I understand the motivation, and the rationale, for getting a pet. There are times when I have thought about it. In fact, I have given it considerable thought, at various times, and generally come to the same conclusion: that it would be unfair to the dog for me to get one.
The girls asked if I was going to get one shortly after Gloria died. I figured that it would be unfair to get a dog, since I could neglect a garden for several days without too much untoward damage, but not a pet or an animal. I understand the comfort that an animal can provide, but I doubt that it's the type of comfort and consolation that I need. I need to talk to someone. That's what I lost when I lost Gloria. Talking to an animal probably wouldn't cut it.
There's also the issue of walking the animal. Yes, I do a lot of walking. At various times it has been suggested that I walk other people's dogs, given that I walk so much. However, none of these suggestions has proven to be viable so far. I'm walking probably an awful lot more than most small dogs could handle. A larger dog might be able to keep up with me, but there's the matter of having to keep an animal on a leash. I'm not sure that that would be fair to the animal, and I'm also not looking forward to having to pick up their excrement and carry it with me for long distances between the availability of garbage cans in Port Alberni. Given that Port Alberni is in bear country, garbage cans tend to be clustered: you will find an awful lot of them in one place, and then it will be miles before you find another.
I probably shouldn't get a puppy. For one thing, there is the aforementioned fact that I probably walk too much for a puppy. There is also the fact that I walk too much to leave a puppy unattended in my house. I would not look forward to doing the house breaking for a puppy. Yes, we had lots of dogs when I was a kid. I didn't have primary responsibility for house breaking them, and most of them were, by and large, outside dogs in any case.
If I were to get a dog, I would probably go to a shelter and get a more mature, and house broken, dog that had been abandoned. However, dogs that have been abandoned may have been abused, and probably have not been properly trained. There are a number of object lessons around Port Alberni of the unsuitability of certain pet owners. While there are lots of people around Port Alberni who do have well behaved, and well-trained, dogs, there are also many yards containing pets owned by people who should never own pets. I pass multiple such yards every day on my walks.
No, overall, I think I'll stick with the Roomba.
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