I just wondered how many have pets, not just service animals, but a devoted friend that loves you unconditionally.

My children have two cats home here, my daughter has three that are her children (she is BP). I have anxiety/panic disorder since childhood.

Recently my friend came for the Holiday with two poodles, How wonderful to have them curl up on my lap.
When I went to a recent conference on mental health two folks had service dogs. I asked if I could say hello and pet her dog. It was a shepherd mix. I aksed if he shook hands, she said she did not teach him that. I knelt down and said nice to met you Kool guy, put out my hand and he put his paw in it looking in my eyes....I would love to have that.. (gee, isn't that what a husband and kids are suppose to be here for, LOL) But, they don't get it like a pet does.

When it is time to wake up my cat climbs up by me, next to my face and paws at me to get me awake. I lost my really old lap cat last year. It was my mother in laws she had for years the cat was over 20. I missed him so bad,

I consider getting a dog for companionship, but worry about their care. The cats are not too bad, not sure I want to feed and vet another though.

But, I do love the love they give me. They know when I am sad...all of them curl up right next to me when I am sleeping instead of their spots.
Oh, well,
I just wondered if and how those deal with doggies, service dogs, or companion dogs...or stick with my cats for love?
Di

Dear DiMarie,

Pets are supposed to be good for us, even people without bp!

But for me the benefits would not out weigh the disadvantages. As soon as the pet disturbed my sleep once, I would be upset. That is just one example.
Plus I don't want to get close to beautiful creature and feel responsible for it. I have been too responsible my whole life and am taking a break from responsibility. (spent ALOT of money in therapy recently to come up with this)

I think I am an exeception on this board abotu pets.

Also, I have a new husband of 1 1/2 years but no kids. He takes care of himself, including cooking. I do laundry, but is is a clean guy. lol

Mari

Dear DiMarie.
I like your count down for the new year.
Are you making plans for 2007?
mari

Since my husband is allergic to fur bearing animals, we have pet tortoises. No they don't live in the water. For those who may remember me at BT I talked about them constantly. While they aren't exactly cuddly they do give love and understand.
While they couldn't exactly be considered service animals , they do make me happy.

The last time period that I did relatively well psychologically, I had a dog, even tho I lived in a very tiny apartment. She and I went for regular walks and she was a great aid to my meeting and socializing with people ...

I started a thread in the sub-forum for service animals under Pets that talks about Psychiatric Service Dogs AND Psychological Support Animals.

Service Dogs have to undergo long expensive periods of training and not all dogs make it successfully thru training. They are allowed to go virtually everywhere, including air planes and trains, restaurants, grocery stores and more. Federal laws support access for these animals.

A more recent covered category is Psychological Support Animals. These can even be cats and other animals. They need no special training, tho they must be inside animals unless outside under reasonable control by the owner. We are not talking about backyard outdoor pets. They can be your existing animal or they can be rescued animals. All that is necessary is that they make your life more comforting by their love and affection.

The laws of public access are not as generous for PSAs. It does not include restaurants, for instance. To gain any sort of access and to bypass "no pet" clauses for housing, they must be prescribed by your physician as being necessary for your emotional psychological health and functioning. Rental Housing, including HUD rent-subsidized housing, MUST allow you to have your prescribed dog or cat as long as the the apartment building is more than 4 units to a building in size. A duplex, I believe, is also not covered and it is up to the landlord. Otherwise, you cannot be denied.

I am working towards having a Psychological Support Animal again. It has been one of the worst parts of being disabled - that rent-subsidized housing allows you no roommates and no pets. It is very difficult living alone and I am socially phobic to quite an extent, and a dog would get me out of the apartment several times a day instead of once every couple of weeks.

Anyway, besides the kisses and wiggles and cuddles, I want someone to share my easy chair and share my bed. I would like a medium sized dog - not too big, but able to get on and off the bed by him/herself, to manage stairs easily, and manage a reasonable length walk.

I have spent a lot of time reading up on many purebred types for information on trainability, house-breaking and shedding. Of course, I will most likely get a cross-bred, but the predominant breed type can help me predict a lot of these things. I prefer an adult dog, for then you know the adult personality, energy level and what manners they have and what training they've had.

Teri

I have a dog Coco and a cat Bear. I've been wanting to post their pictures but I don't have a clue.

I don't know what I'd do without them. They're always there and Coco even wipes my tears away. And Bear thinks he's a dog. He follows me from room to room and waits for me at the door. Not your typical cat.

It's so right about unconditional love.

I am an animal lover. I have 2 dogs, one German Shepherd and one German Shepard/greyhound mix. I have 2 cockateils and now 1 rabbit, I just lost my other rabbit.

They are my life!!!!! I don't know what I would do without them. They love unconditionally. I give them lots of love too. They are a little over 2 yrs.

I volunteered for a rescue league here until my mom got ill. Back East I volunteered for the German Shepherd rescue league of New England. It was a wonderful experience and a great feeling when they got adopted to a loving family.

My other 2 German Shepherds lived until they were 12 1/2, it was heartbreaking to have to put them down, but I couldn't let them suffer, they died within 4 months of each other.

I should of been a Vet or something.

Hugs, Nikko

mari, I am not making plans, not looking forward for anything in particular, gee what ever the new year brings, it can't be as hard as the trials of this past year.
Sub-conciously maybe I am really counting down for 2006 to end LOL!
Di

Dear OneMoreTime,

Darn! By explaining that landlords can be required to allow you to keep a dog in your apartment if prescribed by your shrink, you have removed the hook upon which I intended to hang my paen to my dog, Norm.

He's no, "Lassie". If someone ran to him an exclaimed, "Norm! Timmie's in the well!", his only interest would be in whether or not Timmie had treats in his pocket when he went in.

But he relies on me absolutely to keep things right. I think that it is his confident snoozing that is his most appealing characteristic. Moreover, you know about bassets' eyes.

Oh I love it!!! A basset hound named Norm! It sounds perfect for him.
Unfortunately my tortoises are so low maintainance that I have to be told to feed them by my husband because I loose track of which day I feed them. You don't feed them everyday by the way.
I wish I could have a doggie! Sigh!