Pets - Good for your wellbeing?
 

Chez Jods we have a dog, two cats and two fish.

All get fed and watered, one gets walked.

Wouldn't choose to be without any of them (In fact, if and when we move to a bigger property I am looking to get a 6' x 4' x 2' tropical fish tank.)

Here's the question:

My Dad lives on his own in Macclesfield.

I was just wondering if I could get my Dad a pet to keep him company when he isn't visiting us. It would need to be something low maintainance as he regularly spends a week or so away from home visiting us.

Is there such a thing as a Robot Dog that is Internet enabled (wireless)

If not - there should be :luxhello: we could talk to him through it when he's at home and it won't need to go walkies.

Definitely wouldn't be without any of our 3 -two cats, one hound :thumb:

I find stroking 'my' cat when she's lay on me, to be so relaxing, especially when she's purring so hard I can feel it through my ribcage :cool:

If your old fella friendly with his neighbours I'm sure he could get volunteers to feed a cat should he get one :wonder:


Where in Macc does he live?

Off the Buxton Road - Do you live in Macc? He's a bit of a Legend with a lot of people up there. (and down here!) He's Known as Big Toe :)

Dogs (and cats to a lesser extent) are supposed to reduce your chance of heart attack as the act of petting them reduces the stress hormone.

You can get robot dogs (Aibo from Sony) but they are obscenely expensive and don't have the same placating effect.

http://www.granneman.com/images/SonyAiboERS110.jpg

vs

http://www.cockerspaniel-info.org.uk...s/gold_pup.jpg


Steve

As much as I love our remaining cat, we won't be replacing him when he goes. He's been an indoor cat since birth, and the hassle of arranging family to care for him during our holidays and stuff has worn thin over 10 years. Also, he's very talkative, and that's got annoying, along with his constant demands for affection. We still love him and will care for him well until he goes, and the upset that will cause us will be tremendous, adding to our resolve not to go down that same route.

When I see people playing with their dogs in parks I have considered the happiness that brings, but then I see the same people huddled in a soaking wet coat, freezing on a dark street corner with a carrier bag over one hand and the dog shaking out last nights dinner, and the idea dissipates quickly :D

Dont go buying surprise pets for other people, particularly old folk. Talk it through first. Then you could get him something he could bring with him when he visits you.

OMG its snowing but....
 

The flakes are huge, I mean 2 to 3 inches across, it's almost impossible to see more than ten yards............

:lol1: That'll be me then :)

We live off Beech Lane, behind the King's School.

I have an Aibo, wireless...... and internet enabled, I can 'log on' at anytime to see what he's up to etc. from anywhere in the world. I also have an 7 month old GSD who wants to destroy Aibo and bury the remains in the garden.

Thats where my kids go !

I like the idea of the Aibo but its one of those things I would only buy after buying everything else and run out of ideas.

I think that a pet is an excellent influence. We would not want to be without our big old cat, he is a great character and has a relaxing effect on us both.

We have an elderly friend (92) who lives by himself. He is quite happy to do that and since he was given a budgie he is obviously much happier with life and he too would not want to be without it.

Les

Dogs are great for your health as they motivate you to take exercise every day and help you relax but they do need a lot of time to give them a happy life

Ahh - The "Posh" part of Macc - Nice :)

Good point - I walk our Boxer twice a day and don't think anything of Rain,Snow,Wind etc.....

He gets his walks,I get my exercise and I don't think anything of it.

Would I do it if he wasn't with us,nope!

Spoil him rotten and he's cuddled up to me on the sofa as I type (the wife's in bed!) and would be lost without him :)

I wish I wasn't ellergic to pet furs as I'd love to have another dog. The exercise would do me no harm "clean the mind" etc., but since about 16/17 I've just developed a horrible ellergic reaction anytime I come into contact with cats/dogs even my old guinea pig. :freak3:

Can't really take Crumble & Jingles out as they're hamsters and I can;t even hold them http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ilies/lol1.gif

Thats really bad luck. Is there any way around that.

Les

Not unless you can get some anti-allergy stuff which stops the runny nose, itchy eyes and skin and sneezing.:(

It's worse when the scent or fur is rubbed on something like a sofa and I then sit on it :eek: Thats awful and I have to bathe straight away or itch myself raw :lol1:

Good excuse not to visit my mum as she has a Jack Russell :D

Squeaky (our Cat), AKA Flat and Useless, AKA The Silk Slug, is currently flat out cooling herself in the middle of the hall floor, after her latest 5 minute bake on the radiator shelf. She will then get up, have a rehydrating drink and then get back on the shelf. Repeat cycle for the next 3 months with occasional 2 minute pee walks out the catflap.

Myself and my Grandad and Mum wouldn't be without her though.

Hi Dave,

Prosperous New Year and all that,
I LOL'd at the image, but once trained they scurry off and do it in the most inaccessible places.... "hers" doesn't like to be visible and dives off into the undergrowth to ablute.

This only upsets the hoodied scrotes who climb over the railway lines, trying to burgle us ! :lol1:

dunx

P.S. catch this week's Horizon on iplayer if you are quiet at work tonight ;)

That's the thing, having dogs, cats etc is a two way thing, you have to provide as well as benefit, maybe fish would be better? depending on the quality of the tank etc of course. Doesn't he have any neighbours he could leave a dog with when he comes to your place? I've got a Brindle Staffy and a green Budgie myself, i take the Staffy everywhere i go, but i leave the Budgie with a neighbour that's used to birds. The Budgie nips a bit at strangers, the Staffy's perfect. i too, am the bloke on the corner with the bag over one hand, trying not to drop the lead in it at the same time.:D

http://i852.photobucket.com/albums/a...ads/holly1.jpg

Glad you mentioned the Jack Russell COB!

Les ;)

tbh for that prolonged away from home i think you need something that can go with him, it wouldnt be fair, cats can go around with there owners as well as dogs.

Ah that's a shame, i don't know if it would benefit you or not but there's a cross breed called a Labradoodle, that's supposed to be non shedding, would this still be too big a problem? You other option is fish, there's a thread or two on here at the moment about fish and ponds etc, ignore any bow lax i might have said on it, some people on there know their stuff. I also know my stuff but my stuff is just other stuff, that's alot of stuff.:wonder:

Ah, I know the stuff :D


I doubt I'll be any good round fur of any kind to be honest. :confused: I'd like fish as they look nice and visually interesting. Happy with hamsters at the mo. :thumb:

That's fine,;) Hamsters are good too, :thumb:although they don't float so well as fish:lol1:(only joking).:D

good to know a fellow stuffer.:cool:

Having dogs and cats for the most part is all good and i for one have two dogs, and a cat on her last legs that i love very much. I wouldn't trade them for the earth but in all honesty not long after i got the dogs my asthma started to become a real issue and got considerably worse to the point that i've been very close to being hospitalised. Prior to the dogs i always managed my Asthma without drugs but that's my problem and not the dogs..so they're staying :D

If you suffer generally from chest problems, easily get chest infections or suffer Asthma having pets isn't always the best choice.