pets, the new promise ring.

My good friend recently adopted a dog, his dog, not a couple pet (I hope). And I got to thinking, people are less and less apt to make marriage commitments, there is something peculiar and daunting about our generation and our urban landscape that both keeps us young but in hand, immature. We seem to reach maturity at later levels than our rural counterparts, and add lack of devotion and long term commitment to that. It seems like people are willing to sleep with each other, fight and move on in a weeks time. Ok, save that for another time, this is about puppies.

I've been noticing more and more of my friends get to the we're boyfriend/girlfriend stage but still remain pre-engagement. Some live together, others do not but it seems like more and more people are using cats and dogs(if more brave) as a sort of promise ring that it will all work out. I don't know how I feel about this, I mean some friends are way commitment prone and great people so congrats, but I've been on the shit end of the dog custody battle and I have seen how ugly it can get.

I'm interested to hear you thoughts, some friends are happy and have pets, while others (me being one) have lost cats and dogs in pet custody battles. I will refrain from adopting now or in the future. Maybe a love fern.

My friend Daniel, who is a couple pet adopter (or at least has been in the past) has a couple simple suggestions.
1. Make sure you adopt the pet as an individual, don't say "our dog"
2. Make sure one individual pays for vaccinations and the over all care for the pet.
3. Walk your dog, build a bond.
4. Remember your pet isn't to be used as leverage, it's not a lamp. Don't get sucked into the details of the break ups it's a very real living creature.

I'm a proponent of adoption so if you're down, go for it but do it with caution. My friend adopted his little TJ dog across the border and he is a cutie. check out the picture.