A Dog is For Life

It's been 5 months now since my last cat passed away, and 9 years since my dog Charlie left us.

For someone who has always had some pet or other the house is really clean but rather empty!

After Charlie died Mick said he would never have another dog because you could never replace Charlie (a spaniel cross he was such a character).

Now I know how he feels as I can never replace Saysha or Garfie (my cats).  However I'm starting to think that it is not 'replacing' anything for when you are an animal lover you love them all, not just the special ones, and surely it is better to give a home and love to another pet than insist that you are never going to have another because it is painful when they leave you.

A second argument Mick has is that it would be unfair to have another pet while we are getting close to retirement and we travel back and forth to France and Spain.

My argument would be that a dog can come with us.  With a pet passport we are able to travel back and forth with our pet.  Hundreds of people in the motorhome forums spend all their time travelling with their pets and I think when you have done it once then you will know how to do it from then on.

Now I know that Mick is unable to walk very far these days with the problem he has with his back, but I can.

Thinking ahead to retirement, Mick is a great one for lying in bed until late morning whilst I am up and about at the crack of dawn.  The thought of being able to go out for a stroll with a dog and be back indoors even before he awakes is rather tempting.

But all said and done the real reason I want a dog is because I really miss having a pet.  I can't go out and look for one but if one 'turns up' I know it will not be turned away.