I wrote a page for kids who want a dog and need to convince their parents. I've copied the text and pasted it below. If you go to the site afterward there are lots of other good pieces of information that will help you in your quest. Good Luck!

from http://loveyourdog.com/responsibility.html:

Do you want a dog? Find out why being responsible might just get you what you want! What is Responsibility? When you are responsible, it means that you are dependable, reliable, trustworthy, and honest. It means that if you say you will do something, you will try your best to do it.

Being responsible also means that you think for yourself. It means that you think about things that need to be done, and then do them or help someone else do them.

Anyone can become responsible even if they haven't been before. It just means that they will have to start being honest, keeping promises, and doing what they say they are going to do. If you have not been responsible, now is a good time to start. It's not too hard.

If you have been responsible, think about those times. Write down three times that you have demonstrated responsibility in the past week and explain them.

Sometimes parents don't think their kids are ready for a dog yet. They want them to be more responsible around the house and at school. You may want to show your parents that you are growing up and able to handle more responsibility. Below are some things you can do to show them that you are responsible and ready for a pet.

How do I convince my parents I am responsible enough for a new dog?

Showing your parents that you are responsible is a very good way to help convince them that you will help with a new dog when it arrives. Just keep in mind that there may be other reasons that your parents do not want a dog.

1. A good place to start is to read this page: 'A New Dog'. Do all the assignments on this page.

2. Also, read this page and do what it says: 'I'll Love You Forever'

3. Here are 2 more assignments: Read 'What Dogs Cost' and do the project on 'How Much Does a Dog Cost in a Lifetime'?

4. Keep a nice notebook that you can show to your parents when you are all finished. Do a good job; think about your answers. Do some good research into the kind of dog you want and add what you have learned to your notebook.

5. Ask your parents if they have some jobs for you. Tell them you want to show them that you are responsible. Tell them you want daily or weekly jobs, not just something on one day. You may need to show them over 6 months or year that you will keep your promises.

6. Make sure you do all of your homework and work very hard in school. Be a good citizen everyday.

7. Make good decisions about everything you do.

8. Follow directions and do favors for people around you. Look for opportunities to help people out and offer your assistance.

Those are some things you can do to prove you are responsible. But remember, your parents may have some very good reasons why they don't want a dog. You'll have to respect their decision in the end.


This page, written for kids, has links to the pages mentioned above:
http://www.loveyourdog.com/responsibility.html

Good luck!