HELP me make a decision. Should we get a puppy?

[minkydog]

So...now to me. I also love animals...especially dogs, but I am worried about the responsibility.

Can you guys help me with the pros and cons.

I am sooooo torn on this. I would not be getting a dog if it was just for me. My daughter (only child) is the sweetest, most wonderful kid I've met. I would love to make her dream come true. On the other hand, I don't want to make a decision I will one day regret.

Thanks so much!!!

She might be passionate, but YOU are the one who is going to be taking care of this dog for the next 15 years. YOU are the one who will be taking it to the vet and to obedience training. YOU are the one who will be housebreaking the dog. Be absolutely sure that YOU are up for this. Your 8yo is not mature enough to be fully responsible for the life of an animal, no matter how much she promises.

 

[shortbun]

I feel if you have to ask us, the answer must be no. Sorry but I really think you must be sure about getting a pet.

 

[Robindianne]

I agree with this post. An 8lb dog can be hard to handle - notice all the people carrying them instead of walking them? It's training that counts, not poundage

I am going to have to disagree with this. If an 8 year old cannot handle a larger dog, that just means the dog needs better obedience training.

A dog should walk on a leash and have sufficient training that they respect their training enough that they are not going to drag the 8 year old even if they do see a squirrel. If the dog is ignoring the 8 year old and dragging him or her, the dog has the unfortunate belief that he is much higher in the pack order than he really is.

A dog's size should have no bearing on how well trained they are.

Our dogs are all over 100lbs and our kids not only could easily walk, handle and show our dogs. They had complete authority over our dogs.

Our obedience trainer highly recommends that we send the kids with the dogs to training so that the dogs understand that even the kids have authority over them.

 

[mickeysgal]

Here's a twist. You may want to consider approaching a rescue group (many you'll find outside Petsmart on the weekend) and seeing if you can qualify to be a foster parent. Usually fosters foster a dog until the dog is adopted. You have to bring it to the adoptions (once a week at Petsmart, for example). It may be one week, it may be months to get the dog adopted. However, it's a good way to see if you and the household are truly compatable with a dog. If you fall head over heals with the dog, you can then chose to adopt it.

If that isn't your cup of tea, there is nothing wrong with getting an older dog. Puppies are a ton of work...they have accident after accident while you're training them. They sometimes nip. They chew things that you didn't intend them to chew (like your furniture). I had one chew a windowsill once ...a windowsill! My lab loved to dig holes (it's cooler for them to lay in a hole/ we lived in a hot region of the U.S. at the time). Puppies are destructive. Cute as a button, but can be destructive. You have to be prepared for this.

An older dog...lets say even two years old or so, and you can have some of these habits behind you. They most likely will be housebroken. Don't be so quick to say no to an older dog rescue. They appreciate their new homes.

All in all, please consider going to a shelter or rescue and adopting instead of buying from a breeder. The shelters are full to the brim with dogs and it's alarming how many are put down. I'm a huge believer in shelters. There are lovely, lovely dogs waiting for a forever home. They just need a chance.

 

[simba928]

I agree with this. I am sure I will get jumped all over for this but I would never get a dog from the pound or a rescue group with an 8 year old. First, most rescue groups won't let families with young children adopt a dog, second, you never know what happened to that dog before and if an 8 year old is going to play with it... .

