Here are my thoughts:
1. We already don't have much time spent at home.
What's to become of the puppy when we're always not in? I feel it isn't being fair to the dog but KS says we will have to just work around it as having a dog won't fit perfectly into our lives. We have to take the effort to make changes. Just like a baby. It's won't be convenient but if we really want one, we have to make the effort.
2. The dog doesn't have a certificate.
Something about the mother dog being pregnant without the owner knowing about it hence they could not have been present to witness the coupling. I don't know the procedures to certifying a dog but this sounds a bit fishy to me. But the cert isn't so much a big deal. Just that you wonder if it really is a pure bred and besides, we're paying for it.
3. Nature of a Jack Russell Terrier.
I've been reading a bit about them on the net. And what they say scares me.
- They are hunting dogs. They will hunt and kill other animals. That means he cannot live with cats (so what's to become of Ang Ku?!).
- They need loads of space to run (but we can bring him out to the park here on weekends and we have a garden for him to run).
- No way can you leave a JR without his leash as he will attack dogs 3 times larger since he doesn't realise he's a small fellow, he will like going underground (we have an underground drainage system) and can get lost for weeks and months being underground.
- They are also not good with kids below 6 years old. So what happens when we start having kids?
4. Price is too steep.
Other friends who are trying to sell their pure bred puppies are pricing them at RM400. Besides, if my colleague really IS looking for somewhere to house the dog, she would be almost giving him away for free to someone whom she knows will be able to take care of the dog.
Of course, all these really depends on each dog as we can never generalise and say things like "All Singaporeans are kiasu". Each individual is different.
But in my heart, I have always loved Jack Russells and always wanted to own one. But because pedigree puppies cost between RM1,200 to RM1,500, I have never bothered much about researching about them in depth. I won't mind Retrievers or Labradors but we don't have the space.
How to resist??
5 comments:
I love Jack Russell's too - my ex flatmate had one. You can train them quite well actually and they become really obedient if you don't spoil them, but I remember that the dog would love digging in the garden and escape under the fence. Yes, they are used to kill snakes I believe. Also, the dog used to howl when Shane went away to work and it drove me mad but that didn't last too long after it got used to the new house. Your friend should perhaps think of keeping it slightly longer unless it really makes a hell of a racket!
If you haven't already gotten it, forget it. Even though the dog is so adorable, you are not there to look after it during the day, you are back at night at 10pm. Then when you move to PJ, there is even less room for it to run around. It's a little cruel having a dog and not being there for it. Also, vet bills - $$$!!! Save your trouble for your future kids.
Getting a dog is a really big responsibility. I know a lot of people say it's like training for a kid but it is and it isn't. With a child, YOU HAVE to come home and take care of it's needs, with a dog, people are more likely to say, "well I can leave it for another hour."
Like Ron says, Jack Russells can actually be very obedient and NOT do all those things that you listed above in terms of being hunters, attacking other animals etc. IF you can 100% commit to training it and it takes time.
From my point of view, it looks like you guys are very, very busy and should not get it. A girlfriend of mine who is also a very busy person is regretting getting a dog because she's never really around and she refuses to bring her puppy to a day care centre. They need to be trained when really young. So now the dog is nuts, even at such a young age and she's overwhelmed.
Just my two cents.
p.s the non certificate thing is KINDA sketchy. Especially if you want to make sure it's the proper pedigree.
i hear you guys loud and clear. so i cancelled our appointment to see the dog. he WOULD be miserable and a total brat should we take him in.
SOOOOOOOO CUTE!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, when you think about it, remember me and what happened to Ginger. Still miss her a lot after giving her away, fortunately to a friend who lives in the next block. You'd feel so guilty leaving it at home when:
1. You have to work late because dogs can get gastric!
2. When you want to watch a movie
3. When you want to go shopping
4. When you want to travel. It's no fun watching your dog being left at any of the petshops no matter how big the space is because the dog will be looking at you with drooping ears and the saddest look, asking "why?".
5. When you don't have the time to bring it running for exercise and Jack Russells is not exactly a home dog. At least Ginger is happy playing catch in the house and running around the table.
6. When it gets sick and you'd still have to go to work.
7. When you need to leave it at home and you're about to go to work. Their looks can kill you.
And the worse is that when you know you cannot handle it but you've grown so attached to it but you know its better to give it away to someone who could be there for it most of the day. Big heartbreak.
I still do miss coming home to the greetings of Ginger. And everytime she sees me, she's so overjoyed like she's not seen me for years and this makes me feel guilty again. Fortunately she's just 5 minutes walk away...
So, when you do your pros and cons, you can write all these down.
Post a Comment