what are you getting the dog for? is it to alleviate loneliness? if so, that's a shitty reason to get a dog.
i agree with your description of what it means to be a good pet owner.
i'm well aware of the concept of companion animals and i think the idea of NEEDing a dog strickly on the grounds of your own social shortcomings is a shitty reason to get an animal.
it's just my personal opinion.
I think 1544c may be talking about people who use pets as an alternative to socialization because of personal psychological hangups, therefor compounding the problem rather than treating it at it's cause.
Personally I've witnessed scenarios where I wished certain animals had been euthanized rather than being adopted by their abusive caregivers; some people are seriously disturbed and cannot be trusted around animals, leaving the animals irreversibly damaged. You only have to watch animal cops (on animal planet) for five minutes to get what I'm talking about.
So, point is: If you are prepared, responsible, and mature enough to really give an animal companion what it needs, then go for it! If you have doubts, then just wait.
Don't get an animal because you think it will make you "fit in", or because you've got some romanticized delusion of adventure, because your just going to make the poor creature suffer.
people who use pets as an alternative to socialization because of personal psychological hangups, therefor compounding the problem rather than treating it at it's cause.
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