Pink: How do I convince my parents to let me get a Mastiff?
So I'm a high-school student and my family's English mastiff passed away about a few months ago and my parents are talking about getting another female for my dad. I really love the breed and I know that they need lots of attention (I mainly cared for the last one). I get good grades, babysit my brothers ALL the time, I do lots of chores, and I'm responsible for the pets we have. What else can I say to convince my parents to get me my own mastiff when my dad gets his?
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Answers and Views:
Answer by Angle
Will the mastiff your family gets for your father be solely cared for and played with by him, or will it be a family pet? I'm slightly doubtful of this, and I'm also slightly doubtful that multiple people in a family could have a dog all to themselves. If I'm mistaken concerning your situation, I'm sure that what you've said will be enough to convince them, though, and good luck :)
Answer by Helen Rempel
Nothing. Getting 2 pups at once is a TERRIBLE idea...they will bond to each other and not to you. More info: http://leerburg.com/2dogs.htm
Help your dad raise his new dog, then AFTER you finish college and get a good job and move into a place of your own, you can get your own Mastiff then.
Answer by Clockwork_Knight
move out
So what if you do the chores, and babysit and are good at school. That doesn't mean you can take care of a dog at all.
As a child, you CAN"T have a dog. You can't own it or adopt it or buy it. Your parents only want one dog so that's all they are getting. ONE dog. They don't want two dogs they will have to take care of, clean up after and when you go to college you can't take the dog with you and you will have no time to take care of it
Answer by BYBs and Crazies rule DS
If you are the main caregiver for this dog, what happens when you move out in a few years to go to college?
You *should be* getting good grades and doing chores. There's nothing special there. You *should* be babysitting your brother, for a fair wage. You *should not* be solely responsible for pets that you have. A parent should never ever ever saddle a child with being the primary caregiver to animals unless they are willing to back that child up when they fail or move on.
How about, instead, you sit down and you help your parents find a responsible MCOA breeder or good rescue group for purchasing their next puppy, *when they are ready*. http://www.mastiff.org . Being involved in the search will help you feel more pride once you get the animal, especially if you are rescuing a dog in need of using a responsible breeder. http://www.pbrc.net.breeding3.html can help you recognize a responsible breeder.
Once you are done will college and working regularly, you can gauge your dog-owning ability. The responsible breeder that you met will help you decide if you are ready. We go through so many changes between the ages of 14 and 27 that throwing a dog into that mix too often leaves the dogs uncared for or at a shelter.
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Answer by Shadowdancer
Why?
You will be looking at either working yourself soon or going off to college or uni. So it's better all-around to have the dog be a family dog and the work and effort be a shared effort. You'll soon be in a position where you can't assume full-time care of a dog, especially one that will need ongoing training - so if you have the support of your family, wouldn't that be the better option while you're still on that last leg of getting yourself on the path of adulthood?
Know better? Give your own answer to this question!
Phantomwise says
I know it doesn’t feel like it, but high school goes fast. I got a puppy (of which I was sole caretaker) when I was 13, and I’ll be leaving for college as he turns 5. I’ll miss years of time with the dog that I raised and adored, and even though I was the one that put in all that time and training, he’s going to become my dad’s dog the second I leave home. If you get a dog, trust me, it will become your dad’s second dog in a few short years. That sucks and you don’t want to put yourself through that, or leave your parents with a second giant dog to feed and care for. Wait until you have a pretty stable life and some income of your own to get your own dog. It’s really for the best.
Not to mention that 2 pups at once is really difficult and expensive, etc, other answers have explained that. When your dad gets his pup, enjoy having a puppy around the house and help out with training and caring for it, and remember that you have your whole life to have your own dog.
GllntKnight says
If they wanted another dog they would get one, until then finish school, get a job, move out, then get whatever you want.
Sandi says
Mastiff’s are expensive, more than one is really $ $ $ $ ! Care, feeding, vet bills, etc.. When you are older & get your own place, you can do whatever you want. But unless you’re rolling in $ $ $ , you need to wait!