I was not fit to live alone and to get back out there. So, after two years I went out and got another indoor pet, no shedding, a lot of back-talk, but way the hell better than a dog or cat.. I highly recommend such. A good house-broke woman beats anything ever made for a pet.
> 
> By the way; a psychologist dealing with this subject wrote that the best candidate for an old widower was a widow from a good marriage. I suspect this is gospel truth and I acted upon it. Going on twelve years this time around.


This puts me in mind of a meme I saw the other day. Photo of a women and a kangaroo on a beach. Caption went something like, “they’re cute, noisy critters, can’t be trained, very expensive to maintain, can be extremely dangerous when irritated...., The other one is a kangaroo, I don’t know anything about kangaroos”.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

I don't really see the point of having pets that aren't integrated into the family and that don't interact with the family.

I kept my rabbits outside, but they weren't pets, they were food. The dogs stay inside where I can talk to them and where they can act as a doorbell and where the protective one can do his duty and protect, if it ever becomes necessary.

Although, mostly they are in the house so I can talk to them and pet them whenever the mood hits and I don't have to go outside to do it.

Dog hair? So what? That's what the vacuum cleaner is for.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

My son used to gripe about the attention the dogs got. Then he moved out on his own and in less than a year, I got a phone call to tell me that he had bought a house because his landlord wouldn't allow him to have a dog.

He has done extremely well financially because he bought that house and he wouldn't have bought the house if he didn't feel the need to live with a dog. So dogs can do more than just lower our blood pressure.

Plus the phone call where he told me he never realized he had so many friends. Everyone he knew wanted to go out hunting with him and shoot over his gun dog.


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## Rural Kanuck (Apr 13, 2020)

Oh wow, I cant believe the reaction I got to my couple of words supporting a four legged friend, I will try a few more comments on the reactions please forgive me if the format is not linked correctly as have not got it figured out how to link multiple threads in one post....

Firstly Macrocarpus, Hard to disagree with you but I am at least as old as you, possibly older and its hard to find to find a nice woman of my age willing to take on an old fart set in his ways! Not that I am totally opposed to the idea, Evons hubby comment comes to mind!

oregon woodsmok said I …....don't really see the point of having pets that aren't integrated into the family and that don't interact with the family. …..... Dog hair? So what? That's what the vacuum cleaner is for. …...
So dogs can do more than just lower our blood pressure.

I will freely admit that I am NOT a fanatic about a spotless house but DO regularly have to clean up the dog hair from my short haired friend, particularly right now in the spring as she sheds her winter coat from her daily adventures outdoors. As for lower blood pressure I gess it depends upon the dog and the training, mine will lay her head on my knee when I feel low and ask by sitting with 'that look' when an exterior visit is needed.

I would have a hard time living without my (previously our) friend, she rarely talks back but I sometimes wish she would!


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## Macrocarpus (Jan 30, 2018)

Kanuck; Don't gve up before you try. By the time a man has reached old age and lost his wife there are tons of fine women out there who liked being married and had good husbands. To begin with, there are fewer good men than women. Then men die earlier than women. The result is that there are are many more good widows than good widowers. Conclusion; The man who has made himself into something a woman wants hss a much better chance of finding what he needs than he did as a young man. Just be careful---Children get protective of their inheritances and will gum up the works---you have to make it clear to them that your interest in their mother is not motivated by greed. Easiest way to do that is a pre-nup that cuts a new husband out of any potential inheritance. Just make sure she does not starve when YOU cash in.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

yea like chuck mentioned you want to be careful. works the other way around too. my 
SD was sure i married her father for his money. that was the farthest from my mind (although i lived to regret marrying him) i had no idea he had money until she said that.

i was never a money person. as long as i had a bit to eat and the roof didn't leak i was happy. still am. we became the best of friends and there was noting we wouldn't do for each other. sadly all of them, daughter,grandchildren etc. died before he did and i ended up with everything. i know several women and men who's marriages were ruined by the kids. ~Georgia


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

oregon woodsmok said:


> I don't really see the point of having pets that aren't integrated into the family and that don't interact with the family.


