I am asked the same thing. My husband got it mostly from his family. He just told them until they had our babies, they would never understand.
I agree totally 100% with luvmypupster...my children are grown..these are my BABIES and I enjoy them to the utmost. I go to work, think about them all day, can't wait to get home to them. I spent every free minute I have with them. They are simply my world.
I HAVE adopted from the SPCA so I honestly dont' think it is a justifiable question to even be asking me. And at times, I do take a bit of insult to the question because, I have rescue from the SPCA, Buddy, Morgan my Maltese, is as far as I am concerned was a rescue, from a pet store, he was on his way out if I hadnt' grabbed him up, the only one who I bought simply as a purchase was my Yorkie, Bailey. I mean, he wasn't a whim or anything, it was thought out, but he was like everyone else who buys a dog, you buy him cuz you want him.
I look at them all in the same light and love them all the same. Some people buy cars and swimming pools and big screen tvs and such, so we just chose to buy a dog. That was our preference and our desire.
Luvmypupster hit it right on the head, you can't put a price tag on LOVE. What we put into them, we get back over and over and is worth everything to us.
I'm sorry, not trying to get on a soapbox, but is really any of their business to start with?