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My parents don't like pets
I'm 14 almost 15 and I love always wanted a pet. When I was 7 I wanted guinea pigs and my parents would not get me one. Thankfully, my aunt brought me two and they were great. My dad would help me change the cage sometimes, but my mom wouldn't even go near them. Eventually they died and now it's need years since I've had a pet and I want a dog. My parents really don't a dog. My dad, again, isn't super against they idea other than the cost, but my mom just hates animals. She says she's not scared of them but I don't know. If she's not scared, do you think there's a way I convince her? Also, do you think it's worth getting a dog if I'm this old, even though I have a 7 year old brother?
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Pets are a responsibly, sometimes a burden and always an expense. You are hopefully going to college in three to four years and you can't take your dog with you. Pets,if cared for properly, are like having a child. They need attention, EVERYDAY. And not just for thirty minutes when you feed them or let them out to poop. And then there's the poop. If you want to be around animals without having to own one. Find a local no kill pet shelter and volunteer. (Volunteering looks good on college applications) See if a veterinarian with let you help out at their office. Go to an assisted living (old people) community and put up posters for dog walking services. Find other ways to get your pet fix without stressing out the family.
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Pets are great! Probably the reason that your mom doesn't like them, is because of the responsibility. I'm sure you are responsible, but there is times when we all are just not. Some ways you can convince your mom is prove to her that you are dedicated to take care of a pet, and give her reasons why having a pet is a good thing, like they help reduce stress, also provides love, entertainment, helps train people to be responsible, also if you have trouble being compassionate they help with that. Not to mention it doesn't hurt that they can sense danger and possibly save lives! Am I right? But if your mom ends up saying no....well make sure you are 100% percent SURE about the pet you want to get.... and ask your dad. (worked for me, I have a parrot now, btw now my mom likes it more)Also try getting your dog from an animal shelter instead... save an animal's life that way and is less costly. ~Little Miss Sunshine
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I know this sucks, but don't get a dog. Your dad won't pay for it, your mom won't love it and you won't live at home for the rest of it's life. That's not the right situation for a dog.
Most dogs will live 12-16 years. In the next 12 to 16 years you will move out of your parents home and probably move at least once more than that if not several times more. It's pretty likely you'll end up living with other people, either roommates or a partner. You'll probably have to rent at some point. You might end up pursuing education or career that will take you to a place where a dog can't follow, or that makes it impossible for you to properly care for a dog.
This isn't the right time in your life to get a dog. You can't give that dog the kind of promises it deserves. You can't make that life-long commitment right now.
Unless the dog is your parent's dog, and stays with them when you move out and move on (like you should at some point in the next decade) then it's not wise to get a dog. It's not fair to the dog, and it may end up being unfair to you too.
I get that this sucks. I was nearly 30 before I had a stable enough life that I could get a pet of my own, but that's part of being a responsible pet owner: Making sure you are able to provide for that pet, for their whole life, no matter what.
At 15 years old, without your parent's complete support, you can't know if you are able to care for a dog 100%, for the rest of their life. There are too many unknowns and limitations in your young teenage future. If you really want a pet, get another small mammal, like the guinea pigs, that have shorter lives, live in cages, less expense and won't make moving or renting so difficult. Right now, those sorts of pets are almost certainly the better fit for your life.
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I truly feel badly for kids who want pets but the parents won't get one. My parents were against having pets too until one day their best friends little dog had a litter and the woman begged my parents to take one of the dogs. So my suggestion is to have another adult relative rooting for you and ask your parents. If they still say no, pets depending on size and type, can be a big expense in up keep and if ill the cost of vets isn't cheap either. Plus, pets need attention so if one family member is the only one giving it and gets too busy at times with work or school, then that pet goes without love and attention and it isn't fair to an animal to be neglected even in that way.
Getting an animal at any age is fine, theres no such thing as being too old for a pet. There are college kids who get pets of their own once they have their own place.
I don't know how your Mom was raised but I do know of a few people who were raised in totally different circumstances regarding animals in the house. In one, the girlfriends mom would invite me to dinner but after the first time, I refused because their cats were allowed up on kitchen counters, walking around during food prep and I got lots of cat hair in my food. I know another person who was raised in a home where it was taught that having an animal in ones house was uncleanly and so dogs and cats should stay outdoors. As an adult, this man I worked with would gag at the stories the ladies told about our pets and was stunned that we had large dogs in the house. Perhaps Mom was raised that way and instead of having her own reasons for not wanting a pet, is going with what she was taught without questioning why she has the same stance. So again, it may help to have auntie or someone else really talk and discover why she is so against having animals. If that doesnt work, then all you can do is visit relatives often who do have pets and enjoy theirs, or friends pets. I know its not the same but until you become an adult and can then care for one on your own when you have a job and money for it, theres nothing else you can do.
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