A COUPLE have decided to try out life with a baby to see if they can handle the commitment of owning a dog.
Susan Traherne and Nathan Muir of Barnsley have been together for two year and want to take things to the next level, but are worried about providing a cockapoo with a settled, happy life so are testing the water with a child.
Muir said: “We’re being sensible. Realistically, we’re not financially stable enough to support a dog full-time – we don’t even have an SUV – so a baby is the first step.
“Of course, we’re never going to get as deep or as meaningful a bond with a newborn, but it gives us a good idea of what it’s like to have something to take care of. They might not need walking, but they’re still a burden!”
Traherne agreed: “The whole pregnancy-birth debacle is more time consuming than you’d think. But I said to myself, ‘Susan, if you can’t handle this, how on earth are you going to cope with vet registration forms?’
“Once we’ve got the little critter into a routine, housetrained it, maybe taught it a few tricks we’ll be ready for real responsibility. The baby? My mum can probably take care of it during the day.”
Muir said: “Obviously we still dream of having a dog one day, hopefully even more than one. But for now, while we’re still settling down, some sort of baby will fill that hole in our lives.”
