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

[disykat]

Your post could have described my son. He was six when we the family dog and old enough to help, but I waited to get "my" dog until I knew I was ready to be 100% responsible for her. I even chose her name, etc. I knew I would be resentful standing in the rain in the middle of the night while potty training a puppy if I was doing it for a dog named "Waffles."

I have been right. We all love our dog, but she's definitely mine in terms of training and care. Sure, the rest of the family may scoop, feed, and walk some of the time, but I'm in charge of dog vomit and indoor messes, vet stuff, training issues, grooming, medications, any middle of the night issues, etc. It's worth it for "my" dog because I signed on for it.

 

[Magic Mom]

You should only get a dog if you are 100% certain you want one. If you are so unsure as to ask strangers, for the sake of he dog, don't.

She's asking for advice from people with pet experience so she can BE 100% certain. Irrresponsible, is buying a dog on a whim. Researching the pros and cons, weighing the possibilities, and asking for advice isn't irresponsible.

 

[Skywalker]

Ah "puppy" my favourite word in the English language, lol.

I begged and begged for a dog for as long as I could remember - then my parents got me one when I was 7. I still remember that moment, it is so crystal clear to me. One of the defining moments of my life. Here I am 41 years old and the thought of that dog still brings tears to my eyes and joy to my heart. And so has every dog I have had ever since. I thank my parents for giving me that.

So of course I say yes! You both love dogs. Yes, they need time and committment and work but it is something millions of people do every day. It's not THAT bad, I mean its a dog not a zoo animal, lol.

Get her a dog!

 

[Magic Mom]

OP, please don't buy a dog because your daughter says it's her "passion." Kid's passions come and go. It may be her passion simpley because she thinks she wants one so bad. 8 YO's see the fun and cuddly aspect of having a dog, not the barking, pooping, shedding, walk needing, dog food eating aspect of the dog.

Buy a dog because your family is ready for the responsibility.

 

[luvmy3]

I you had posted this a month ago I would be saying No way don't do it! because that would have been the first week after we got our puppy Now that we have had her a month I couldn't imagine not having her

Our story is similiar, our dd has been begging for a dog since the time she could talk. We had always found reasons to say no, even though dh and I are animal lovers. We finally thought that the timing was right, especially since dd is 12 and could share alot of the responsibilty. We did some research on what breeds are best for us and narrowed it down to one and she is absolutely a perfect fit for our family. I don't regret the decision we made at all.

 

[goofy!]

Here is another thought. First off I have nothing against rescues. I have a *pound puppy* myself.

If there is a breed your daughter would really like, look into a breeder. Breeders many times *grow out* a few puppies they think will be show dogs. Sometimes for one reason or another the pup doesn't quite have what it take sto be a show dog, so the breeder will then sell it as a pet.
What is nice about this, you will be getting a nicely mannered dog that you know it's background. Like I said, I have nothing against shelter dogs, but since you are not a dog person, this may be a way to go.

We have Komondors that we show, so are pretty experienced with raising/socializing puppies, especially with our breed. But puppies are so much work that I dread another puppy.

We recently lost our oldest Kom and the kids desperately want another one. We are seriously considering an 8 month old our breeder has. He is not quite as good as the other male in the litter, so they are willing to place him with us. There is nothing wrong with him, in fact he just went reserve at a big show a few weekends ago. But since our breeder won't use him in her breeding plan, she is placing him as a pet. I will probably finish him, but then neuter and keep him as a spoiled pet.

Bonus is that I won't have to deal with a new puppy, this dog is already housebroken and has great manners, and I get an incredibly good quality dog with a ton of breeding behind him just because his brother grew up a bit better.

Lots of good breeders have older dogs that they will place in pet homes as for some reason or another they don't fit into their show/breeding plan. These dogs usually have some basic obedience, are socialized and health checked. You still get the young dog but without the baby hassles.

 

[ndelaware]

Just remember that if you want to leave the house for more than few hours you need to make arrangements for someone to care for the dog if you can't take the dog with you. We have to kennel our dog everytime we go away, even for a night. This adds as much as $300 a week to our vacation cost.

