This, on the face of it, seems a trivial problem but it really is causing a great chasm within our family and I do not know what to do. My husband and I have three children, ranging from 10 to 19 years old. We are generally a happy family and I would say both of us are hard-working parents who put our children first. Our eldest two children are finishing their A-levels and GCSEs. Just before their exams started, my father died. We have all coped and battled through, but our children have recently said that they would like a dog. I have asked them to put the discussion on hold until after their exams, but they bring the subject up constantly and will not accept that, with my husband’s allergy to dogs, it is unlikely that we would be able to get one. We also have two tortoises and a fish, which I have ended up taking care of. I can see why a dog seems so appealing, but to care for an animal properly would need somebody to dedicate enough time and energy. We do, however, have a basement that has been kitted out and the children think that the dog could be kept down there and therefore be kept away from my husband.
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