Pets in retirement, pros and cons (Canada, communities, crying, friend)

[Lodestar]

We had to put down the other of this pair this summer and it just about did us both in. After a lifetime of owning cats we both know how to raise very nice, polite companionable pets.


Our cats have their own side doors and haven't ever seemed to have a problem with our comings and goings other than a couple of days of hurt feelings. Either a friend or one of the kids will check on them every couple of days.


I think a house without a cat in it is somehow incomplete.


I recently returned from five weeks of babysitting a friend's two dogs and it was like having toddlers again! They were dear but much more high maintenance than I'd prefer a pet to be.

[Cabound1]

Originally Posted by Gingercoyote

We have two dogs and I love them more than most people. But, we have decided that these will be our last dogs. Money is one reason, pets can be expensive. Freedom is the other. We want to be able to pick up and go in retirement without the concern or expense of boarding or finding a reliable pet sitter. The other issue is if one of us should become seriously ill, trying to care for a pet at the same time definitely complicates things.

As a single, this is another problem. I went to the ER once and ended up in the hospital for days. It was a mad scramble to care for the dogs. I worry about that and what would happen if I died suddenly.

[Mikala43]

Originally Posted by Lodestar

We had to put down the other of this pair this summer and it just about did us both in. After a lifetime of owning cats we both know how to raise very nice, polite companionable pets.


Our cats have their own side doors and haven't ever seemed to have a problem with our comings and goings other than a couple of days of hurt feelings. Either a friend or one of the kids will check on them every couple of days.


I think a house without a cat in it is somehow incomplete.


I recently returned from five weeks of babysitting a friend's two dogs and it was like having toddlers again! They were dear but much more high maintenance than I'd prefer a pet to be.

Very sorry for your loss.

[bigdogmom13]

Originally Posted by EveryLady

Many here have described lives with loving pets who they, in turn, love. Our cat? The cat from hell? The cat who as a kitten was so ferocious my legs were covered with scabs from kitty-attacks? The cat who the vets office refused to try to groom unless she was sedated? The pet no one will pet sit for (in their homes) when we travel. The one time we had a professional come in who tried to actually interact with her the cat peed all over the poor girl.

This is my daughter's cat, brought into our home about 12 yo ago when DD was 7. What to do? About the trips, I mean. An early suggestion from a neighbor that I try to find an "identical" cat to switch out fooling my daughter I rejected as profoundly impractical.

Funny enough our first relatively short trips seemed to have the impact of cat therapy. With each return, that damn cat actually seemed to LIKE us better. Today, instead of deliberating antagonizing us, she will actually respond although any attempt at "thwarting her" results in an angry snarl. My daughter ADORES this cat; I've actually grown quite fond of her.

Still, the travel. Now retired, we're gone (overseas) for weeks at a time. I was firm with my daughter that I was not about to sit home waiting for the cat to die. So we leave her, with close-by neighbors coming in each day for a while to make sure she's okay. The neighbor girls are free to stay at the condo for hours, watching television. The cat, though, steers clear of them.

But now loving us in her own way, she *does* get lonesome. The therapy-effect is no more. So she's taken to displaying her quite justifiable anger at our long absences by peeing on the downstairs carpet. We respond by covering everything in plastic and paying extra for kitty-cleanup sessions. Again, no one wants her as a visitor. Profoundly antisocial except now with us, she'd be miserable at a vet.

Me, I'm sticking to my vow to not give up my life (love to travel, retired for it) by waiting out hers.

Fair or not (to the cat), that's my story.

Bless you for not giving up on this cat.

Back to the topic at hand, I'll probably always have a pet. At the moment I share my home with 3 cats; up until 5 weeks ago (today ) I had a beautiful Collie who enhanced my life. We've decided to wait until I retire next year to get another dog. For me, the pros (mainly companionship/exercise buddy) outweigh the cons (vet bills, travel arrangements, grooming, dog hair everywhere). There will be one more medium-large dog in my life; after that who knows? I'm not too fond of small dogs so it may be cats only.

[LesserSeneca]

Cons:
1. Not everybody likes your animal.
2. They stink...seriously your house stinks.
3. You need someone to "babysit" if you want to travel.
4. Pets are messy.
5. They can be expensive.


Pros:
1. You can post weird pet meme's all day on FB and Instagram.
2. You can call yourself mommy and daddy because you have "furbabies"
3. You have a constant companion
4. Without much effort, you get something that worships your existence. Perfect for the shut-ins with little to no social skills.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by LesserSeneca

Cons:
1. Not everybody likes your animal.
2. They stink...seriously your house stinks.
3. You need someone to "babysit" if you want to travel.
4. Pets are messy.
5. They can be expensive.


Pros:
1. You can post weird pet meme's all day on FB and Instagram.
2. You can call yourself mommy and daddy because you have "furbabies"
3. You have a constant companion
4. Without much effort, you get something that worships your existence. Perfect for the shut-ins with little to no social skills.

Doesn't sound as if you've ever had a cat.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Vision67

We've always had dogs. They provide great companionship and entertainment. They also motivate us to go for walks.

...
Dogs have a lifespan that is inversely proportional to their size, i.e. the small ones live longer:

... Here, we're stuck in our way too big house because it includes a fully fenced yard. It's great for the dogs but a pain to maintain.

