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Convincing my dad to get a puppy
I am 14 and I have 3 siblings all older. I really want a puppy. My mom is all for it but my dad makes up a million excuses for me not to get one. He says that money is a problem but I found cheap insurance and I am paying for the puppy and everything that it needs (bed, food, ect.) Then my dad says that it will scratch the furniture, but I know that if I train it correctly it will not. Also he thinks that he is the only one that will take care of it. Because when I was an infant and all my siblings were 7 and under he complains that he had to take care of it. I was an infant how was I supposed to take care of it. I have tried everything trying to convince him and every time I bring it up he just gets all frustrated and walks away. It is extremely frustrating how he refuses to listen to me. So if anyone has any ideas or knowledge about dogs and is willing to give me advice it would be much appreciated. EVERYTHING HELPS!
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I don't think you can really convince him to let you get a puppy. He just simply might not want a dog and just wants to come with excuses because he doesn't want to straight up tell you that he's not comfortable with getting a dog.
Dogs live for quite awhile. So if you're willing to take care of this dog completely without any help, then you might want to realize that it will cost a lot of money each month. I mean it'll probably end up $700-$3000 a year. I don't know where you get your money at 14.
So I mean first it's buying the dog. I don't know how much you're willing to spend to buy the puppy. The price is different every where you look.
Then of course there are the vaccines the puppy needs. So that can be anywhere from $50-$300. Vet bills will cost about $100 to $300 each visit.
Then obviously the dog supplies. Dog food, leashes, collars, beds, toys, ect.
Then to get it spayed or neutered probably costs $150 to $700.
Pretty much, the first year of having the dog will be more expensive than normally.
All dogs need medication to prevent fleas, ticks, heartworms and other parasites.
You'll also need to make sure you have enough money for emergencies because who knows what could happen.
So if you really have the money to do this, and you can budget it wisely, then let him know.
But not only that, you will be growing up. You wouldn't be able to live in dorms in college, and having a pet in an apartment can sometimes be difficult. So if you want to leave to go to college somewhere, the responsibility will fall back on your parents.
So make sure you take all of this into consideration. Because if he really doesn't want to take care of the dog at all and you're willing to take all the responsibility then let him know and show him what you're willing to do.
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Here's the tough thing you might need to face. Sometimes, someone can't be convinced. It's possible that your dad, just doesn't want a dog in his house. If that his opinion, nothing you say or do is going to have much of an impact.
I know how frustrating it is when your parents aren't listening to you, but it might be time for you to listen to him. Ask him if ever wants a dog. If he likes dogs or what kinds of dogs he likes. If wants any sort of pet in his house, ever.
It's his house, and it's his money. I have to be honest, when you say, at 14 years old that you are prepared to pay for insurance and food, I'm pretty skeptical. My dog costs me around $200 a month, if you average out his food, toys and vet care. That's a lot of money for a 14 year old to commit to bringing in, every month, for the next 10-15 years of a dogs life.
And that is the other big issue: You are 14. It's not that you are too young for a dog, it's just that your life is going to change so much during that dogs life! You are (probably, hopefully) going to move out of your parent's home before the dog's life span is up. What happens to the dog then? Are you prepared to organize your life in such a way that you can continue to care for a dog? (That means never living in a dorm, and coming home or waking up early to care for the dog while you are a young adult. It will often mean paying more in rent for a dog friendly place to live...)
I get it must be frustrating for you to feel like your dad isn't listening to you, and I think everyone should have a dog, because dogs are wonderful creatures that make our lives better! But that doesn't mean that everyone is capable or wants to care for a dog for it's whole life. At fourteen, it's just not sensible to assume that your life is going to be stable enough to care for a dog for the next 10-15 years. It's just not a commitment you are ready to make in your life. I mean really, a dog lives longer than most marriages last these days! There are just too many changes on the horizon for you. Your dad is the adult, and if you can't care for the dog, it will fall to him and your mom by default. If they (or one of them) just aren't comfortable with that, then that is something you need to respect. No amount of convincing will necessarily change someone's mind when it comes to this.
I always wanted a dog. It took me till I was 27 to have a life where I could commit to be the great dog owner I wanted to be. And yes, I'm sure I would have loved the dog just as much if I got it at 18 or 20, but I definitely wouldn't have cared for it as well, and would have missed out on other opportunities because of my responsibility to the dog.
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