English Translation
They do not let me have a dog.
Better to use “permettere” than “lasciare” in this case?
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I think “permettere” is better since it means to allow/permit/authorize. The primary meaning of “lasciare” is to let go/leave/abandon, although it can also mean to permit.
Update:
I was reviewing a grammar book yesterday evening and, coincidentally, it was a chapter on the imperative form. The verb lasciare (to let) + an infinitive often is used as a command. An example is “Lasciami dormire!” (Let me sleep).
Although this Clozemaster sentence is not a command, “lasciano avere” follows a similar pattern. Therefore, lasciare may be the correct usage. Hopefully, @mike-lima will comment.
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The Italian sentence is natural enough: If anything I would use “tenere un cane” rather than “avere un cane”.
“Lasciare” is a flexible verb, I looked it up, and I found that it comes from latin “laxare”, “to loosen up”. If you see the Treccani page on the verb you can see it has many uses.
There is also an in-deep explanation that explains this use in detail:
The short version is that when preceding an action verb in the infinitive tense, it means “don’t prevent from doing”.
It kind of works like “fare”:
“Non mi lasciano tenere un cane” and “Non mi fanno tenere un cane” have basically the same meaning, but “fare” in general may also be used in the sense of “forcing someone to do something” while “lasciare” only means “to allow”.
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Maybe it’s naive but just like “let/allow” in English I would expect “lasciare” if e.g. a child is talking about its parents whereas “permettere” would fit more to someone talking about e.g. his landlords.
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