Hey all,
I am trying to convince my parents to get me a dog. What do you think I should say to them? I am considering writing a letter, so that they have my request in writing and will see it lying around for a while and think about it more. What do you think? Any suggestions for me?

If my parents ever saw a letter from me asking for something they'd ignore it. If I'm not grown up enough to ask for one face to face then I'm not grown up enough to have one. I think I'd be the same with my kids and I'm pretty sure every adult I know with kids thinks the same way. *shrugs*

Personally I'd just ask them. State why you want a dog and state everyhting a dog needs and how you're prepared to meet those needs AND look into what breeds spawn which temperments so you can tell your parents what breed would be best suited for your lifestyle. I know I'd be more inclined to let someone have something if they put that much thought and effort into it and were prepared to withstand my glowering and tell me face to face. *nod nod*

Get good grades.
Parents are suckers for good grades.
Ask for a dog in exchange for a perfect record. C:

Somehow I doubt it will make a difference what kind of grades you get or if you make yourself more "grown up" by asking (which by the way, is not true for all parents.) Your best bet is to just ask. If you're parents are willing to let you get a pet, it's probably for reasons that have very little to do with you, or at the very least things you can control. The biggest factor in this is if they are willing to have a pet themselves. My mother loved cats and dogs and so it was easy growing up to talk her into pets. My stepmother on the other hand, wouldn't let my Dad bring any pet into the house that wasn't contained to an aquarium or cage (and even that was limited by no rodents and nothing bigger than a gecko) and so nothing that I could have done or said to my father would have got me a pet at his home. Factors like this are far more likely to decide whether or not you will be getting a dog than how you ask or what you do to prove your worth.
Keep in mind though, if you do get a pet and then give them a hard time about taking care of it (like giving it a bath or cleaning up when it "messes" all over the house) you're probably not just making their lives harder but yours as well. Sure, dogs can be fun and make good pets for some people, but you're likely going to have to deal with at least a month where the thing will piss and shit on the floor (which is awful for the carpet if you have it) and probably a week at least of whining at night. Depending on the breed and how it's fed, bathing might also include having to deal with a messy butt as well, not to mention fleas that are an inevitable problem if the dog spends practically any time outdoors. Make sure you prepare yourself for all the downsides of having a pet before you agree to care for one because I know I didn't and my mother still has the dog I got as a teen and still has to deal with all the problems. Also, if you're looking to get some kind of pure bred or costly dog, find out how much this will cost, as well as veterinary costs (shots, etc...) for any dog and be willing to pay for these. It might also help if you're willing and able to pay for the dog's food and other expenses.

My sister got a dog because she was lonely when my brother and I went off to college. Do you have any siblings that left home recently? It'll give you a really good argument for getting a companion animal. :3

Otherwise, you need to prove that you're responsible. Go find all of the information first. Don't just ask for a dog because it sounds a bit impulsive and probably won't go too well with your parents. If you research different dog breeds (which ones shed, which ones are aggressive, etc.), you should be able to pick out several that would work well in your family.

Next, I would look around and find places where to acquire dogs. I would highly recommend getting your dog from a reputable breeder, or preferably, an animal shelter or humane society. Look up puppy mills and explain to your parents why you wouldn't want to get a dog from a pet store. This will show your parents that you're really interested and responsible enough to do some work, even before you ask for the dog.

Good luck!

If I think of something else that might help, I'll post again. :3

(I'm currently studying pre-veterinary medicine so I might be able to help you out a bit, but choosing a dog and convincing your parents to get one is something that needs to be done yourself, unfortunately).

mmm i think you shouls ask them to sit at the table with you and seriously ask them and show yourself responsible and promise to take care of it, to wash it, to feed it, to take it to the doctor's, parents like hearing you will be responsible and that they wont have to be around the dog all day.
Promise you will take it out for a walk daily (and also think of all this things as a forever responsability, because a pet its like a kid of your own you cant stop feeding or forget its needs just cause you are tired or want to go out to a camp for a month...see?) so think about all this even make a list of things you promise to do also mention you wont stop paying attention to school because of it and write down some good reasons why you WANT the dog so badly.
eg: you feel lonely
you want to know what it is to take care of someone
say you heard a pet is good for a kids development xD (jk)
ok so good luck! n_n
Over all the above try them to understand this is not one day caprice ok?

