Dogs - advice needed

[SEVANS2208]

DD 1 (age 12) has wanted a dog for years and hubby likes them too. DD2 (age 5) has mild asthma though so this has always been our excuse not to have one.

I am coming round to the idea of having a dog (after our holiday in August) and need some help, having never had a dog myself before.

Are there any breeds suitable for asthmatics or is having a dog a really silly idea?

If we were to get one is it best to get a puppy or a dog? Male or female?

Which breeds are good family dogs that also can be left at home alone for 4-5 hours during the day?

Sorry there are so many questions!

 

[Minniespal]

Sarah - I was watching an interview over the weekend from Crufts. The gist of the thing was about seeing eye dogs for the blind and how Labradors were a perfect breed because of how friendly they were and how receptive to learning information. The only down side of using labradors is because they produce lots of fur they are not ideal for people suffering from asthma. What they have done to combat this is to produce a dog called a Labradoodle. This is a labrador and a poodle mix. It is ideal because poodles don't cast and you also get the gentle, friendly and receptive part of the labrador. Not sure if this is of help.

On a personal note, I have had two dogs in my life, both Old English Sheepdogs and they make wonderful pets. Only problem is they cast alot.

 

[SEVANS2208]

Thank you for your reply - funnily enough a friend had recommended a labradoodle but I think they may be out of our price range as I've been told they cost about £750-£1000.

It does seem like a good solution though so perhaps I ought to start saving!

 

[minkydog]

I don't live in the UK, but I wanted to weigh in on this. My DH has severe lung disease and allergies can make him very ill. We have a dog that is half standard poodle and half something else, we don't know what. We adopted him from the local animal shelter--the mother(full bred standard poodle) apparently got with an unknown dog and the owner/breeder couldn't sell the pups, so he got mad and sent her to be put to sleep, her & her 11 new pups.We paid $100 for him, which included his shots AND neutering.

Our Minky has been a wonderful dog. He is as big as a greyhound, about 75lbs, which is larger than we expected. But he is a sweet dog, eager to please, good guard dog, too. Like living with Peter Pan's Nana-dog. The best part is the lack of shedding--i pick up a handful of fur in a week. Of course, he has to be groomed about every 3-4 months and that costs. But it's well worth it IMO because DH can tolerate the dog and I don't have to vacuum constantly.

Good luck. I highly recommend a poodle mix. Check out your local rescue society before you drop $$$$ on a puppy.

 

[BONZO]

Here is some information I've found that may be suitable in your case: -

1. Poodles, Standard and Miniature excellent with kids, bonds to whole family, excellent watchdog, highly trainable and sheds very little hair.

2. Poodles, Toy, small fragile bones, therefore caution around rambunctious children - perhaps better suited for mature people, tends to bond to one person, excellent watchdog, highly trainable and sheds very little hair.

3. Chihuahuas, small fragile bones, therefore caution around rambunctious children - perhaps better suited for adults, tends to bond to one person, excellent watchdog, average trainability. They do shed a bit.

4. Portuguese Water Dogs, good with kids, tends to bond to one person, average watchdog, average trainability. Sheds a little.

5. Irish Terrier, excellent with kids, bonds to whole family, excellent watchdog, highly trainable, and sheds very little. Don't care for other dogs of same sex.

6. Bichon Frise, excellent with kids, bonds to whole family, excellent watchdog, average trainability, and sheds very little.

On a personal note, I'd think very carefully about leaving a dog for 4 - 5 hours a day as it's not fair on the dog and could lead to problems.

 

[Dicky Knee]

Do you know anyone who has dogs. It may be worth while seeing if they "trigger" the asthma.
I myself, suffer from asthmatic hayfever (as does my DD). However, we have always had cats and guinea pigs and these do not cause us any problems. My Mother-in-Law has a dog which make DD sniffle a little but has no effect on me. The Sister-in-Law's horse on the other hand make us both feel really rough.

 

[SEVANS2208]

Here is some information I've found that may be suitable in your case: -

1. Poodles, Standard and Miniature excellent with kids, bonds to whole family, excellent watchdog, highly trainable and sheds very little hair.

2. Poodles, Toy, small fragile bones, therefore caution around rambunctious children - perhaps better suited for mature people, tends to bond to one person, excellent watchdog, highly trainable and sheds very little hair.

3. Chihuahuas, small fragile bones, therefore caution around rambunctious children - perhaps better suited for adults, tends to bond to one person, excellent watchdog, average trainability. They do shed a bit.

4. Portuguese Water Dogs, good with kids, tends to bond to one person, average watchdog, average trainability. Sheds a little.

5. Irish Terrier, excellent with kids, bonds to whole family, excellent watchdog, highly trainable, and sheds very little. Don't care for other dogs of same sex.

6. Bichon Frise, excellent with kids, bonds to whole family, excellent watchdog, average trainability, and sheds very little.

On a personal note, I'd think very carefully about leaving a dog for 4 - 5 hours a day as it's not fair on the dog and could lead to problems.

