Pets
How could they refuse?
It’s almost impossible to resist a precious little puppy. But admiring one online or at a pet store is one thing; welcoming it into your home (and having to walk it) is quite another. Thing is, it might be an exercise in futility to resist welcoming a cute canine companion into your lives, because kids can be pretty persistent. So we asked some parents, and here’s what they said were the ways to convince your parents to get a dog.
Now, picking out a pooch is probably the easiest part. Your family might scroll through social media looking to find the best and more reputable breeder for that English Bulldog your child so desperately wants. Or your fam might be of the “adopt, don’t shop” way of thinking, and insist on visiting a local shelter to make a mutt very happy. Still yet, your neighbor’s dog might have just had her litter, and you can’t resist cuddling those sweet Samoyed puppies.
But how will your child get their wish for a puppy? These families shared their stories of how cuddly canines became furry four-legged members of their families — and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
1
Show Some Knowledge
“Our son, Ethan, wanted a beagle more than anything in the world. He eventually won us over with all the fun facts he knew about beagles, like how they were first bred in Great Britain, and were used as hunting dogs. He also knew that despite being family dogs, they require a lot of walks, and he volunteered to pitch in and help walk the dog, something that he has stuck to. And really, we love Ellie, our regal beagle, as we call her, more than anything in the world.” — Janice, Toledo, OH
2
Offer To Help
“After the loss of our dog, Toby, we were hesitant to welcome a new dog into our family. But we felt that it wasn’t fair to the kids, since Toby was technically my and my husband’s dog before the kids came along, so all they really remembered was an old Golden Lab. It was only after our kids insisted that they would help out with the dog, and helped us to see the dog as a family pet, that we caved. Our new chocolate lab, Hershey, blends right in with the family… and they have stuck to their word and walk her frequently.” — Amanda, Akron, OH
3
Formulate A Plan
“Because I have an autoimmune disease, I never know if I’ll wake up and be able to walk well that day or not. That’s what has kept us from getting a dog, although we have two cats we love. But our daughter had wanted a dog for the longest time. She even put up posters in her room. After explaining what has prevented us from having a dog as a pet, Kaia came up with a schedule (and a contingency plan!) for how to handle the walks on days when I can barely stand. It was so well thought out, and she even recruited some of her friends to pitch in with our pooch when I was having a bad day. Fast forward four years later, and I can’t imagine life without Lucy, our big beautiful Boxer.” — Linda, New York City, NY
4
Talk Up The Positives
“I never had seen a 7 year-old salesman until our son decided that he wanted a dog. Every day, he would mention all of the ways in which having a dog would improve our lives. Of course, he mentioned all the cuddles we’d get from our new dog, but he pointed out other factors, like the fact that we would be taking more walks together as a family (yay for bonding time!), or that we would improve our heart health and get into better shape as a family. It got to the point that we just couldn’t come up with reasons to say no anymore.” —Mikayla, Chappaqua, NY
5
Promise Good Grades
“Our kids are, for the most part, good students. But when they got together and asked for a new puppy for Christmas, we wanted to know how they planned to pitch in with our soon-to-be new pup. They all promised to improve their grades, and our youngest son, who struggles in math, brought home a very hard-earned B on his math test. So on Christmas morning, after they opened their presents, my partner brought in Claude, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It was one of the best Christmases we’ve spent as a family.” — Anna, San Diego, CA
6
Make A Chore List
“It can be a big chore to have a new dog in your home. That’s why I asked my kids to come up with chores that they could do that would take some pressure off my plate and allow me to help train the puppy, since I knew that neither of them was going to do it. They ran for the art supplies, and made a big chore chart on paper of the things that they were willing to be responsible for, like doing dishes, taking out the garbage — they even put down “no fighting times” on the chart, which made me laugh! We didn’t get the dog until a few months later, since I wanted to adopt a senior dog, and our Saint Bernard Tommy has been such a blessing in our lives.” — Tania, Hartford, CT
7
Help Pay For Your New Pooch
“We knew that we were going to have extra expenses if we got a dog for our kids. One night, they overhead my wife and I talking about it, and I think they started strategizing. Sure enough, the next day, our 4 year-old came downstairs with her piggy bank and was looking to crack it wide open! Her older brother volunteered to take on a paperboy delivery job on the weekends. Their earnest desire to have a dog won my wife and I over, and that’s when we took a trip to our local shelter ‘just to look.’ Well, it’s impossible to leave a shelter without a dog, and once we laid eyes on our Sofie, it was all over.” Britt, Trenton, NJ
Convincing your parents to get a dog isn’t always easy. But with some ingenuity (and earnest effort), you just might be welcoming a new fur baby that you won’t be able to imagine life without them.
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