I would agree. Why keep animals all penned up? But on the other hand, I think I spend more time petting my cats now that they are outdoors than when they were inside as they sit out on our deck constantly waiting to be picked up. An outside cat works very well if you provide good shelter and heat in cold winter months. And get them fixed.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

First 12 years of marriage, I tried putting my foot down that my wife's dog could not come in the house. We had carpet and nice to me stuff and I didn't want to look like a lint roller every time I stood up from the couch. I spent much more time with her dog than she did because she worked and I was at home and outside all day.
12 years went by and one day she was chasing a squirrel and fell to the ground, unable to get up. The Vet said she had severe spinal arthritis and would not recover. A month later we put her down. If her mother had died I couldn't have expected greater sorrow.

Not everyone's dog is a companion dog. Ours are. They hold greater value to us than most two legged friends and they have never taken more than they gave.
I have pulled every carpet out and installed tile and hardwoods.
Yesterday, when many mothers waited by the phone for a call from their kids, or the mailbox for a card, my wife's young Collie laid by her feet yesterday for hours with her chin on her paws.
With my10 year old faithful friend who has slowed and tired, I regret every day I left him away from me while I was somewhere else doing something without him at my side.
I count each day with him now. Floors can be mopped, relatives can get over it.


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## todd_xxxx (Apr 19, 2018)

Our dogs pretty much come and go as they please. My Central Asian Shepherd gets too hot in the house, so she usually sleeps outside, no matter the temperature, but comes in for short periods. The English Mastiff is almost always inside except during the day when we are gone. The Presa Canario is outside during the day, inside at night. He isn't nearly as equipped for cold weather as the other dogs, he will probably end up inside most of the time except evenings and nice days. Evenings we are outside most all the time, so the dogs are out with us. The Presa is very good insurance against break-ins, so it makes sense to have him in the house when he wants to be.

We also have cats that come and go as they please.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

You don't know what you are missing until you get a pet.









50 Dads Who Didn’t Want The Damn Dogs In Their Lives


Bringing a new pet home isn't always an easy decision, especially when someone in the family isn't on board - we're looking at you, Dad. These pups, however, managed to win over their reluctant masters in no time.




www.boredpanda.com













50 Dads Who Didn’t Want The Damn Pet In Their Lives


If two days ago, your dad said a pet would never set a paw in his house, and now, he loves the buddy more than you, you're not the only one.




www.boredpanda.com


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

I make as much mess as my pets. I track in as much dirt, I shed hair as bad as they do. I live in the country. Dirt and mess are just part of the lifestyle. I would not have it any other way and the pets earn their life inside with every hug and cuddle they provide.


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## Rural Kanuck (Apr 13, 2020)

painterswife said:


> I make as much mess as my pets. I track in as much dirt, I shed hair as bad as they do. I live in the country. Dirt and mess are just part of the lifestyle. I would not have it any other way and the pets earn their life inside with every hug and cuddle they provide.


Amen to all of that, and my (male) hair is now longer than Nikki's and I am competing with her tail!, aint life 'interesting'!


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## RideBarefoot (Jun 29, 2008)

Got 70 pounds of snuggle pup laying up against me right now. Wouldn't have it any other way.


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## BostonLesley (Nov 14, 2017)

I've always had indoor cats and dogs...my last cat died 2 years ago at age 20 and I still miss him....have a goofy drama-addicted beagle and he keeps us laughing and enjoying his antics....when I had 5 huge dogs and 3 cats they all spent every night curled up somewhere in the house...never had to be the least bit concerned about anyone being fool enough to break in. Never have had the least bit urge to put costumes on them or treat them as if they were my children...good dogs...loyal...protective...fine animals...cats? not so much...but I admire their attitude..


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## Rural Kanuck (Apr 13, 2020)

Arnt our four legged friends special ….. my doggy companion comes to me any morning that I forget to take my meds and sits at my feet with 'that look' …... this may of course have something to do with the fact that I always fill her food dish at the same time LOL
It sometimes takes a while for them to teach us what the various 'looks' mean from 'I gota go' to 'You look like you need a friend' but I really like the look in preference to the bark and so am pleased to learn its use!

At supper time she is a lot more insistent with my son even before he get to the table should he fail to get a small doggie treat from him...
Dont you just love them?


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

My dog was the first to realize that I was ill. He was a complete velcro dog who always had to be snuggled up to me or at the very least lying with his head on my feet. Then one day he came towards me, gave me a funny look and sniffed me carefully. He lay on my feet but did not go to sleep as usual, just kept looking at me. Over the next few weeks he distanced himself from me, moving away and not touching, but always with a puzzled look on his face and even embarrassed when I called him and he did not come. By this time I had made an appointment to see the doctor because I thought I had gastric problems. Turned out to be a blood cancer. I was admitted to hospital and after a few days my dog was allowed to come into my room and spend the afternoon with me. He was his normal self but sniffed everything. Husband said he looked relieved that I was in hospital. He died in his sleep that night.

