My wife and I are empty-nesters in our fifties, and have recently taken early retirement. We both absolutely love dogs, and after quite a lot of research we're going to be visiting a breeder to view a puppy this week. We haven't yet made a firm commitment.
However, we're also keen travellers who finally have the means and time to travel. As the reality of potential puppy ownership grows closer, we're starting to consider whether we may be making a mistake in terms of the impact that dog ownership would have on our ability to live the kind of life that we want right now.
We're very conscious of both the long-term commitment and responsibility that comes with owning a dog, and the amount of time and effort that's required from us, especially in the first ~18 months. We're under no illusions that it would sharply curtail our ability to travel overseas, especially during the puppy/adolescent phase, but also over the next 13+ years.
As I see it, the choice is not between getting a dog or never getting a dog; it's about whether now is the right time to get one. Obviously when it comes to the crunch we're absolutely not going to commit to getting a puppy unless we're absolutely certain that it's what we want right now – so realistically I think I already know where we're going to land with this for now.
I'm not exactly looking for advice, as it's a decision that only we can make, but I'd be really interested to hear from others who've wrestled with this dilemma and how you figured out what was the right thing for you.
submitted by /u/Top_Patience_741
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