All us dog owners know your pain Ray. We say, each time, that we will never have another one. Then the house seems so empty and off we go again!


As to cats, I think they are a bigger tie than dogs. We have had many cats, and I love them, but when the motorhome came along we made the resident cat, Basil, our last. We did try to take him on trips with us but he just hated travelling. On one such, experimental, trip he escaped from his harness and disappeared into Thetford Forest! He led us a merry dance through the trees and undergrowth before giving up and allowing himself to be caught.

All of our cats have protested loudly throughout the short trip in the car to the vet. I have never even thought about taking them in the motorhome with us, though obviously some people do this successfully. I suppose you'd have to start at the kitten stage.


Chris

Cats are such individuals aren't they? If you read A Cat Named Bob it is astounding how many things that cat coped with in his life.

I don't think we will replace Shadow

We are getting too old for big dogs

The end of an era for German shepherds in our life

Possibally a small dog

A genuine lap dog

Not a GS that thinks he is

Sandra

We are looking after a GS cross at the moment. She is a Spanish rescue and her owners thought they were getting a GS puppy, but she is now fully grown at 2 yrs old and is half the size of a GS. She looks so GS but tiny. Maybe one like her would suit you!

Lesley

No I love my big boned heavy long coated German shepherds

Thick legs, hairy yeti feet

Straight, straight backs

They live on average 12 yrs

I can't guarantee that I will

Although I would consider a deerhound

Sandra

How strange Chris, this morning Hans said cats are just as much a problem as dogs, look at our Manny, she was the main reason we didn't stay away from home for long periods before Shades problem. No matter what animal you have, if you care about it you'll worry about it.

What a smashing photo Ray!

We have had dogs most of our working lives but not since 2000. My wife would love another one but I am quite happy watching other people enjoying them and even give them an occasional fuss, and love looking after other peoples dogs (ie housesitting), however I am more inclined to think of them as like Grandkids, its great having them but its nice to give them back to there owners! Recently at Blacknowle its dogs paradise but as lots of vanners seem to have them in multiples I would have reservations about buying a secondhand van off them, especially after the recent damp muddy weather. All that doggysmell in a confined space puts me off having one in our home on wheels. But good luck to em all!

An honest answer Steve, sometimes it can´t be helped there is a doggy smell, but it doesn´t have to stay, I prefer that to smells some humans leave behind.

Sometimes I wish we could live without dogs, but as they have been our constant pals for the past 40 + years it would be like living without central heating, for the want of a better example.
They give us so much pleasure.
The big dog has passed the 12 year mark and we hope he will continue to enjoy his life, he restricts what we can do now, but as long as he is here we will live our lives around him.