At what age do you not replace the pet in case you die?

My last cat, Rosie, died at the grand old age of 24 a few years ago. Because we were about to do a lot of travelling (not just for pleasure) we reluctantly decided not to have another cat. Now, I do like not having the responsibility, but the living room door is still propped open ( in case a cat wants to come in) and I always put the butter carefully back in the fridge...Maybe a retiree when we move to Devon?? I miss the company of cats, and I do love dogs too, but not right now.

Ahhh! spaniel puppies and their sweet puppy breath. We have had two cockers and a clumber as puppies - so sweet, although not a brain cell between them, especially the clumber, who would piddle by the back door until she was into her dotage, then look at us with puzzled eyes, as if she hadn't a clue how that had happened.

Sounds like an Afghan coat I used to own in me hippy days!

Working border collies are typical working dogs. My Gypsy sits near me most of the time, wanders outside now and then to make sure the world is behaving itself, and then comes back to wherever I am. As soon as I get up to do anything she's up and ready to go. I live about 600 metres away from the beach so we go down a couple of times a week and she has a great time chasing balls and seagulls and sniffing about. When we get back home down she flops ready for next time. Bailey, the pedigreed BC is a different animal entirely. Gorgeous nature but unbelievably thick and totally food driven. To wash Gypsy I simply take her down to the beach, tell her to drop and she flops in the water, rub wet sand into her all over, off she romps to rinse off and when we get home a quick brush and she looks gorgeous. Do the same with Bailey and his undercoat smells like a rotten blanket for a fortnight, so I get the mobile dog wash people out every few months to give him a good going over... I definitely will not miss him.

Oh; puppy breath....when I'd had a litter of cocker spaniel puppies [no me personally] a friend came round who had bred a couple of litters of retrievers and she had to pick up one of the puppies and breath in that wonderful smell, so I realised it wasn't just me! You don't see many shelties these days; I've often wondered what they are like as pets [but I'm no good a grooming]. Would love a border collie but haven't got the time or the energy. Someone once told me that Papillons make good pets, and will actually walk for miles if you want them to. My dog is currently at the seaside having a wonderful time while I stay here with the decorator and the condemned boiler.

Annobel - One of my friends breeds border collies and her parents breed shelties so I've spent some time with them. The sheltie pups in their first couple of weeks are amongst the cutest pups I've ever got to play with! Don't you love puppy breath?

glammanana - A friend's Dad had a JR and we always said it was like a ferret after a double cappuccino.

When I was with the ex her parents had a long haired chihuahua. They used to baby the crap out of him, insisted on feeding him better than they fed themselves, treated him like a spoiled toddler and let him get away with murder. We used to look after the chi for a couple of weeks when they went to stay with family interstate every few months and we treated him the same as the border collies. He had the time of his life, lost all his excess weight, found his manners again and was a delight to be with. Within minutes of them picking him up he was back to being the alpha member of the family.

Brilliant*glammanana*! I would love to have seen him. My Nell is going to have a bath when she goes to doggie daycare on Friday - if I bath her at home, she wriggles out of my way and makes a break for the stairs, full of suds. Last time she had a bath at daycare, she had backed into a beagle who happened to be having a poo in the yard area. He yelped, she slipped in it and ended up with it on her long ears and teeth!! When I went to pick her up, the staff were crying laughing - two of them had to bath Nell and brush her teeth, and two more bathed the beagle. At least she got a free bath, and smelled of coconut shampoo - just lovely! Dogs, eh?

I wish you'd taken a picture of that, glamma! Did it make him attractive to the lady JRs?

annobel Barney had a shower one day last week and I had run out of his normal doggy conditioner so used some Umberto Giannani straightener and gloss instead to try and help with the tangles he gets him self into,well the finished results where so funny,he looked like he had put his paws in a socket and had an electric shock but at least he smelt nice.!!!

poppa, the nearest thing you can get to a smaller version of a border collie is a Shetland collie (sheltie) - very intelligent and lively and, I think, very handsome dogs.
glamma, I love your description of Barney!

poppa nice to see you hoping you well,Barney the rescued JR has ceratinly fallen on his feet when he came to live here he looks like a burst mattress with his longer than average coat and never ever looks tidy,we where told at the pound that he was about 2/3yrs but now after investigation with people who knew his previous owners we think he could be 8/9yrs,but he is such a character and very clever.Have you never thought of a JR poppa they are so faithful small enough to not cause a problem.We have always had dogs and the odd cat here and there and our home would not be the same without one.We also have dogs trust ongoing care plan if Barney out lives either of us and family can't take him.

I had congestive heart failure in 1999 and the cardiologist prescribed lots of walking. To make it interesting I decided to buy a dog, so I bought a border collie from working lines. She's a brilliant companion and probably smarter than me! My then wife decided to get another BC but she wanted a pedigreed one. He's got a gorgeous nature but is totally food driven and is generally thick as a brick. When she left me and moved in with Voldemort she decreed that her dog would be staying with me. It's not that I totally dislike the poor dog, but if he fell off the twig tomorrow I'd be relieved more than anything. I'm 55 in a few months and the dogs will be 12 and 10 respectively, so within 4 years they'll be close to their use by dates. As much as I really would like to get another dog in a few years (so there's a bit of overlap and the pup can learn some manners from the older ones) I'm really not sure what to get and whether the dog will end up outliving me. A working border collie the size of a beagle or a cavalier spaniel would be perfect, but they don't make those, so I'm thinking of a long haired chihuahua but with star markings so it at least looks like a border collie!

i have rabbits. four of them, all five years old. they might live to fifteen. i won't be having any more. i'm 54 but not in good health and i think they'll outlive me! if not, and i end up on my own, i'm having a big, fluffy, syrian hamster.

