Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4)
Posted on October 29, 2008
Filed under Intermediate, Listening, Pets, Real English conversations | 20 Comments
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Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go!
Conversation transcript
Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list.
Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right?
Michael: No, not personally, no.
L: Would you consider getting a dog?
M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But…
L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off…
M: Right.
L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and…
M: Right.
L: You know, that’s really sad.
M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame.
L: Yeah, yeah…
M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die.
L: Yeah.
M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed?
L: Yeah.
M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member.
L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets.
M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible.
L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.
M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think?
L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment.
M: No, for sure.
L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one.
M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs.
L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life.
M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…?
L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair.
M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah.
L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods.
M: Right. Right.
L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier.
[laughter]
M: Oh yeah.
L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence.
M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah.
L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup.
M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not…
L: Hybrid vigor!
M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family.
L: Yeah. Yeah.
M: Let’s tell the British royal family that.
L: Oh, no! Naughty!
[laughter]
M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know.
L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere…
[This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4]
Download the vocabulary list here.
Final Words
That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now!
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20 Responses to “Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4)”
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Better at English: Free English lessons to help you learn English vocabulary, idioms, slang, grammar, and more! Our short, fun English podcasts are perfect for busy people who don't have much time to study or who think that traditional English lessons are boring — you just need a few minutes a day to have fun learning conversational English at Better@English. read more »»
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Dear Lori,
I never really knew much about animals especially about dogs before. Honestly such podcasts are not only making my English & vocabulary great but also helping me increasing my general knowledge about animals.
I’m looking forward to the 4th part of this conversation eagerly & passionately.
Thnaks
Dear Lori,
my name is amal ,
I am from Qatar
I am relly Enjoy
Hear the conversation and
I learned new words,,
Thank you
Thanks, Amal and Prinkle! I’m glad you’re enjoying our efforts
Hi Lori,
It’s me again!
When are you going to release fourth part of this conversation?
Thanks for your enthusiasm, Prinkle. I’ll get part 4 up as soon as possible. Each episode takes 8-10 solid hours of work to prepare. My normal job is keeping me extremely busy lately, so I’ve not had time, sorry!
Hey,
Lori is back! This is very nice, i have misted your voice
But at first, i have to hear the three new episodes of this podcast now.
best regards from Germany
sven
hi lori your conversations are really beautiful and there is a lot to know
Hi Lori,
I love your ‘real life conversations’ and I have found a way of using these in my classes. Unfortunately, only one or two groups are intermediate level. I hesitate to use them for pre-intermediate students. Some of them would ask, try to make me translate each and every sentence into the mother-tongue, which is German. I am not German. I have only learned it up to a point that I can be literally abused as a walking talking dictionary. I have told my students that if we translate all the time, we’d never learn. But please, keep up the good work. I love it and love coming to the site. Motola
thanks for your converssion its realy interstig topic as well nice vocabulary i love it Thanks Again keep in making much much more
hi Lori, skill listen english is very bad, so i chose way of learning at this wed to improve my skill and learn more vocabulary.
i really like your podcads because its topis is good.
Thank you for doing it.
Suong from Vienam
This is great ,fun and educative.I get almost all my vocabulary here.keep the good work guys.
it’s my pleasure to be with you ,and i’m sure that i will get lot of vocabulary from here.
hi Lori,
my skill listening is not good and I want to improve this skill.
Thank you so much
Hi lori,
great post!!i want to learn some difficult words along with their meanings.I also want to use them in my daily conversations.I have made flashcards for a couple of them.can u come few words in your conversation,it will be very useful.great job you guys.
thanks
Hi Lori,
Great job.Thank you ,I can learn and ipromve my english better with your help.
Best wishes
hi….lori!
i,m fadilla from indonesia……
your conversation transcript (naked cat’s) is very good ..
the conversation is learn in my english course… that’s Balai Bahasa University English Course in Samarinda, Indonesia !!
thank you ..
hello lori and michael
thanks I will start learning english with you,
thanks alot
Now, i will start learn English here.
Thanks a lot again