The doggie dilemma...

I’ve never had a dog. When I say this to people who have had dogs they pull a sad face, pat my shoulder and say something along the lines of, ‘Oh, you poor thing.’



I would love to own a dog. Or two. :-) :-)

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The thing is, I also love to travel…and I’m not quite ready to call it quits on my traveling days yet.

So, my dilemma is this: is it mean, perhaps even cruel, to spend the odd six weeks abroad and have my K9 friend(s) boarded?

I’m perfectly happy to factor in the cost of a good boarding kennel. I’d absolutely and positively want my doggie(s) to be well looked after while I’m gone. But it seems that every time I’m on the cusp of rescuing a dog from the pound, up pops a poster on FB giving me some version of: I am your dog and I love you. When you leave me I worry and mourn for you. I wonder what I’ve done wrong, and why you have abandoned me? I only live to be seven or nine (or some other miniscule number!) and every year of your life is seven in mine. Please, please, please be kind to me and love me as much as I love you.

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Seriously, if I wanted that kind of guilt in my life I’d have had children! ;-) I do not want to adopt a dog simply to make said doggie's life an utter misery.

So this is what I’m trying to work out: would the good of giving a rescue dog a secure and happy home cancel out the bad of leaving said puppy for a few weeks every couple of years?

Or should I just forget the whole thing?

Or, here’s a third option...should I become a dog foster carer? I’d have a dog or two (or six!) in my life, I’d be doing something for the greater good, but when I traveled someone else would step up to the plate?

Image courtesy of Theeradech Sanin at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So, what say you (I’m channeling Aragorn from Lord of the Rings here– did you catch it?)? Come on, weigh in with your thoughts and opinions—all advice will be gratefully received.