Thanks for the info. I agree with you about not leaving a dog alone for that period of time - it has been another reason for us not having one, though I do know people who leave a dog alone all day.

I can tell this is not going to be an easy decision!

 

[Ware Bears]

Dogs Today magazine, link here, available from WH Smith and most newsagents, does a Dial a Dog scheme where you can get free advice from approved breeders as to whether a certain breed would be suitable for your circumstances. This is a link here. There won't be any pressure on you to pay £££ for a pedigree dog either, they also give lots of advice re rescue dogs.

I would also recommend going along to local dog shows and talking to people about their dogs. They are always willing to talk for hours about them!

You are so sensible to look into this carefully. I just wish my BIL and SIL had taken some advice last year. They spent £1200+ on a Newfoundland and less than a year later, had to return him to the breeder because they just couldn't cope.

We have two Shetland Sheepdogs and although I wouldn't be without them, they are a huge tie. I have to factor in their kennel costs to our holiday budget, we have to plan ahead if we are going to be away from home for a long time, and can never decide to spend the night unexpectedly away!

That said, our dogs give us so much pleasure and I can't imagine my life without any.


Good luck with your decision making.

 

[angel659]

My aunts and uncles have always had labradors as my nan loved them and thats all she would want. They are lovely dogs but they have a big but...... they chew all your furniture until they are at least 2 and they are boisturous.

We had a cavalier king charles and he was lovely. He was toilet trained in about 2 weeks and was lovely. He did lose alot of fur over the summer, but I suffer with asthma and it didnt effect me. When I am in a position to own a dog I would definately be getting a cavalier king charles.

Cat fur has effected me. My dh asthma is worse than mine he cant be around horses, guinee pigs, hamsters, rabbits etc... He is ok with cats and dogs.

My gp has suggsted in the past about my daughter having an allergy test as it may indicate what type of fur she is allergic to. Not sure if this would help you.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Don't apologize -I am glad to see you asking questions. Owning a dog means a lifetime commitment to a living animal, so it should be well thought out. I would like to recommend a book to you called Good Owners, Great Dogs, by Brian Kilcommons. It will answer many of your questions about dog ownership.

I personally do not see a problem with a dog being alone for 4-5 hrs a day, whereas it is necessary for most people to work away from the home. The dog will adjust to your schedule. It might be a bit easier with an adult dog than a puppy (who is like a baby in many ways), but it can be done with a pup if you have someone that can come in while you are away - the puppy stage doesn't last forever.

As you can see in my signature, I have an Alsatian (German Shepherd in the US), and they shed terribly (you can also see I am a James Herriot fan, LOL). However, with a good grooming every 8 weeks or so, the hair can be kept in check, even in this breed. If you were to get a "hypoallergenic" breed such as one of the ones listed above, and keep the dog well groomed, I would suspect the allergic factor would be minimal. I know people who are such lovers of animals they get "shots" from their doctors so they do not react as much to animal fur/dander - this could be a consideration too (though probably a controversial one on these boards), you could ask your child's doctor about it. Another thing is, do you have carpeting or flooring in your house? Carpeting can harbor more allergens, so if you do have it you could consider pulling it up before you get the dog.

Good luck to you and your family. Keep us updated, will you? Having a dog is a wonderful experience for a child. I grew up with Alsatians and I always had a friend and protector by my side, as do my children today.

 

[Clare D]

I have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier Male, Herbie. As he is short haired we have no problem with his fur and we bath him every two weeks.
I have had him since he was 7 weeks old and we now have a child aged 3 and the two are inseperable. He is fine with other dogs and off the lead and is very obedient. Some people still have this stigma towards the breed but he truley is a great dog. The thing is he doesn't bark.
It is a shame that Crufts has just finished as they have a 'Dog Showcase' where you can see each breed of dog in the world and get advice from their owners.
We do leave our dog but as he is getting older he is quite happy for the rest.
I also agree that flooring is better than carpet as you can hoover and mop it regularly.
Check out your local RSPCA/Dog shelter as you can take the dog out first to see what you think and they normally are ID tagged and have been done beforehand.

 

[Englands Disney Gang]

Hi
We have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Male)

Unfortunaltly he is left from 8.30-3.00 weekdays, he is taken out for a short walk at 7.30am. He is then taken for a longer walk (school pick up!!) at 3.00...we make up for it at weekends!!

He is great at home, we have had him since a 2 month old puppy and he is now nearly 3. This breed is known to be great with children, they are short haired and although my son does have asthma our dog has never made his health any worse. He is a wonderful dog and this breed of dog is known for their patience and intelligence (they learn so quickly!!)...beautiful looking to!

Certainly a breed I would recommend you to check out!!

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Hi Sarah - we were in exactly the same position as you last November. We'd wanted a dog for years, but with three cats (two who hated dogs with a vengeance), it wouldn't have been fair.

So when the old lady cat had to be put down (we'd already lost Charlie, her brother last Easter, sad they both lasted until 16 then went within 7 months of each other), we decided time was right.

We're now the proud owners of Roxy, our gorgeous black labrador *****.