I'm not trying to jump on you or anything, just wanted to throw this little fact out there. My shelter (not saying all shelters/rescue groups, just speaking specifically about the one I work at) will NOT send a dog home that we are not comfortable sending. If we do not trust a dog in general, we will not adopt that dog out. If we do not think a dog would be good with kids, we have no problem denying a family with kids for that dog (depending on whether they are approved or not, they may be approved for another dog, just not that one). We ALWAYS tell people everthing we know about a particular dog. If there is a health issue or socialization issue (food aggression, animal aggression, seperation anxiety, lack of training, etc) we have a conversation with potential adopters, explain the issues and how to work with them, and/or explain why this dog is not a good fit for them. Some potential adopters will completely understand and ask us to point out dogs that may be a good fit while others will stand and argue with me about why the dog can not possibly have the issues we are saying they have and we do not know what we are talking about. If I had an 8 year old, I would be completely comfortable taking almost all of the dogs I have in my shelter currently (I can think of only 2 dogs that I would not bring into my house with a child). However, you should never trust any dog to be alone with a child until you know the dog. An 8 year old, regardless of how much she loves animals, has no idea how to handle a tempermental dog.

OP, if you are interested in the rescue route, go to a good shelter (clean, friendly and knowledgeable staff, relatively happy looking dogs) and tell them what you are looking for. They should be happy to point out some dogs that would work for you and some dogs that would not be a good fit for your home.

 

[mickeysgal]

I agree with this post. An 8lb dog can be hard to handle - notice all the people carrying them instead of walking them? It's training that counts, not poundage

Agreed. It's all in the training.

We have 4. By far, the easiest one to walk is my 115lb lab/hound. He's is excellent on a leash. You hardly know he's there.

 

[mickeysgal]

I agree with this. I am sure I will get jumped all over for this but I would never get a dog from the pound or a rescue group with an 8 year old. First, most rescue groups won't let families with young children adopt a dog, second, you never know what happened to that dog before and if an 8 year old is going to play with it... .

We are an approved foster family with a local rescue. I don't know about all rescues, but the one we work with, they are very deliberate to document all that they can about a dog. Whether it's good with small kids, any kids, other dogs, cats, etc. They want to know if it jumps on you, barks a lot, plays a lot, chews, if it scares easy, if it's too aggressive, if it needs a fenced yard, how it does on walks, etc. They then turn this info into a mini-bio on the animal so that everything about the dog is known and above board. That's the beauty of having a dog come from a rescue...it's been in a foster family's home and the dogs behavior has already been scoped out and you do know exactly what you're getting into.

 

[minkydog]

My parents eventually gave in and got a year old Husky/Malamute mix (she was a great dog but I would NOT reccommend one for a first-time dog owner or even an experienced one that has not done research on the breeds).

I then saw the movie Homeward Bound, fell in love with the cat, Sassy, on there and wanted my own Sassy cat. My parents tried everything to get me out of this "phase" but they finally figured out that it was not a phase and after several years, got me a little kitten.

I didn't really start taking care of my animals myself until almost 2 years ago when they surprised me with an 11 month old mutt that I fell in love with when I first started working at the shelter.

I then adopted an adult cat and on Saturday I adopted a kitten I had been fostering. .

You have some long-suffering parents.

 

[kacaju]

All in all, please consider going to a shelter or rescue and adopting instead of buying from a breeder. The shelters are full to the brim with dogs and it's alarming how many are put down. I'm a huge believer in shelters. There are lovely, lovely dogs waiting for a forever home. They just need a chance.

i am going to disagree a little on this... you should be looking at EITHER a shelter OR breeder. I am sorry, but I get so annoyed when people say not to buy from a breeder.
As I said, I do have a shelter dog...but I also have purebreds, and sometimes people really want to get a certain breed. You should not be telling people not to go to a breeder. If you buy from a breeder you will most likely know exactly what you are getting and you will know the whole background on the dog.
Not every shelter fully screens their dogs (just as not every breeder is out for the good of the breed)

 

[onelilspark]

Here's my 2 cents

My boyfriend and I live in a townhome. We looked at rescues in order to adopt. We really wanted a puppy because we wanted to be able to train from "birth," even if this meant we'd have to deal with puppy behavior. We were turned down by 3 different rescues for not having a yard...after jumping through all the hoops, including telling them everything about us. Rescues ask for a lot of information, by the third one, I was starting to crave my privacy! The thing was, we weren't looking at large dogs that needed large yards, we were looking at smaller breeds that have temperments that would work well in an "apartment" setting. We were committed to walking, etc. Still no dice, no one would adopt to us We're pretty normal folks, kind of boring actually. And I work from home, which means the dog would rarely be alone. I say all this because, especially with an 8 year old, you need to be prepared (and your daughter) to be turned down. And when you have your heart set on a certain pup, it just breaks when you're told no.