My dog could smell that something was changing in my body. Dogs are now being used to sniff out disease and even to warn about diabetes situations and epileptic seizures about to happen. All through smelling the change in our bodies.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

Abby and Ally got to spend their 14th birthday on the river.
I never once left them home when I've done a forest road adventure, hiking, fishing, camping, canoe trip, etc.
They go to work with me.
They know what happens at the drive thru at McDonald's.
Two different women said you love those dogs more than me.
Well, maybe you should take a long look at yourself and try to understand who they are and who you are.


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## Macrocarpus (Jan 30, 2018)

One good woman is worth a hundred good dogs/cats/horses or whatever.. The man who does not understand that cannot complain when he dies alone and unmourned. Why in hell do so many men here complain of the women they cannot keep???? The only women I ever parted with left in tears, or left me in tears. Surely there are many such men? Sometimes there is an impossible love---one should try to avoid those, but most matches can work out----half the world li0ved on arranged marriages until a few decades ago. Here we make our own choices and far too many people screw those up.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

I'd say most dogs are pretty accepting given they have no choice where they live and sleep, for whom they serve, what they eat, possess or control.
How would that work for us?


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

I dated a woman that was jealous of my dog, ..... and my kids and grandkids. She told me it was time to make a choice so I told her goodbye.


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## RJ2019 (Aug 27, 2019)

Macrocarpus said:


> One good woman is worth a hundred good dogs/cats/horses or whatever.. The man who does not understand that cannot complain when he dies alone and unmourned. Why in hell do so many men here complain of the women they cannot keep???? The only women I ever parted with left in tears, or left me in tears. Surely there are many such men? Sometimes there is an impossible love---one should try to avoid those, but most matches can work out----half the world li0ved on arranged marriages until a few decades ago. Here we make our own choices and far too many people screw those up.


Wise words right here.


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## BostonLesley (Nov 14, 2017)

I have to toss in the old joke...If you throw your girlfriend ( or wife) and your dog in the trunk of your car and drive around for three hours, when you stop and open the trunk which one will be happy to see you?


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## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

Macrocarpus said:


> One good woman is worth a hundred good dogs/cats/horses or whatever.. The man who does not understand that cannot complain when he dies alone and unmourned. Why in hell do so many men here complain of the women they cannot keep???? The only women I ever parted with left in tears, or left me in tears. Surely there are many such men? Sometimes there is an impossible love---one should try to avoid those, but most matches can work out----half the world li0ved on arranged marriages until a few decades ago. Here we make our own choices and far too many people screw those up.


It took me 3 tries to get it right though. #1 was hot and sexy. I was young. Problem is everyone thought she was hot, and she was more than happy to show them how much. That lasted less than a year. 
#2 decided she wanted to relive her teen years with the partying. Well she was married with young kids. I worked on that relationship a while, but you can only forgive so many times. The kids tell me she is still drunk, miserable, and lonely. Kind of sad, but she has choices. 
#3 chose me. She’s a keeper. She has shown me how to be a better person, just by her example. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without her.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

Macrocarpus said:


> One good woman is worth a hundred good dogs/cats/horses or whatever.. The man who does not understand that cannot complain when he dies alone and unmourned. Why in hell do so many men here complain of the women they cannot keep???? The only women I ever parted with left in tears, or left me in tears. Surely there are many such men? Sometimes there is an impossible love---one should try to avoid those, but most matches can work out----half the world li0ved on arranged marriages until a few decades ago. Here we make our own choices and far too many people screw those up.


I agree but sometimes you get fooled and many have.
Regardless of however many failed relationships I will never say all women are the same because they're not.
I dont think I will just trust anybody off the bat but they can earn it.
Most have been burned one way or another but I'm not bitter over it.
A good way to look at it is not why me God but what do you want me to learn from it?
It's all good but I'm about 4 months out of the last gig and I'm enjoying life with my pups in peace.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Posted 5/12/21 7:55 PM CDST

My dog who lived lived over 18 years was the first to warn me of my unfaithful ex wife dating my replacement by staying between us after the ex picked me up from work when we were temporarily down to one vehicle and staying by my side at home.

Mu ex tried to tell me the old gal was turning vicious at 5 years old to her and wanted me to give her away or put her down.

