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I will not be replacing my adopted English Bulldog when she goes. She is now 8 years old. I want a few years to play without that obligation. When I slow down then it can be evaluated again. At that time I would want a family commitment to continuing care of course a healthy stipend will be included. If that is not available, my dog fix will come from others pets.
As usual, the answer is: it depends. Many folks can't imagine a life without pets. Others want to be unencumbered and free to travel when they retire. Still others don't want to deal with the expense or hassle that may come with a companion animal. Retired or not, adopting a pet is a long time commitment and not one to be taken lightly. Oh, I fall in the "can't imagine a life without pets" category. Even so, I understand all the other viewpoints.
We lost our fifteen year old dog last year. We had been retired only three years. Looking back at the many days that our Tootie had to be boarded during her lifetime, we decided that we did not want to put another dog thru that and as retirees we want to travel even more. We have been pet sitting for neighbors dogs for the last two years. It isn't the same as having our own pet, but it helps fill the need for a fur baby. Unfortunately our neighbors are all thinking they will not replace their older pets due to expense and the desire to travel. We have discussed a pet sitters club that would allow us all to travel and not worry about putting our pets in kennels and the expense and worry that that brings. We aren't ready for that yet. It is nice not to have to total responsibility of a pet right now, but as we age and travel less a pet will be added again.
Sometimes I think it would be nice to have another calico cat or toy poodle after I retire.
Other times, I think it would be even nicer to have friends who have cats or dogs that I could play with now and then, without the responsibility!
__________________ "Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harborless immensities." - - H. Melville, 1851
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,572
We're pet-free now and enjoy the freedom. The grown kids have pets however. Just finished a week of pet-setting for a dog (Smooth Collie), cat and guinea pig while our son and his family vacationed.
We plan on remaining a pet-free household until either age or health forces us to be home a high percentage of the time. Then, we'll consider a companion again.
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DW paddling the Kankakee River........
We got a 'free' border collie puppy two years ago. He has added a bit of humor and companionship to both DW and I. I am glad we have him, but not real sure I would get another one when he goes. As his life span is another 10+ years I'll worry about that later. If you lake having a dog, I would not let anything in retirement stop me. As far as local travel, check out the Choice hotel chain, i.e. Quality Inn. A lot of them allow pets.
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I went thru that decision 5 years ago, when the last of my gen1 dogs died, and I had just reached FI. I decided I enjoyed dogs too much not to have them, so I am back up to 3, plus frequent babysittings. My housemate and I schedule our vacations accordingly to make this work.
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Our little dog died 3 years ago and we never got another. We had just gotten the kids on their own and knew that we were about to take advantage of my generous vacation allowance by increasing our traveling. We never cared for travel with a pet and always felt a little guilty putting her in a kennel. Kennels are also getting expensive.
We do like dogs and cats but can't see having any more in the immediate future. Maybe when the traveling days are behind us.
__________________ "There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no independence quite so important, as living within your means." Calvin Coolidge
We haven't been able to have a dog for the past 10 years because of all the international travel we have to do for work. DW and I were just talking about how we hope to be able to get a chocolate lab when we move home. The dog will travel with us when we go RVing. We may have a barn cat/mouser when we get back as well, but not a house cat. It would stay behind, and neighbors would check on it and put food/water out for it daily. Neither the dog nor the cat will live in the house, but will be invited to join us inside some of the time. We had a Golden before we had to move here, and really miss him (gave him to a good home when we left).
Note that we are becoming empty nesters here shortly, and the thought of coming home to a dead house (as cashflo2u2 described it) is, I think, bothering me and DW. We'll see how it goes, since I have a couple more years of this to go anyway.
Another alternative if you don't want a dog full time might be to join a rescue group and foster- depending on the breed and dog, you might not have them for a long time but will help you and the group. You might be limited in what you can do while you have a foster in the house but when they are adopted, you can choose when to bring the next one in- most rescue groups I'm aware of will also work with you to find spots for foster dogs for limited vacations or other absences. We also trade dog sitting among the members of the group I'm for our own dogs which can limit the cost of boarding too.
Have to be careful though, don't want to be a foster flunky and end up with a houseful!
DW/me have had dogs in our life for more than 30 years, and we can't see not having them, especially in retirement.
Unless you are a "...." person (dog/cat/fish/horse/gerbil/etc...), you can't understand.
As far as travel (and we do a lot, each year), we have a house sitter; not only to watch out for our current two (we do rescue work, so they come/go - and often "stay forever"), but also provide security and that "lived in look" to our home.
When mine moves on to doggy heaven, I'll probably do without for a year or two so I can do some traveling without worrying about my buddy. But I will get another at some point. My golden retriever helps motivate me to go walking and is just a good companion.
We have had Goldens for decades. We currently have two and provide doggy day care for my son's. It is hard to contemplate living without a dog but we may try it when these two die just to ease up the capability for long trips.
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