DEAR HARRIETTE: Am I unreasonable for expecting my daughter to take her dog with her after she graduates from college? When my daughter was in fifth grade, she really wanted a dog. I wasn’t particularly keen on the idea, but she was persistent. She promised to take care of him, and I gave in. We got a Pomeranian, and he’s been with us ever since. He’s about 12 years old now and could live for another five years or more. Caring for him has been a lot of work, and as time has passed, I’ve found it increasingly difficult to keep up with his needs. I was looking forward to my daughter taking over his care once she graduated from college. However, she has recently told me that she doesn’t want to take him with her to San Francisco. Her reasons are understandable: She’ll be working around 70 hours a week and living in a small apartment without the large yard he’s used to here in Wisconsin. She worries that she won’t have the time or the space to give him the quality of life he’s accustomed to. While I understand her concerns, I feel frustrated. -- Long-Term Doggy Care
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DEAR LONG-TERM DOGGY CARE: Sadly, you are stuck with this dog. In a way, you knew that when you agreed to get him years ago. It may seem unfair, but you accepted responsibility for this animal the moment it entered your house. It would be an unkindness to the dog if you were to send him off to live in the cramped, lonely conditions he would have to endure in San Francisco.