We wound up going to a breeder (I had done all my research, planned the perfect time to get one, etc...I was getting a dog!) And obviously everything happens for a reason! Our little Bandit is just perfect for us. He's a malti-poo who's currently about 10 pounds (he'll be 5 months old tomorrow!!) and will probably only get another few pounds larger. While he's definitely a puppy, we picked him over his brother because of how calm he is, he's definitely a cuddler. He's incredibly well behaved for a puppy...really, he's a well behaved DOG. We're rather proud But there have been days where I've felt horrible at the end of the day because I've felt like the only thing I've done is yell at him all day. My boyfriend was getting up in the middle of the night to take him out for the first month, he was getting really worn down towards the end of that. And the crying the first few nights? Oh it breaks your heart. Our pup had an ear infection that required meds from the Vet...and then the medicine made him sick. He gets car sick, which makes any drive a lot longer! He puked all over me when we discovered he got car sick...fun! So yeah...a puppy is hard work, but I wouldn't change it for anything. Now that I'm seeing the result of being constantly on top of him to correct his behavior, it's all worth it. (If you're somewhere that you don't have your trash outside, the diaper genie from Arm & Hammer is awesome for little poop bags!)

A PP suggested taking her to a shelter to volunteer, if she can (I don't know if there would be age restrictions) I would take this advice. It's a great way to show the "yucky" stuff that comes with dog ownership, and demonstrate why you need to be responsible with a dog. I tried volunteering at one, but I wanted to take them all home with me and hated leaving, so I needed to stop that.

...and what's a puppy thread without pictures?! Please excuse this, I'm a proud Mama This is from after his first haircut, about a month ago!

 

[simba928]

You have some long-suffering parents.

Up until a year ago we only had 2 animals at a time (the husky and Sassy, husky died 2 weeks after we got the golden retriever/lab mix, Sassy died a month after we got my mutt) so it honestly isn't as bad as it sounds. Last summer we went from 2 dogs and a cat (not much effort adding the cat, she was about 4 years old when we got her). A week and a half ago I brought home a foster kitten that had to have a partial tail amputation, my brother and dad fell in love and I adopted him Saturday. It sounds like a lot listing them but it was easy until we got my mutt (I cried everyday for a good month and a half when we got her because it was so horrible, but I've worked with her and she is now a VERY high energy, VERY obedient, loving dog). But the rest of them were easy. Animals are my life, though. I work at a shelter, I foster for them, I volunteer at adoptathons, fundraising events, and doing random things at the shelter, I want to go into animal behavior. They know that my passion is my animals. They support that and I am very grateful to have parents that do.

 

[shelly3girls]

If you consider a rescue group please read their conditions before dedicating much time towards one. In our area every rescue we found would not adopt out to us. Either they did not want a young child in the house or they did not want first time dog owners (having a dog as a child did not count). We ended up researching reputable breeders (not as easy as one would think) and eventually finding the right dog for us.

 

[moon]

...and what's a puppy thread without pictures?! Please excuse this, I'm a proud Mama This is from after his first haircut, about a month ago!

Awwww, what a cutie!!!