After my stepson told me the dog was only standing between me and the ex and was normal to him, when I got her rig running, after the dog and I took him to school , I took my dog to a friend's house on my way to work to spend time with his wife and dog as the dogs and the couple got along and my dog and the wife said she had seen my ex with my replacement.

For two months my friend's wife dog sat while I was at work and drove her and my dog around together during the day while she got a few cheating pictures of my ex to make it easy for me to get my parole from the bad marriage, the house and animals non contested with minor blanket split as the screen door hit her in the butt in less than 3 months as I put together a bullet proof divorce.

For the next 13 1/2 years my dog slept on the open side of my bed.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

Shrek said:


> Posted 5/12/21 7:55 PM CDST
> 
> My dog who lived lived over 18 years was the first to warn me of my unfaithful ex wife dating my replacement by staying between us after the ex picked me up from work when we were temporarily down to one vehicle and staying by my side at home.
> 
> ...


My ex wife went to visit her family for about 3 days
Turned into 12
She came back and was different
Came home from work no water in dogs bowl
Got some info
She left
Divorced her
Kept farm dogs cats
She got SUV and walking papers


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## cjennmom (Sep 4, 2010)

There’s no point in having a pet if they aren’t inside. Cats and dogs are companion animals, not livestock.


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## Christopher Lewis (Feb 13, 2019)

Macrocarpus said:


> How many of you allow pet animals in the house? Not talking about unshaven and unwashed husbands, I mean ANIMALS? The one big NO-NO I held my kids to was "Outside Pets Onlly". I can clean up after babies and toddlers and think nothing of it, but I;ll be darned if I play nursemaid to a dog or cat, on anything else in the fur or feather line.


I don't allow pets on my property! Pet ownership is a definite psychological issue.


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## trish4prez (Jul 9, 2006)

Depends on the pet and the weather. I had my sweet Honey beagle inside unless I was outside with her. Now the dogs are outside unless the weather is too cold. They do come in to visit now and then.


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## TedH71 (Jan 19, 2003)

RJ2019 said:


> I was raised to not keep inside pets. My kids and I tried a cat briefly, and NO WAY. Awful creature, yowling all night and scratching my window screens out. Litter boxes, disgusting, especially with toddlers who think they are sandboxes. I was elated when the disagreeable thing ran away.
> Have an outside dog now.


Sounds like your cat wasn't fixed and not trained to scratch up the screen. Litterboxes do need cleaning twice a week or maybe 3 times a week. There are much improved designs for litterboxes those days. Mechanical ones even.


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## TedH71 (Jan 19, 2003)

Danaus29 said:


> We've had fish, snakes, hamsters and rabbits indoors. Hubby hates cats and I don't like the idea of cleaning up dog hair so we never had either of those.
> 
> I do really want to get a pet skunk. It would have to be an indoor pet because I would not want to confuse it with the wild skunks.


There are domesticated skunks for sale online with different/unique colors. As for dog hair, simply look for dogs that don't shed. They tend to be poodles, schnauzers, etc....


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## TedH71 (Jan 19, 2003)

I have 6 dogs and plan to get more later after I move to a property more conductive to keeping animals. I also have fish and one snake. Most of my dogs are working hog hunting dogs (catahoula leopards). I need to eventually get a catch dog..probably either an American bulldog or a pit bull from good bloodlines. I may switch from catahoulas to hounds because catahoulas become rather dog selective when they get older and you have to play rotation doors with them when they get older. It's a giant PITA.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

TedH71 said:


> There are domesticated skunks for sale online with different/unique colors. As for dog hair, simply look for dogs that don't shed. They tend to be poodles, schnauzers, etc....


I saw a Labradoodle puppy that was just adorable. It had the most beautiful red-gold fur I have ever seen. I have paid less for cars than they wanted for that puppy. Skunks are almost as expensive. 

Maybe someday.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

nope, tho both kids have dogs in their houses


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## Macrocarpus (Jan 30, 2018)

Bill; Did you check on the meter maid job? That should come with both pension and health benefits.


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## ladaavesta78 (Mar 27, 2021)

Our dog is a real family member so I just can't leave him only outside. He can enter the house whenever he wants. and what about cleaning, my salvation is a robot vacuum cleaner and a clean up every week. I mean my wife and my daughter do the cleaning but sometimes I just call guys from https://www.emop.co.uk/borehamwood-cleaner and they make the house shine in 2 hours. So comfortable when we are traveling or just have a rest.


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