 

[goofy!]

Do NOT get a large or medium dog. You need to get a small dog. The reason being she will be able to handle a dog like that on walks. Trust me.

My dd is 13 and STILL cannot handle the 60lb dog. Probably will never be able to as he is a handful and strong.

She can handle the 40lb dog barely.

Think child, squirrel, park and dog wants to go chase squirrel. You do need muscle to handle a bigger dog.

That is my input. If you are getting a dog for an 8yo, get a dog an 8yo can handle.

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.

 

[Chelley00]

I would not be getting a dog if it was just for me.

Just be aware, that the responsibility may end up falling on you!

My kids begged and begged for a dog, swore they'd take care of it, etc. Guess who ended up taking care of the dog? Me.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

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.

Yes, I am aware of the obedience issue and understand what you are saying.

However getting a smaller dog is more managable for an 8yo. That just makes things easier on the OP and uses some common sense.

 

[moon]

It's hard to answer without knowing your circumstances (such as how much time you have to spend with the dog), but just reading about how your daughter feels I think it would be a pity to deny her growing up with a dog.

The bond, the love between a child and her dog is so special; incomparable to anything else. The memories of the warmth, the fun, the unconditional love a dog provides will be with her forever.

I agree with PP who said to get a smallish dog for her. Mild-tempered dogs are easier to deal with -for example, a Jack Russel Terrier is small, but have so much energy that they need a LOT of time, attention and excercise; otherwise they can tear a whole house down!

Dogs require a lot, but millions of people have them and wouldn't trade them for anything, and while it's true that too many animals end up in shelters due to owners who got tired of them, if your daughter has that much passion and love for them that won't happen to her dog.

And yes, the dong will end up being your responsibility, but your daughter can help as part of her chores. And you will most likely fall in love with the dog too!

 

[Myothername]

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.

I was just going to say the same thing. We have 2 Chesapeake Bay Retrievers who have been through obedience classes. We also have a mutt dog who is going to skip the beginner class and go on to the intermediate obedience class. There is no reason why an 8 year old cannot learn to control an 80 pound dog. If you do get a larger dog start out as a puppy in the puppy kindergarten classes and then work your way up. Both of you will bond with the puppy even more and the classes are lots of fun.

Having had pure bred and mutt dogs I can honestly say there is good and bad in both. I prefer pure breds because I love chessies. But when we found Biscuit, lab/blue heeler mix, she just melted our hearts. She is really smart, smarter than the chessies. But since she was a stray we spent quite a bit on medical care for her when we found her. Also we are lucky in that she is a docile and submissive dog. You don't always know what you are getting with a mutt. Then again there are chessies who are aggressive as well. It is all in the breeding.

Depending on the size of the dog you may need a fenced yard. Please don't try to raise a large dog in an apartment. It really is not fair to the dog and you will not like it at all. If you decide on a pure bred dog do your research. Take your time. Then find a good breeder. Please, please don't buy one from a pet store. I can't totally count out ads in the paper but you have to ask lots of questions such as how many dogs do you have, how many litters do you have a year, etc. Also you need to see the mom, and dad if possible, and see where they are being kept. You don't want to get a back yard breeder.

 

[Magpie]

The thing is, having a puppy is like having a baby. It's sleepless nights and headaches and bouts of irrational anger that you can't act on, because after all, the puppy isn't being naughty when it pisses all over your shoes - it's just being a puppy. It's a work in progress. So you have to suck it up, stay calm, and stand outside in the freezing rain at 3am in the morning when you've got to be at work by 6:30.

I personally think puppy-hood is the least attractive stage of a dog's life. Sure they're all cute and cuddly, but that's just Nature's strategy to ensure you don't wring their necks.

I love my dog, don't get me wrong! But I enjoy her much more now that she's a sane, civilized adult dog, than I did when she was a puppy.

