"I just need something to love"
A couple of days ago our oldest daughter Allison went to the pet store with her teacher as a sort of class trip/reward for doing well at school. While at the pet store she found a cage full of hamsters. The following day she talked her Nan into taking her back. She came home yesterday and called her mom and told her that she "needs" a hamster for her birthday(two weeks from yesterday). I told her hamsters bite and Trish told her that hamsters stink and they are not friendly. Allie continued to tell her mom that when she reached in the cage all the hamsters ran away but one, he climbed in her hand and fell asleep because he "loved her." Oh boy!!, now I have a problem. This child has a hamster that loves her and is waiting for her Dad to come to the store and rescue him and bring him back to Allie's room where he can live out the remainder of his days. Well the past couple of nights we have told Allie all the negatives about hamster ownership, they stink, they pee and poo and you have to change the cage, they stink, they bite, they stink, they die. Her response, but he loves me. Last night Trish told Allie that Mom and Dad know hamsters die easily and we just don't want her heart to hurt if something happened to him. Her response, "but my heart hurts now without him and so if he dies it won't hurt anymore than it already does." Then Allie told her mom "I just need something to love" Trish replied with "we got you a baby sister to love" and then Allie said "yeah, but you moved her to Omaha" OK, she got us, now what do we do.
The main reason we are so resistant to getting a hamster is because of Ashley's immunosuppression. She cannot be around certain things because that increases the likely hood of disease, viruses and infections which in turn lead to rejection. We don't want to tell this to Allie as we don't want her to resent Ashley and her place in our family. So, Trish asked the transplant team what kind of animals transplant patients can have. Hamsters, birds, reptiles and cats were off the list. The only thing on the list were small indoor dogs. Uh O!!! A dog??
Now I know this child would absolutely love a dog. She would take such great care of a dog (for 4 days) and I know we would love to have a dog snuggle up next to her in her bed each night. The problem I have is that I would like a dog that does not Pee or Poo or shed. If anyone knows a dog that does not pee or poo or shed please let me know because that is the dog for me. Now realistically I know that dogs must eliminate at some point or they would explode so the next best thing would be one that already knows how to do these things outside. The problem with getting a dog is that they don't come already possessing these skills.
My dog wish list:
1. Doesn't pee or poo
2. Doesn't lick my face
3. Doesn't shed
4. Doesn't bark
5. Doesn't cost an arm and a leg
6. Doesn't bite
7. Love's Kids
8. Doesn't run off every time it goes in the front yard
9. Won't do things to make me have to explain the birds and bees to my kids
10. Under 7 or 8 pounds
11. Is smart
We had a Chihuahua once and it fit all of the critea except the main one. I could not teach it to eliminate in the right place. Big problem for me.
I am not a dog expert so I am going to ask for your help.
Can you recommend a small dog (max 10 lbs) that sheds little and is trained or is so easy to train that someone like me could actually do it ( would prefer the first option) and he/she it just needs a 9 year old girl to love? What breed and where would I get it? If you know the dog on my wish list and it needs a home that would be perfect.
DAVE
posted by Ashley @ 9:28 AM
22 Comments:
Dave...my sister is a dog groomer and says that poodles are great for non shedding. They are also small and friendly dogs. If you are interested I know there is a lady in Alexandria(Louisiana)that has a female poodle that is a yr. and a half old..chocolate color...that is for sale. Since she is a yr. and a half old...chances are she also might be house trained. Email me at anitaelliot@centurytel.net if you are interested :-) Ya'll are in my prayers daily!
Love Anita
o man, poor allie needs a REAL dog--you know, something big that chews and barks and slobers--go with the labrador or the bloodhound (my personal favorites), leave the little dogs to old ladies ;)
good job passing on the hamster though, my ten year cousin got one for Christmas a couple years ago and it got loose and died somewhere in the heating system--not a pretty smell
praying for your family again today.
