I remember my parents reaction, the first time I asked for a dog...it was as if I had asked them whether I could get a lion for a pet. "You are an irresponsible girl, you cannot even look after yourself, so how will you look after the poor dog!", were their exact words and no matter how much I begged, how many tears I shed, the answer was a complete NO. I was not the kind of girl who would give up so easily, so I took a lot of efforts to convince my parents to get a dog and worked day and night to make them change their mind and guess what, today (after 6 to 7 months of convincing), I have got a dog at home. I bet that this is the same situation in several other households, where kids are begging for a dog, but their parents are dead against it. Relax, cause here I have shared some of my ideas on how to convince your parents to get a dog and these ideas (trust me) are going to help you a lot. Convincing your folks to get a dog, might take time, yes I agree, but all these waiting and hard work is worth it.

Persuade Your Parents to Get a Dog

If you have decided that you are going to get a dog at any cost, then the first thing that you need to do is to STOP BUGGING YOUR PARENTS! If you keep bothering them and irritating them again and again and again, these tips will prove useless for you. Just like you hate it when they keep nagging you, the feeling is mutual for them too.

I Am Responsible, Mom
Don't just say it, prove it. How many times have your parents heard you saying this same line over and over again? You keep saying it and yet they have to run behind you, asking you to clean your room, take a bath, eat your greens, etc. So of course if you tell them, 'get me a dog and I will prove it that I am responsible', is not going to work (and I do not blame the parents). You have to prove it before you get the dog. Get the idea of a dog into their head, tell them that you will be responsible and then start working on it. Clean your room, help your dad to wash the car, help your mom in the kitchen, lay the table without being asked, eat your food properly and so on, without them having to tell you. And although you might think that they are not noticing, trust me, they are. Although they might not be convinced by your changed behavior for a few weeks, but if you do not give up, they will be convinced within the next few weeks. Patience my dear friend, patience.

I Want A Dog Because...
Just like you demand for a reason when your parents ask you not to do something, they have the right to ask you why you need the dog, so be ready with an explanation and by explanation I mean something really convincing. Tell them how you hate to return from school to a lonely house, how you will cut down on your TV shows timing and go out to the park and play with your dog or train them and how it will be good for your health. Don't forget to focus on points like how dogs provide security from robbers by guarding the house at night, how they make loyal friends and keep their masters happy, etc. If you tell them something like, 'Because John has it.." then I am sorry to say, but that's a very bad reason.

I Am Dead Serious
When planning to convince your parents to get a dog, prove to them that you are dead serious about getting a dog. You have to do your homework really well and by homework, I mean that you have to do all your research work about the dog breed that you want, from where you can get them, how much they are going to cost, what kind of a temperament they have, who is the nearest vet, what are the various shots that you need to give your dog, how to take care of them, find out which are the best dogs for children, etc. If you succeed in proving yourself serious enough, who knows probably you will get a small puppy this Christmas.

Want Another Dog
The above tips were mainly for those who do not have a dog, but really want one. But, there are some kids, who despite having a dog, demand for another one and their parents, although were convinced the first time, are having a hard time agreeing the second time. So how to convince your parents to get a dog when you already have one? Hmm! Difficult, but possible! Tell them how your dog needs a partner and how it is all lonely and craving for some canine company, show that you can manage another dog by showing some responsibility towards the previous dog, tell your folks that managing a second dog will be a much easier task as you already have some experience about training and caring for a dog. These explanations are sure to help convince them. But if, despite them getting convinced the first time, you have proved that you are really irresponsible when it comes to caring for a dog, then I am really sorry to say but getting a second dog will be really difficult.

Beg, Plead and Shed Tears
This is the last resort and this step is to be used when everything else fails. Just get down on your knees, fold your hands and shed a few tears and plead with your parents. Give them a 'puppy' look and try to melt their heart and change their mind. If your neighborhood is not good enough for a big dog, go for a small one, just to please them.

These pointers are sure to prove helpful, if you are serious about getting a dog. And please do not keep bothering your parents again and again and start with all these 'dog wanting' strategies as soon as they come back from work or when they are in a bad mood. Choose a time, when they are relaxed and in a good mood and then pop up the question. Be polite and DO NOT create a scene if they say no for the first, second or third time. Let them ponder over the topic for a while before they come to a conclusion. End result will be great.