 

[Magic Mom]

i am going to disagree a little on this... you should be looking at EITHER a shelter OR breeder. I am sorry, but I get so annoyed when people say not to buy from a breeder.
As I said, I do have a shelter dog...but I also have purebreds, and sometimes people really want to get a certain breed. You should not be telling people not to go to a breeder. If you buy from a breeder you will most likely know exactly what you are getting and you will know the whole background on the dog.
Not every shelter fully screens their dogs (just as not every breeder is out for the good of the breed)

I agree, I have a rescue dog (BEST dog evah!) but I wouldn't have a problem going to a breeder. It seems more and more, rescue groups are being outrageous in their screening process. I was denied by several rescues because we are a military family. That's BS to me. I refuse to go through that again, and will definitely consider a breeder for our next dog.

 

[bettymae1121]

To those that say a young childs passion will pass...well not always.

I was cat-mad as a kid. Read all I could about cats, begged to get one. My parents wouldn't let me because A) my brother was highly allergic and B) both my parents had a dislike of cats.

I still love cats as an adult and still want to have one some day (long story as to why I don't). If her daughter really wants a dog, and the poster likes and is okay with dogs, no reason in the world not to have one, as long as they make a well thought out decision and choose the right breed.

While I don't condone buying from pet stores because they often feed the cycle of puppy mills, there is nothing at all wrong with buy a pure bred dog from a good breeder. The breeds are an important part of the canine world. I've owned shelter dogs and pure bred dogs and plan to own both types in the future (as well as finally getting a cat!).

Make this a family project. Once you've overall decided to get a dog, get your daughter involved in the research. Since it's a passion of hers, no reason not to get her involved in deciding if you want a shelter dog (she'd be rescuing a homeless puppy!) or if you want pure breed dog (once you narrow down some acceptable breds, she can research and select the final choice).

I was about 8 when we got our Cocker Spaniel, Lady. She was the joy of our family and the best pet I've ever owned. I loved my current dog Missy, but no dog will ever take the place Lady has in my heart! I helped take care of her along with my brothers. We played with her and took turns letting her out and walking her, and helped train her. Sure our parents footed the grooming and vet bills, and had the overall job of making sure she was cared for, but we did our fare share of the work involved too. We never got tired of her, and even my oldest brother, who isn't a "dog person" still remembers her fondly and says if he was guaranteed to have another dog exactly like her, would be happy to have a pet again.

 

[shelly3girls]

Here's our new little girl...

 

[Tomader]

My oldest daughter has wanted a dog since she was very little. I just could not do animals. I would never want anything to happen to an animal but I just could not do any animals. 100% out of the question. I don't think I have ever held a dog. My oldest daughter is now 25 and purchased her first dog. It's a puppy. I have to say I love that dog like I can't tell you. I call her everyday to check how he is eating, sleeping, going potty, any reason at all. I look at his little face and I have to say I love him to death. My eight year old is so good with him. She is happy her sister has the dog so she can help take care of him. It's alot of work but I wish I would have given my older daughter a dog so much sooner. The dog is a Maltese-poodle. Very smart goes potty on the paper. He does not shed and is very calm and loveable. Good luck with what you do but I see how much my two girls love that dog. I'm sure your daughter would love one too!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I also wonder if a slightly older dog is a better choice for you. We brought home our dog from a rescue last year, he was about 18 months old at the time (not sure exactly since he was stray), and is the perfect fit for our family, sweet, gentle, but very playful and able to keep up on a long hike. He's about 25 lbs which I think is the perfect "kid's dog" size, big enough that I don't have to worry about him getting stepped on, but small enough that my then 10 year old could walk him easily.

I have to say that having a dog, even a dog who was an adult and housebroken, is a lot of work. I don't think I could have handled a puppy, with waking up at night, etc . . . But there's no question he's worth it, he's really a fantastic addition to our family.

Good luck whatever you choose and be sure to post pictures!

 

[*Meagan*]

I was an only child and Im still begging for a darn dog and Im 26 yrs old. Now Im trying to convince my husband!!!

I say please please please DO IT!! Im pretty sure your daughter will be in heaven!!!
Wheaton terriers and labradoodles are great dogs.

 

[moon]

Here's our new little girl...

Awww, another cutie! Love that sweet little face!