I think that the dog that you are looking for can be found on the Loop at Toys R Us. 8-)
"But seriously folks..." My best friend is allergic to everything, but her husband wanted a dog (he is disabled and stays at home). She found that chihuahuas are good for people with allergies and they don't shed much. She has a giant chihuahua. Yes, that is a real breed...and it sound just like what it is...a giant chihuahua. So, maybe a regular one? Just a thought...
Dave let me tell you it is not a Yorkie, if you are sticking to your criteria, but if you want a small dog with alot of character a yourkie could fill the bill. Chantry my daughter got one for her bithday in November,(she is 8) and we are still fighting with the potty triaining. The thing is HE IS WORTH IT. Chantry loves to carry him around or snuggle up in bed with him (she wants him to sleep with her but the answere is no until he is trained)yet he still plays fetch and impresses my boys with his bravery. Whatever you decide on Allie will love it. Good luck with your quest. We are praying Ashley and your family daily.
Carla
My granddaughters have a chihuahua (a miniature). It's very small and was easy to housebreak and is good for people with allergies. You are in our prayers.
Every Sunday we find the Lifestyles section of the Longview News Journal to look at 2 things... The weddings/engagements and the Puppies and kitties who need homes. There are usually about 5-6 of them and they are most often house trained. Most of all, they are adorable and need a home. It might be a good idea to look there :O).
Dave, We got a Maltese last September & we love it. He does not shed at all. He is white (all Maltese's are) and so we did not want him going outside all the time to potty. So, we trained him to go on puppy pads. He has done quite well, except that we did not know that we should have had him neutered before he was 4 months old, and now he hikes his leg on my furniture to mark his territory. Other than that, he is the most loveable (and soft!) inside dog we have ever had. We have had chihuahuas and daschounds in the past. Allie would love putting bows in it's hair if you were to get a girl. They are, however, a little pricey!
Kim Prine
Dave,
My mom has a maltese- and she is great. LOVES people, doesnt shed..and is little. They are very cuddly..And I'm sure Allie would like to brush her hair :) They are low allergenic too, because their hair is like Human Hair...in fact they recommend that you use Regular Shampoo on them!
Dave, I know this sounds a little like a lecture, but, please, consider how much time you have to commit to raising a dog. It is a huge responsibility to have a dog. Kids are not good at being consistent care takers. (adults must be) The smaller the dog the higher the probability that it will live a long time. (some 15-16 years) If you should decide to get a dog, poodles are great little dogs if they are bred right. Most pure breed dogs have genetic issues that are common to a breed. Find out what the breed you choose has in the "issues" department before you start looking and see if it is something that you can live with. Make sure the parents are vet certified clear of these issues. Even allergies can be genetic! Sorry to lecture, but I am a vet tech.
Dave, our neighbors have a puppy that you can probably get. It's a mini pincher mixed with a miniture daschund. It's an cute puppy. They live next door to us. This is the last puppy of the liter. It's got short hair,so it probably won't shed much.
How about a bird? I have lovebirds. If you have one lovebird it is an awesome pet. It will go anywhere with you, beg (by chirping, jumping,etc) to get out of it's cage. They are really loveable. I have 12 babies right now - so we can find the perfect one for Allie. The great thing of about the bird is that she can spend hours with it every day, but then if you need to go away for even 2 day - it can be given food and water and left. Or if it will be longer, you just need someone to feed and water it daily. And it's portable in a cage so it could go somewhere else.
Think about it and let me know if you want me to help talk her into it. I'll get you all set up.
Email me Marlain@aol.com
Dave,
Our family has 2 shih zu's and they are wonderful lap dogs, good with kids, don't shed, small and train easily. I do recommend a female because they train much easier! Also, Allie would have a great time fixing this puppies hair!
Good luck with the animal situation. can you take you daughter to the local animal shelter, say once a week and allow her to snuggle and play and pet the animals there? Then she can have her animal "fix", and they get to stay there. Plus it teaches compassion, and community service...just a thought.