Both my daughter and myself suffer from Asthma and it was the vet who recommended a lab for all round best for a family, including asthmatics! Neither of us have any problem whatsoever. Yes, they do shed fur, but any animal will when the central heating is on like at present - just get a good brush and this helps. We were used to hair shedding with the cats, so probably not so much of an issue for us.

I work in the mornings Monday to Friday, so Roxy is left on her own during this time. She doesn't seem to have suffered for it - she gets a good walk in the morning before I go to work, we have lunch when I get home and then spend a good hour or more out in the forest or park or wherever having a run, play in the afternoon. We also are lucky to have a large garden, so she can get out there as soon as I'm home. My DH also works from home usually one day a week, so she has company three out of seven.

I know there is a train of thought that you shouldn't leave a dog on its own AT ALL during the day. Sorry, but that's not at all realistic. We wanted to get a rescue dog - my previous dogs had been rescue dogs - but around here in the New Forest, their criteria is so strict it's a wonder anyone ever gets to have one. We were not allowed to . . . work, have small children, old people, go away on holiday; we had to have a minimum of 5 foot high fences all around our property (we live in the new forest, surrounded by field and farmland, have a 4 foot high bank where this is and 3ft fences with bushes in front either side of the garden where we have back on to neighbours gardens. This was not good enough for the resuce centres, we had to have 5 ft high fences erected. No thanks. We have wildlife which comes into our garden every day - badgers, foxes, deer. They can jump over the bank from the field and get back out again, but we have put up sufficient low rise fencing that Roxy can't get out. Let's face it, if a dog wants out, it will get out!

So that left us with a dilemna when we realised a rescue dog wasn't an option. I know so many people now, good, honest dog loving people, who have been turned away by rescue centres, made me feel much better, I can tell you!

So we looked at specific breeds and, after much research, decided that a Lab was the dog for us.

She's never (and is nearly six months old now) chewed any furniture - even being left alone. However, she does chew things - newspapers, boxes of tissues. She's a dog and if it's there for her she's play with it! We've learnt this. Labradors are also gluttons - they eat everything and anything!! Over the three months we've had Roxy, she's managed to snag and eat a pound and a half of grapes, a box of six eggs (OMG the smell that day!), half a birthday cake, a few socks, pair of nickers . . . but we've learnt how far she can reach on the side and everything is now (I hope since i'm typing this at work ) out of her way that we don't want her to have.

She's brought so much love, fun and joy to our household it's difficult to remember when she wasn't around.

She was actually bred as a gun dog, but they realised at a very early age that she just didn't have it in her, and she can be scared of her own shadow sometimes, but she's great, loves everyone and everything, all other creatures (our cat even tolerates her now, so long as she doesn't squish him when the cat decides to have a nap in Roxy's basket.

Our friends had a lab pup, we spent a couple of days with her before we decided to get one and that really helped.

Waffled on long enough now, but just to let you know I'm here if you need to ask anything on Labradors!

Have fun deciding and choosing, it's a life-changing decision.
Annie

 

[disneyholic family]

have you spoken with your son's doctor regarding whether or not a dog would be a problem?
My best friend is a severe asthmatic but has had dogs all her life....dogs of every kind...as well as cats...
she's not allergic to dogs....her problem is dust, pollen, etc etc.
dogs and cats have no affect on her...

so perhaps you're assuming that a dog would be a problem when it wouldn't be...

if you can have any sort of dog, my recommendation would be one of three breeds: Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever or Cocker Spaniel..

the first two are large dogs, the third is a medium size dog.

my first choice would always be the Golden Retriever, a remarkable dog and the absolute perfect family dog. However, it is a very large dog. If you prefer a medium size dog, then the Cocker Spaniel is also a good family dog.

small dogs tend to be very nervous dogs, and not typically good for children.

if you need any specific advice feel free to PM me. We've had two dogs. Our first was a golden, who died last year at the age of 14 (we had her for a little over 13 years). We've had our current dog for just over 1 year.

By the way, take into account that in addition to being a lot of work and responsibility, dogs are very expensive. We spent many thousands of dollars on our first dog (shots, medicine, surgeries, etc.) Just before she died we spent over $5,000 for special antibiotics that were made by the pharmaceutical company just for her and the emergency surgery in an attempt to save her life. Alas she died in intensive care.

Our new dog has already cost thousands of dollars, due to a number of medical problems that she has (and were probably the reason she was thrown out by her former family - she was found on the street -thrown away and in very bad shape by the time she was found). She's a wonderful dog who we couldn't live without, no matter how much she costs us. But you should keep in mind, the costs can be astronomical.

 

[SEVANS2208]

Hi everyone, many thanks for all your responses.

A quick update - I have put our name down on a waiting list for a chocolate coloured labradoodle. They won't be available until the end of the year so we have time to save and by then will have more time available to be at home with the puppy. This is the most sensible option for us, though DD1 really doesn't want to wait that long!

Between now and then we will arrange to visit some labradoodles to check that DD2's asthma isn't triggered around them.

Thanks again.

 

[KayleeUK]

Great news Sarah