hi cricket, good topic.

i'm also of the mad-keen-dog loving brigade. But I think it all comes down to personality. DH and I absolutely adore our dog and have found she's been a bit of a sbustitute during our battle to have our own baby.

We take our role as her "pack leaders'' very seriously and we are just the kind of people that once an animal comes into our home, it stays - it's accepted as family.

Both our families are all crazy dog people too though, so it's a natural state for us.

BUT i do agree that just because you can raise a pup doesn't mean you can handle a baby. they are completely different. however, there is some truth to what others' were saying about a pet perhaps being the training wheels for a much more serious committment.

There's people who take on a pet and treat it as a disposable thing and can just get rid of it, iykwim. I suppose they, gasp-horror, treat their pet as an animal not a family member. so there's no real strong attachment.

if someone feels that getting a pet before having a baby may help them cope with not living such a selfish life, then great for them. At the end of the day, everyone has got to do what they feel is good for them. each to their own.