It's Not My Fault That I Want a Dog

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I want a dog.

I blame this on Animal Planet's show Too Cute!. My aunt and I started watching this a few months ago when they would run marathon days - hours of puppies and kittens frolicking on the big screen. Though the kittens amuse me, my two cats have already fulfilled that need. What I need now is a puppy. Too bad my husband isn't completely on board, but I understand his hesitation.

Right now we care for our two cats, plus my aunt lives with us, so the house is pretty full. We haven't had any luck training the cats to get a job, so they still rely solely on us for food and litter. I imagine a dog will be the same. As much as I'd love to cuddle with my very own fuzz bucket, I don't want to worry about where everyone will sleep or how we'll afford all the food.

Then there are my family members and friends. Allergies run rampant amongst my tribe. Three of my favorite folks rarely (if ever) come over because of the cats. I don't want to alienate anyone else because of a dog. Furry friends are nice, but I truly value my biped acquaintances. I'm not sure that I'm willing to sacrifice them for a walking companion (though there are times when I'd gladly trade in a human for a wagging tail).
There's also the whole poop thing - I'm not touching it. My husband has a friend who trained his dog to poop in the woods. If I ever did get a dog, I'd need to do that. I can handle messy diapers and projectile vomit, but I'm not going to pick up poop.

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As often as I try to talk myself out of it, however, I always end up at a friend's house (or back at Animal Planet) and some sweet, playful face captures my heart and makes me forget all of the negatives about canine ownership. I really do want a dog, but I don't want to upset the peaceful balance at our house. I could never go to the pound and walk home with a puppy when I know that my hubby isn't 100% behind the idea, so I'm waiting (and wanting). If someone should show up at our house, however, and anonymously drop off an orphaned spaniel puppy, well ... I just want a dog.