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I've had dogs all my life and you have to accept that they bring compromises. For me it's totally worth it for the joy having a dog brings, but if your wife isn't sure, maybe having a dog isn't for you.
That said, many of the restrictions she's brought up can be overcome. You don't have to take your dog with you everywhere you go - they can be left at home for periods of time, you can find local friends/family to look in on them (lots of people love the opportunity to spend time with a dog when they can't have one themselves), or pay a dog walker. Some dogs are fine going into kennels for holidays and there are plenty of agencies for dog sitters (in your home or theirs). Look into crate training or a lockable room for when you have visitors to the house who don't like dogs and get a travel crate for going away.
Your location sounds perfect - a small garden is fine if you have easy access to open spaces. Stairs can be an issue for a pup, but it's easy to section off the house with stairgates (which you must have). And the obvious not leaving small kids alone with a dog.
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Markyboy
Newb q:
I want to get a dog. A whippet ideally. But my wife is really hesitant. She's worried about the restrictions dog ownership will put on being able to visit non dog-friendly friends and family and on the location and duration of holidays. I'm not sure these are really that big of a deal. Can anyone relate some experience around these concerns?
Neither of us have owned dogs before although we both love them and have them in the extended family. We live in a decent sized house with lots of steep stairs. We're in a small town on the edge of marshes and woods. We have a small garden that I'm keen to discourage the local cats from shitting in and we have two kids, 2 and 5 (both of whom are mad keen for a pet).
Whippet and learn to adapt?