My wife and daughter had adopted a little dog 2years ago and will not let go, they all attached to each other. I always have argument regarding the dog. However I do pray all the time and try to stay away from it. Keeping in mind I live in the U.S.A and my entire neighbors has dogs. After all I do not want to be abusive to the dog. What should I do?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

Raising dogs is forbidden if it is not for hunting or guarding. The punishment for this is decreasing the two Qiraat of the deeds of the person. The Prophet said: "(Anybody) who keeps a dog as a pet, except for the purpose of guarding or hunting, will lose daily a Qiraat (a mountain size of reward) from his good deeds." [Muslim]

Decreasing of the good deeds as punishment is enough for a Muslim to avoid the act.

Prayer in a house where a dog lives is valid provided it does not touch the body of the praying person, his clothes or the place of the prayer with its saliva, urine, excretion or sweat. If something from those impurities touches him and he performs the prayers in that state knowingly then his prayers are islamicly invalid, so he has to repeat them.

You have to get rid of the dog if it is not for the purpose of guarding, for instance, if stealing houses is common in your area and you need a guard dog then you may keep it. However you have to avoid being touched by its tongue or body if it is wet.

Allaah Knows best.