I think I'm in the camp of no more dogs. The challenge will be getting my lovely wife to agree.

What are your thoughts and experiences?

You have a few yrs to work this out... I have always had great assistance and companionship from my 'farm dogs' and cats. All are fine (happier) outside, and no neighbors to bother. We have multiple living space, so our 'tenants / caregivers ' can provide 'pet sitting' ... but our last Choc Lab passed at age 17, just in time for our 1 yr RTW and subsequent yr with 38 US trips and 4 international trips (so far this yr).

I expect to get another lab when I am ready / need to stay home due to mobility. Farm dogs and pets can get by a LONG time with someone dropping in occasionally. They scold us when we are gone for over a week, but they get over it. I tend to enjoy being a farm based pet owner. In 50+ yrs my dogs have never had a fence or leash and NEVER have they pooped in my yard! They have a LOT of land to explore and go on their daily trek. They can come in the house during blizzards if they venture no further than their rug by the door. They are always anxious to get back outside and do some serious WORK / adventuring!

Originally Posted by charlygal

Don't let a dog ruin your life.

AND Preferably NOT ruin the lives of others....

1) Pet owners cannot hear their own pets barking. As a night shift worker for 30+ yrs I lost YRS of sleep over Barking neighbor dogs - I have sold properties due to barking dogs...(fortunately)

2) "emotional support companion pets" have got WAY out of hand. I have had to displace senior tenants of 10+ yrs because the new 'Entitlement' generation insisted on their 'Emotional Support' animals (Excluded from Pet policies and deposits). The last 'dear cat' tenant cost me over $10k in replacing drywall and woodwork.

3) If you must fly with your pet... charter your own plane!
We had 6 'lap dogs' on our flight Saturday night, it is really disruptive to the 184 passengers without 'companion pets'. Fortunately this time I did not get flea bites (happens a lot)

4) Incessant barking dogs in RV's gets really old when you come to a forest for quiet. (And to flee your barking neighbor dogs that are ruining your home life. )

5) Pet owners often go WAY overboard and seem to think everyone else thinks their pets are CUTE! . Sorry... give me a 'working dog' (that has manners...), not a 'show dog' (that has overabundance of selfish pride). Alot like kids...
https://www.city-data.com/forum/bould...og-owners.html

Good luck, think through this. If you want to travel... consider pet sitting gigs. We met a couple in Belgium who no longer have pets, but do extended trips all over the world every yr to 'pet-sit'. They have several 'long-term' gigs (both in duration of stay and in length of yrs doing), Free room and board, sometimes $$ too.

[ComeCloser]

Originally Posted by jrkliny

Bad idea! You will be stuck with the dog 24 hours a day and can only go where dogs are allowed. Most National Parks do not permit dogs except for the parking areas. They are not allowed on trails. Trying to leave a dog behind in the RV is a bad idea and some National Parks also prohibit that. There are plenty of other issues. You might find that your pet handles traveling well; however, many do not. Some rest areas have pet areas. Some do not. There are no pet areas at gas stations, restaurants, or if you decide to stop overnight at Walmart or similar.

Unless things have tightened up, we never found that to be a problem, maybe because we hit most National Parks in off-season. Crater Lake is a problem, so you are right for some of them. We stayed at a private campground (wasn't much more expensive but had facilities the state campground didn't have) the owner and his kids kept an eye out while we went to see the park.

Our shep has swam in Lake Jackson in Yellowstone, Goose Lake is CA, well he ran across it, lol. We didn't know it had not much in the way of depth. It looks very big on a map, but the dog ran several yards without water reaching above his belly. A parkie noticed him because suddenly a ton of ducks were flying, but she just laughed as we called him back, and asked us nicely to keep him on a leash. Again, it was off-season and us and the dog seemed to be the only people there. Countless rivers lakes and streams in state and federal parks. He was the type of dog that didn't care much what the season was, and if he saw an opportunity, there was no stopping him from getting wet, lol.

Ive never had any restaurant staff or gas station staff request I put the dog back in the car. I always walked him away from the store itself, and near a roadway if I could. Always picked up after him too. I can see not having the dog sleep or hang out outside in Walmarts parking lot. The people probably aren't spending much time outside either.

This was all years ago though, so things might be tighter now.

[otterhere]

I've considered a lower-maintenance pet for the future; something like a hamster. Of course you wouldn't have the close bond, satisfying companionship, or entertainment value of a higher order pet, but at least it would be a pet and a lot less work and trouble. Also, the lifespan is only about two years, so it's less of a commitment. In the event of your illness or death, it can be donated (with cage) to the local animal shelter and is sure to be adopted without great trauma to the pet.

[bobspez]

Just about a week ago we put down our chihuahua Remi. We got her 17 years ago on haloween and had to put her down 17 years to the day on haloween. We have her ashes in the living room wall unit in a little box with her name on it. When we brought the ashes home I really felt like she was back in the room with us.
Once our daughter got married and left home we had no one to watch Remi and wouldn't put her into a kennel, so we haven't had a vacation or overnight trip in about 15 years. I always thought we missed out on not travelling but when we lost our pet I realized it was worth it. Not sure if we will get another dog. My son said the dog could outlive one or both of us. But last night I was thinking that the daily joy of a pet is probably more than worth all of the reasons not to have one. They say you never know what you had until you lose it.