thinking about getting a dog, advice welcome (long-ish)

[giasmom]

JMHO but it seems to me that with all the cons you have already listed that you should stick to cats. Almost sounds as if you have already talked your way out of the dog idea. I am a true dog lover, my dogs go to obeidience school, and have a very social life style. Dogs can and will consume much of your life. Also if getting a rescue of one or more years, you will spend alot of time just trying to adjust the dog to your lifestyle as well as learning & sorting thru this dogs quirks. I am in know way trying to sway you one way or another, I like the adoption idea, just seems to me if I were in your shoes I would start looking for another cat. Like I said just my opinion. No debates wanted here.

 

[Wynette]

I think you're fine, giasmom! I think Pat's looking for honest feedback!

 

[giasmom]

Quote:
Gosh I hope so !

 

[Lolliegee]

Hi All, I'm in a sort of similar place. My husband and I would both really like a dog. However, we've had two tries at puppies in the last 6 years. One turned out to have aggression issues (we managed to rehome her with someone who specialized in training that out of dogs), and the other was just a bad choice at a bad time for us. We also found a great home for her with a young couple who had the energy and didn't mind a dog with jumping tendencies (She had Jack Russel Terrier in her). Our kids did not. I was pregnant at the time and realized it was just really bad timing.

What we've decided is that when we do decide to get a dog, it will definitely be one that is out of the puppy stage. I think that for our family (4 kids, aged 18, almost 13, 8 years and 19 months) something easy to train is a must.

Now, we also have the chickens and ducks to consider, plus we have one cat.

We both know the great joy of having dogs since we both had them growing up. We just haven't seemed to be able to make it work in our married life.

I'd love to get some input on how we could go about choosing a dog for our family too. Good luck on your decision, Pat.

 

[thebritt]

Quote:
Consider how you would be able to deal with an OLD and possibly arthritic dog, as that's generally what they become 8-10 years down the road....

I like the doggy door suggestion too.

 

[Cara]

A young adult dog shouldn't have too much trouble with steep stairs, but an old dog will have a problem and will need to go outside more frequently. It might be something to bear in mind for the future.

 

[giasmom]

Oh yeah, I more thing, If you and your family do decide to forgo the dog route, keep this in mind. There are adoption specialists out there to help you. Many of the larger & more reputible shelters have these persons on staff. Do use them. If the shelter does not offer this option to you, ASK. If they have one on staff and you can get a confrence with them do so. It will be in your best intrest. Be totally honest with them. This will make it much easier for them to match you with a compatible dog for your family & circumstances. However it may not be the breed of your choice. So then it will be up to you to decide wether or not you like the dog they have chosen to match you with. If for some reason you don't, then don't be pressured into taking it. Keep looking & screening until the right on comes along. Good luck to you and yours with this life changing decision.

 

[patandchickens]

Thanks so much y'all for all your responses! And yes, honest feedback is definitely what I *want*.

Just to clear something up, the kids and I are home most of the day (often all day), every day, and would have plenty of time to socialize/train/walk the dog... when I referred to 'holding it' for 10 hours, I just meant overnight. The only time we're ever away is when 2x a year we go to PA for a week - I assume we'd board the dog at those times, and, not to put too fine a point on it, my parents are in their mid to late 80s and we probably won't be making that trip forever

. We can't go away overnight any other time ANYhow, b/c of all the other animals, so a dog wouldn't change anything

I guess my thing is, I do very much like the *idea* of having a dog, I am just concerned about a number of the inconvenient real-world details, like expense and how to get it outside to do its business in mosquitoey or blizzardy/freezy weather, and I worry about it not working out.

Mind you, I worry about most things in life, it's not dog-specific

Still dunno. I like the idea of putting a dog door in the screen door to the deck, that might take care of most of the mosquitoey-weather problem...

More opinions still welcome

,

Pat

 

[Jenski]

patandchickens, sorry to hear about your cat.

While you're collecting all this feedback on the dog question, I would humbly add an "s."

Unlike the average cat, a dog can get terribly lonely without other dogs.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Rosalind]

Quote:
Oh, they will sleep when you sleep in that case. Not a problem. Even when mine were puppies, they slept through the night after they had become acclimated to the house for a week or so.

I guess my thing is, I do very much like the *idea* of having a dog, I am just concerned about a number of the inconvenient real-world details, like expense and how to get it outside to do its business in mosquitoey or blizzardy/freezy weather

Expense is an issue. Dogs are not cheap. The initial costs are higher than cats, although the food costs vary with size. I spend $60/month/dog for two dogs on food, and $350/year/dog on vet visits.

The smaller ones tend to be more hyperactive, have more personality issues than large ones in my experience. It depends on the dog's personality. But then the large ones are capable of inflicting a lot more damage (to house, kids, innocent bystanders) just by accident. So, you have to research breeds a lot, even if you're looking for a mutt. It sounds like a longhaired breed would be good for Canada, though--the shorthaired ones can't stand the cold for very long, but then they don't get sufficient exercise indoors either. A doublecoated breed (Pyrenees, Newf, Collie, Malamute) can take any weather.

One pro you might not have considered: If you, like me, are not a huge fan of organized exercise, a dog will force you to get very regular exercise. I can't put off the morning/evening walkies, not for anything short of "DH, I am at death's door, my last request is for you to walk the dogs." It is more pleasurable in winter than other types of exercise. I have big dogs, so I took them skijoring last winter, and it was great fun. A big dog can also be trained to pull a garden cart and help you with chores, too. However, big dogs are also not really for homes with small children. Older children who don't mind being knocked down by a wagging tail, yes, small children not so much.

A dog's presence and scent are often enough to keep predators and rabbits and that sort of thing at bay. I found the coyotes kept their distance from the house as soon as we got our first puppy. Also handy for scaring off door-to-door salespeople, unwanted visitors, scamming "contractors," and other persons of no account.

ETA: I was very much a cat person before I got a dog. When I did get one, it was because the predators were so aggressive about people around here, and I am a lousy shot with a gun--foxes, coyotes, etc. will literally walk right up to humans in these parts, with no fear. I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from 20 feet away, though, so gun was out of the question. I got a working breed known for its decidedly un-clingy catlike personality, and was quite happy with the result. Charlie, my Pyr, converted me to dogs, although I still like working dogs AND cats better than the little bitty toy dogs. But I did the same thing you are doing, contemplating all the bad parts (drool, fur, chewed furniture, housebreaking) before signing on. I think it's better, really, to consider all the bad aspects and THEN decide you still want a dog--there are so many dogs in shelters and getting euthanized because owners didn't expect or want to deal with the sort of usual things that dogs do. That you accept that dogs can be sort of crummy sometimes and are willing to deal with all that anyway, means you will be responsible and give a dog a forever home.​