I think its ok to have a pet or pets whatever your age as long as everything to do with the pet has been thought about. Eight yrs ago I had a heart attack at the age of 60 and had to take early retirement. Living on my own was quite lonely so decided to get 2 Jack Russells for companionship and exercise for me. I took into account the costs of feeding, vet bills and what would happen to them in the event that i should die. I then went ahead and got the 2 most wonderful dogs that have made my life so happy. Of course if I were to die they would miss me and their life with me but at least I know that providing them with a future home takes a lot of the worry away and leaves more enjoyment for the time we have now.

How old was the one that died recently? I seem to remember someone saying it had belonged to Captain Cook?
Can anyone else remember it? There used to be one at Dudley zoo, I remember as a child, it seemed enormous.

It would have to be of brontosaurus like dimensions!

If it was giant enough, it could take you for a ride jeni.

Or a giant tortoise! Although I could keep up with one of those if I took it for a walk. So long as it didn't rush!

African Grey Parrots are a definite no-no for anyone over 30!

I've had pet cats all my life in fact I can't remember being without one till now.. my last two cats having lived long lives , both were over 20, have sadly gone now and I vowed that I will have some pet free years to enjoy spur of the moments trips out and longer than 2/3 day holidays with OH, having two elderly frail cats that we didn't feel happy either putting in a cattery or inflicting on relatives we haven't been able to have a proper holiday together for some years so now its nice not to have to worry about animals and just come and go as we please.. I will no doubt in the future gain another cat but not for a long time.

I had to give away my lovely cat when my daughter was dangerously ill and I had to go back to England for several months to take care of her and the children. Now, I do so much travelling it would not be possible to have any pets. I get my fix by pet sitting for my Swiss friend - I really enjoy being with her dog and cat, but they are also both quite elderly and I don't think she will be getting any replacements.
My NZ family have a menagerie - one indoor cat,two outdoor cats, two piglets, two dogs, numerous hens and a rooster, so I enjoy their company too.
I worked as a pet sitter in England before I retired to France. The pay was not much, but I got free board and lodging and it was a good opportunity to see different parts of the country. My most interesting assignment was to take care of two huge Maine Coon cats. I think the fact that I had been vetted to become a tax inspector reassured people of my honesty.

Our ginger Tomcat is now 15 and we won't be getting another. Even now with neighbours who love him dearly, we can't go away for longer than a week.
What is more upsetting is that DDs dog is now getting old and I will miss him so much. They say they don't want another, but she wants me to have dog later.
If you have always had pet then there is always the danger of seeing those pictures of poor abandoned pets. I would probably take another cat in, if it turned up at the French windows when it was snowing, like the cat before did and stayed 12 years.
Its hard to be realistic.

I think "never say never" is so true - and also that you will know what is best for you. Yes, you are free to visit e.g. GC without a dog (unless they are doggy people) but it is also true that a dog will get you out even on miserable days and if you are alone, there are always other dog walkers to talk to! I often think a dog is an excellent "chat up" accessory - not that I have ever availed myself of it!
After 16 years of a wonderful black lab who grew up with our children, I was devastated when she went and the next morning read about retired racing greyhounds - it was as if someone somewhere was telling me something. We have had 3 greyhounds - 1 dog and 2 bitches - they are lovely affectionate and gentle dogs, need VERY LITTLE exercise - but you do get lots of street cred from people who think you run a half marathon with them every day.They rarely bark, are not destructive and can actually cope with being alone as long as they have a comfy bed (although they prefer sofas, but you can be firm, if you want) As they are retired as young as 4 you get a reasonably young adult dog for perhaps 6-8 years, usually housetrained with few underlying health problems e.g.from inbreeding. They don't need a massive amount of food either, ours has a standard tin of woof plus mixer but of course given their size you do have to keep food out of their reach! And they are so appreciative and loving! End of comercial! Will I get another when the present girl goes? I will know when that sad day comes, but I do wish my parents had got another easy little dog in their latter years it would have kept them mobile.

I am nearly 62 and hope to have my 2 German Shepherds for years yet. however when they both die I will be in my early sevnties but I can't be without a dog or two, we dont have holidays because we couldN'T leave them in kennels, this doen't bother us , but the thought of them outliving us does . I have a canine care card which means that if I die dOGS TRUST will look after them till it's their time to go. Not a perfect solution, but the only one I have.

Our dog will be our last. She is 2 and a half, a Golden Retriever, and a lovely friendly companion to the two of us. We are 66 and 68, so we'll be heading towards 80 when she is 14. If she dies young, we'll still not have another dog, though we could get a cat. We have two sons - I think they would be more inclined to take on a cat than a dog if we die or get sick and have to move somewhere unsuitable for pets.

Gee, I've just realised these things are horrible to think about.