Big dogs. Or at least medium or better.

But both my daughters are severely allergic to dogs and cats.

So I want an "outside" dog. You know, a dog that actually lives in a dog house.

I've been told that it's cruel.

Dogs have fur. I had outside dogs when I was a kid. Cars killed them, not the cold.

But I'll never convince my family that it's OK.

So anyway, we've been considering our options for a long time, and my 12 year old wanted a Hamster.

These rodents only live 3 years anyways, so heartache is inevitable, but we've had it only 5 days and it got "wet tail".

This is basically deadly diarrhea.

And so I get the call from Petco today because Bumbles didn't bounce back.

My question:

Assuming my daughter wants another rodent du jour, do we keep the same name or come up with something different?

She would take a dog in a heart beat.

But either the dog or my two girls would have to live outside, so you can see my dilemma.

Airedale

Australian Terrier

Bichon Frise

Bouvier des Flandres

Cairn Terrier

Chihuahua

Chinese Crested

Giant Schnauzer

Irish Water Spaniel

Italian Greyhound

Maltese

Miniature Schnauzer

Norfolk Terrier

Norwich Terrier

Poodle (all types)

Portuguese Water Dog

Puli

Schnauzer

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier

Tibetan Terrier

Welsh Terrier

Xoloitzcuintli

Yorkshire Terrier

Are the allergies that severe that you don't have an option for the "hypoallergenic dogs" (sort of a misnomer, but that's what they call them)?

Here are two lists that turned up in a search, I've heard some of the breed names mentioned before in the reduced allergies context, but I can't say how accurate the lists are overall. That would be a question for a vet and an MD allergy specialist I guess.

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/top-dog-breeds-for-people-with-allergies/page1.aspx 

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/allergy.htm 

Drafter beat me to it while I was typing...

Animals are animals and people are people. One of these days I will have a dog again but it will probably spend much of its time outside because I don't like to clean up the fur, buy new furniture, clothes, and shoes that have been destroyed.

We had a Cocker Spanial at one time and she was ALWAYS so excited to see people that she peed herself each and every time. We had to get rid of her because we got tired of cleaning the carpet every other day.....(no, we didn't throw her in the trash.....)

You mileage may differ. Maybe if the kids have severe allergies, a hypoallergenic dog might move them to the "mildly allergic" category then they gain immunity (shrug). Just thinking (typing) out loud.

cia pets are great!

your welcome .......:-"

c3s

You might try stating with a puppy of one of the hypo-allergenic breeds listed above......

There is also an anti-dander substance you can groom the pet with once a week or so that helps a great deal.

True - if you get tired of it, just throw it on the bbq!!!

Hamsters on the Half Shell !!

Mmmmmm

Well then, she might get desensitized 12x faster and be over 12x as much.

Disposable pets... Grandma thought that fish and hermit crabs would be neat for the kids so she bought them. After the novelty wore off, the kids got bored and I'm left to care for them and clean tanks and s h i t. This past year we lost 4 hermit crabs (alligator tears are streaming down my cheeks right now). I just flushed a dead black molly (fish). Only a few beta's and tetra's to go. Don't get me wrong, I'm not killing them off. I'll let nature do that for me. They are fed and the tank is maintained but they just won't die off fast enough.

(anyone have a pool party coming up? 😰 )

Our dog is a member of the family. Hermit crabs and fish, not so much.