Also - about your daughter? She sounds like she needs some training, too. Biting/nipping/mouthing, etc... needs to be dealt with FIRMLY. Your daughter can't be allowed to spoil this dog. She has to understand that dogs are not people. They do best with firm boundaries, clear expectations, and training. The worst thing you can do to a dog is feel sorry for it and start treating it like a person.

I'd begin by having her watch shows like the Dog Whisperer or At the End of My Leash. Different approaches, sure, but the same basic recognition that Dogs Are Not People. Then, look into some basic puppy personality tests and be very careful which one you choose. Don't pick the neediest or most pathetic one! It's heartbreaking to have to give away - or worse, put down! - a dog with a severe personality disorder.

Good luck! A dog is a big project. But it's definitely a worthwhile one, if you're willing to commit the time and energy to it!

 

[doxdogy]

What is the personality of a Komondor? I have seen them for years on tv during Westminster Dog Show, but when we use to show never ran across any down here.

We have Komondors that we show, so are pretty experienced with raising/socializing puppies, especially with our breed. But puppies are so much work that I dread another puppy.

We recently lost our oldest Kom and the kids desperately want another one. We are seriously considering an 8 month old our breeder has. He is not quite as good as the other male in the litter, so they are willing to place him with us. There is nothing wrong with him, in fact he just went reserve at a big show a few weekends ago. But since our breeder won't use him in her breeding plan, she is placing him as a pet. I will probably finish him, but then neuter and keep him as a spoiled pet.

Bonus is that I won't have to deal with a new puppy, this dog is already housebroken and has great manners, and I get an incredibly good quality dog with a ton of breeding behind him just because his brother grew up a bit better.

Lots of good breeders have older dogs that they will place in pet homes as for some reason or another they don't fit into their show/breeding plan. These dogs usually have some basic obedience, are socialized and health checked. You still get the young dog but without the baby hassles.

 

[brandylouwho]

My husband wanted a dog for years and I resisted. Finally, about 4 years after we were married, I gave in.

I regretted that decision almost as soon as we got him (the dog--a choc lab named Astro). He was a royal pain as a puppy. The only reason I was able to get through it was because he was sooo cute. (I am convinced that is why God makes puppies so cute, so you can tolerate all the pee, poo, chewing, etc.)

But, flash forward a couple of years (yep, years not months) and I wouldn't give him up for the world. He is a big part of our family and we LOVE him. In fact, he has some joint problems and it worries me/makes me sad that we may not have him for a long time. Oh, did I mention he is a mutant that weighs nearly 140 pounds!?! We didn't expect that when we picked him out. Now he is a big ol' lazy dude.

Puppies are a pain in the back side, they require lots of work and the adult must be responsible for them. They need proper training, they cost money for food, shots, licensing, they need you to be around, you need dog sitters when you go away even for just a weekend (if you can't taken him/her along) and poop patrol sucks. My list of cons is far longer than my list of pros...but we love our Astro to death.

BTW, my 6 yr old loves dogs too. She was recently bit in the face by a German Shepard--yet they are still her favorite breed (she likes how they look).

If you are unsure about geting a dog, I'd wait and think it over longer until you are 100% commited to all that having a dog means.

 

[goofy!]

What is the personality of a Komondor? I have seen them for years on tv during Westminster Dog Show, but when we use to show never ran across any down here.

They are livestock guardian dogs to the nth degree. They are definitely NOT a breed for a first time dog owner. As our breeder likes to say, They are Komondors, they bite.

Now that (biting) is the extreme, in fact they rarely bite, but it is a reminder that while the Kom is a dog, it is almost like they are a subset of dogs. They need socialization, obedience training and consistency. This is not a dog you can let get away with anything. If you do, you will have a dangerous dog.

They are like a subset of dogs in that they were bred to be out on the putza with their flock, so have been bred to be independent thinkers. This makes them poor obedience dogs and you have to be on your toes, looking at the world through their eyes. They are also not the typical dog in that they do not have the same instinct to please their master. The human is not the dog's God like typical breeds. They are loving and affectionate, but they do not train by pleasing their master. They are more wolf or catlike in this way.

