The Westminster Kennel Club show in New York this year ended with the beagle winning Best in Show. This Grandma is not a dog lover but finds the show very interesting. Also, after the show, we learn so much more about dogs and our nation’s love of them. Articles about dogs and cats as pets proliferate after the Dog Show. The New York Times, February 6, 2015, Backstory, had so much information:
“When it comes to dogs, Americans are pretty loyal. For the 24th year running, the Labrador retriever proved to be the most popular breed in the U.S., the American Kennel Club says today in its report for 2014.”
Labs are great with children, even though they are great in size. Big dogs are in in the U.S. “Two other big dogs – the German shepherd and the golden retriever – placed second and third. But then there’s a bit of a cat fight: The bulldog just supplanted the beagle for No. 4. And keep an eye on the whole bulldog family. The French bulldog crept into the Top 10, displacing the dachshund at No. 9.”
Let’s see if winning Best in Show makes the beagle a more popular breed next year in the U.S.
Although bulldogs are not much to look at, everyone seems to think they are lovable. Now, here are regional choices too in the 2014 report. Bulldogs are said to “own New York City, where the classic bulldog and its French cousin are the two most popular. Other unexpected canine tastes are in Miami, where the Rottweiler is No. 4; Dallas, with the Cavalier King Charles spaniel at No. 5; and San Francisco, which likes the Pembroke Welsh corgi (4) and the poodle (5).”
When this Grandma was growing up, we had a dog for five days. When our father had to get up at five a.m. in the winter to walk it when my brother and I slept through the whines, the dog was gone. Our older grandchildren clamor for a dog. The parents of the grandchildren are realistic and know the burden will lie on the parents and have come up with a creative solution. They “babysit” their friends’ dogs when the friends go on vacation, so the grandchildren have snippets of having a dog without the long term obligation of a dog. A long friend of the family “fosters’ dogs from the local shelter, until a permanent home can be found. In either scenario, the children are exposed to a pet, without the long term commitment to a pet. Very clever. And it helps teach learning to share too.
This Grandma’s favorite article about whether to bring a pet into the household, “Can Fido and Whiskers Enrich Children’s Lives?,” by Dr. Perri Klass, in the New York Times, April 9, 2012, ends with the following wise advice:
“Pets affect so many children in so many ways – immune systems, developing social skills, exercise patterns, family circumstances. The effects may be positive, but it’s also true that families who choose to add a pet to the mix may be those who feel at least a small margin of comfort in income, living space and -perhaps above all, as I look at my own deficits – family organization and infrastructure.”
“The strongest evidence of the importance of pets, Dr. Melson said, comes from children themselves, who often cite pets as sources of emotional support. The animal is available when you come home from school,” she continued. “Some species will give you at least the illusion of unconditional acceptance – at least, if you have a treat in your hand.”
“At the same time, researchers invoke a range of less quantifiable but clearly important effects. Growing up with a pet “gives children a much more inclusive sense of self,” Dr. Serpell said. “I think it has implications for the relationship of people to the other beings on the planet.”
The complete article can be found at NY Times.
We had cats at our two parenting working household when our children were growing up. We loved that the cats did not have to be walked, loved that they cleaned themselves, loved that they fed themselves. We were lucky. Our cats were more like dogs, or maybe we were just more affectionate with them and included them in our daily lives.
It seems that many internet articles suggest cats as a pet for young children. Being careful about litter box germs is a major area of concern with small children. Now, the issue of exposing children to germs is one to increase their immunity by some exposure. Litter box germs still do not fall into the category of exposure being any good.
In 2015, allergies to pets are a concern. There is no hypoallergenic dog. However, some breeds are thought to be better, but not proven to be better for people with allergies. Labradoodles, a cross between two favored U.S. pets, a poodle and Labrador retriever, are a breed mentioned. Cats are less of a time commitment and it seems there are actually ten breeds of cats that are hypoallergenic: Ballinese (produce much less of the Fel D1 protein that causes allergies in the first place, so their fur carries less of the allergen around), Bengals (the cutest, whose fine coats require less care by the animal), Cornish Rex and Devon Rex (if you can stand their weird look), Javanese, LaPerm (yes, they have a curly coat that sheds less), Oriental Shorthair (shed infrequently), Russian Blue, Siberian, and Sphynx (if you can deal with a hairless cat).
Then there is the article on Health.com that says;
“Studies suggest hypoallergenic cats and dogs can cause just as many symptoms as the regular kind, says James Seltzer, MD, a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. That’s because skin and saliva proteins, not just hair, trigger allergy symptoms.”
But, as much as allergy concerns, in our fast paced world with two working parents the norm, a pet is an extra “child” to care for, when just caring for the children in the household is already difficult. This Grandma likes the “exposure” to someone else’s pet without the commitment. Children are commitment enough. Or, just use adult allergies as an excuse with the children that a pet should not be a permanent fixture. Sneeze a lot around a ‘visiting” pet. I know parents who have used that method. It works too.
A pet is one gift this Grandma just knows is not a gift to give grandchildren without the absolute agreement and commitment of the parents of the grandchildren. Remember that when the grandchildren see the cutest Easter bunnies for sale and say it is not a dog or a cat that requires great care!
Joy,
Mema
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