I also agree with Susan..make sure you have the time to put into the dog..whatever kind you get.
I have to second the vote for maltese. I had a lovely little maltese for 12 years. They shed no more than a human, are smart, with good temperament. Also, I would check out www.petfinders.com It is a site that shelters and resue groups use to post adoptable pets. The rescue groups usually know more about the dog's personality--a nice plus! We found our puppy and kitty on there. Be aware that many rescue groups will not adopt small, fragile pets out to homes with children under 10 years of age.
Best wishes on your search.
And by the way, I check Ashley's journal and pray for you all often! God's blessings to you in this tough chapter of your lives!
Cindy (Cottontown, TN)
What about a dog from a rescue organization? Often you can find animals that are housebroken and trained. An animal who is a little older (we adopted an 8 month old "teenager") will show more of their true disposition than a puppy. The people running the rescue can match you with the right animal for your needs because they have been around the dogs and know how they will react to certain placements. Typically, the fee you pay for adoption is to cover the animals vaccines and other medical expenses, including spaying/neutering. We love our rescue animals!! Good luck!
I also have a Maltese and must say they are the most lovable dogs ever! They don't shed, at all, and ours were pretty easy to train. I have to agree with another poster that they can be quite expensive, but we have found that they're worth it! I check your website daily and continue to pray for you and your family.
Shelly
(Fayetteville, AR)
Our son wanted a puppy so badly. We had just moved to the country and my DH finally said yes. - we are soo not dog people mind you. After scouring the net for a puppy/mutt/shelter do (which are upwards of $200) I was ready to give up. I said a short prayer almost under my breath - "God, could we just find a beautiful adult, fully trained, retriever for under $200" figuring my prayer went about as far as the ceiling but the next day we ventured on a website for a breeder and across the top ran a banner saying "WELL-MANNERED ADULT DOG AVAILABLE". Well, I figured I would call just to see. the man on the other end explained that the dog was part of their breeding program, had been trained and shown and was very gentle. Sounded great - I asked him how much and he said $200!! Keep in mind her plain ol' puppies are over $1000 each. She is a wonderful dog, and trustworthy beyond compare - we could never have trained such a gem...
I learned a lesson about a our Father's love. Even the small things we barely whisper He hears and cares about. He knows Allie's heart and what you all need and can handle and He soo wants to give her good things. I'm excited to hear the outcome!
My brother and sister-in-law have a maltese. She is the best natured dog in the world, hypoallergenic, non-shedding...barks only when NECESSARY (she has a yorkie brother that barks CONSTANTLY)...she is an angel in the potty training area (potty pads is the way they chose to go). She weighs 7 pounds at most...beautiful dog and love love loves my kids...so there you go with my advice :) Problem, you might pay more than you want...but you might be able to get a "runt" or something????
So my vote is Maltese...as for the bird thing, you would have to check with the doctor but bird ranks right up there with EVERYTHING Ashley shouldn't be around, if not worse than some of them. Just so you know...(mom and sister in law have allergies). Hugs to Ashley and all of you!
Don't have much advice for you on the dog front, but what I can say is Don't Get the Hampster!!! :grin: My heart hurt for one, too, when I was eleven, so my parents finally caved and I had my very own fluffy lovie animal. That is, it was my lovie animal for a month. Then it turned into my hated animal. But you know all that... :smile:
My daughter has a maltepoo (poodle/maltese mix). She is precious. About 8lbs Potty trained. Sweet temperment. So loving.
I have a robotic dog that you program & it fetches...does bark...etc... LOL
Also, have a minature pincher & it is under 12 lbs. & is good with the kids.
I POSTED ON THE GUESTBOOK REGARDING A GREAT DOG, I'M SURE YOUR FAMILY WILL LOVE. We love him dearly. He lives right there in Longview, and he's free. He is a registered pedigree, Sheltie. He used to be a show dog.
dee buchanan
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