If your parents are willing to get a pet, all you need to do is ask and they will get one. If they don't want a pet, ask away but, you won't get a dog. My kids want a dog or cat, I wouldn't mind but, my husband absolutely refuses to get a pet. He doesn't like the hair so, we don't have a pet and no matter how much they ask, it isn't going to happen. So, just ask and see what they say.

i think maybe if you show maturity and take good care of everything they might let you. Showing responsibility was always the best way in my house to get anything. I hope that helps.

determination. that convinced my parents to get me a dog when I was 11.. :3
I would go to library and lend books about getting a puppy, how to take care of a dog and so on.. I took care of my neighbours dog too :3

Just accept the fact that it could take years before they finally trust you with a dog (if they even like dogs!).

Would you recommend getting a part-time job at an animal shelter? Also, my dad says that I can get a dog if he never comes into the house, but that seems unreasonable, since there are no heated structures in my back yard, and winters here can get pretty cold.
Also, I'm thinking of getting a Yellow Labrador. They seem mild tempered and friendly, but they are big. In a few years, I will be going to college, and I doubt I can bring a big dog. With that in mind, should I try for a smaller dog?

Originally Posted by Petrakan

Would you recommend getting a part-time job at an animal shelter? Also, my dad says that I can get a dog if he never comes into the house, but that seems unreasonable, since there are no heated structures in my back yard, and winters here can get pretty cold.
Also, I'm thinking of getting a Yellow Labrador. They seem mild tempered and friendly, but they are big. In a few years, I will be going to college, and I doubt I can bring a big dog. With that in mind, should I try for a smaller dog?

..ask your dad if you could make a heated room for the dog in the backyard? and I think it would be a good idea to get a job like that, even for just the experience :3

also, are you sure you could bring _any_ dog to where you're going?

I have no idea which college I am going to. Do they allow dogs at your college?

Originally Posted by Petrakan

Would you recommend getting a part-time job at an animal shelter? Also, my dad says that I can get a dog if he never comes into the house, but that seems unreasonable, since there are no heated structures in my back yard, and winters here can get pretty cold.
Also, I'm thinking of getting a Yellow Labrador. They seem mild tempered and friendly, but they are big. In a few years, I will be going to college, and I doubt I can bring a big dog. With that in mind, should I try for a smaller dog?

If you can find one hiring, I'd definitely recommend getting a job at an animal shelter. It will give you a better idea of everything involved in keeping pets.
As to keeping a dog outside all the time, unless you're getting a big dog and have a very big yard. Bigger dogs can do fine outdoors but you should only have one if you can provide it with a lot of room to run. Keep in mind you'll also have to give it a regular flea preventative treatment and because it will be living in your yard, you may have to start treating the yard itself for fleas.
However, if you're going away to college in a couple years, it's very unlikely you'll be living in a place with enough room for a big dog and as smaller dogs don't do well outdoors full time, you probably won't be able to take the dog with you. This is a big reason not to get one, because you'll end up having to leave it with your parents or find it a new home. I don't expect either of these are desirable outcomes.

It's worth finding out their opinions on pets. I know that when I was younger I wanted a dog, but we could never get one because our landlord didn't allow pets. When you leave, they're going to be the ones taking care of the dog, even if you are responsible now. If you're leaving soon, it may be good to just fore go the family pet for now. Dogs can be expensive to take care of anyway. >_<

Something else that occurred to me, if you do end up working at a shelter maybe you could adopt an older dog, instead of going and buying a new puppy. That way, not only would you be helping out a dog that would likely get euthanaized anyways, but you'd only be committing a few years to the pet as opposed to many year to a puppy.

Wow! I never thought of adopting an older dog. That is a great idea. I will be sad that I will only know him for a short while, but I will definitely look into that. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Petrakan

Wow! I never thought of adopting an older dog. That is a great idea. I will be sad that I will only know him for a short while, but I will definitely look into that. Thanks!

I'm glad you'll consider it. So many people just want puppies that most older dogs (even just a couple of years) that end up in shelters never get adopted. I mean, I understand why someone would want new, be able to teach it and train it themselves and not have to worry about any previous bad habits but still, especially in your situation, an older dog might be just right for you.