They are wonderful, wonderful family dogs, just more work than the typical dog. My dogs are sweethearts and are friendly to anybody I introduce to their flock (your family and all the animals in the household). Anybody who is introduced to their flock will get their undying loyalty and protection.

But I pity the poor person that might try to come between one of our dogs and a member of their flock. I have only seen my dogs "guard" twice in the 12 years we have had them and it is scary. They will bark and warn like a typical dog for little things, but that you don't worry too much about. However, when they are taking care of business with a more serious threat, they are completely quiet and swift. And that is the reason our breeder makes sure that new owners know what they are bringing into their household. You can be lulled into a false sense of complacency because of how mellow they are. But if they see a threat, they will take care of it. And since they are independent thinkers, they won't really care how much obedience they have had, if their assessment of the situation is different than yours, they will take care of the situation on their own terms. This is why you will never see a Komondor as a police dog. They are too independent to make good police dogs. They will never blindly follow a cop's instructions like a shepherd will.

 

[kacaju]

We have Komondors that we show, so are pretty experienced with raising/socializing puppies, especially with our breed. But puppies are so much work that I dread another puppy.

We recently lost our oldest Kom and the kids desperately want another one. We are seriously considering an 8 month old our breeder has. He is not quite as good as the other male in the litter, so they are willing to place him with us. There is nothing wrong with him, in fact he just went reserve at a big show a few weekends ago. But since our breeder won't use him in her breeding plan, she is placing him as a pet. I will probably finish him, but then neuter and keep him as a spoiled pet.

Bonus is that I won't have to deal with a new puppy, this dog is already housebroken and has great manners, and I get an incredibly good quality dog with a ton of breeding behind him just because his brother grew up a bit better.

Lots of good breeders have older dogs that they will place in pet homes as for some reason or another they don't fit into their show/breeding plan. These dogs usually have some basic obedience, are socialized and health checked. You still get the young dog but without the baby hassles.

As cute as puppies are, my daughter shows dogs and has had 3 different dogs from our breeder to train for her. these pups were 5months, 4 months and the newest one was 9 months when she came here.
I do not think I will ever get a young puppy, I love getting them as they are a bit older!! Our first one we had last summer just got her Championship!!

 

[Hillbeans]

I never owned a dog but last year, at age 38, we adopted our first dog. She was 3 at the time (a Labrador Retriever). I knew I was not a real dog person as i'd had cats my entire life, but the kids were endlessly asking for a dog and we have a big yard. I knew I couldn't handle a puppy so that was never even a consideration. I wanted a friendly dog, grown but still young, that would become a family pet. I do most to all of the walking, feeding, cleaning, etc but I knew that going in. At least she is an easy breed and since she is fully grown she doesn't need to go to the bathroom all the time and rarely has an accident.

You've gotten some great advice, good luck in whatever you decide. I agree with some of the PP's that it's nice having your children grow up with a pet - even if they only do 15% of the maintenance, it does teach them responsibility.

 

[simba928]

I was just like your daughter growing up. I LOVED all animals, never had any fears of dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. From the time I could talk I asked for a dog. 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 named her Sassy and she was my best friend for 14 years, slept with me every night (even though I was allergic to her), followed me around, we were inseperable. I now work at a humane society, have helped train search and rescue dogs, and foster animals for the shelter I work at. I am also going to school with hopes of going into animal behavior. One of the things I am most grateful to my parents for is allowing me to have my pets. They are a lot of work and, frankly, can be quite the pains in the neck, but the unconditional love (and the entertainment!) I get from them is SO worth it!

My parents knew when they got me each of my animals (the husky mix, my golden retriever/lab mix, and Sassy) that they would be the ones doing the dirty work (my mom is not an animal person and if it weren't for me we wouldn't have ANY of the pets that we've had). 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. They are A LOT of work. If you, as the parent, are willing to feed the dog, walk the dog, clean up after the dog, train the dog, etc. after the novelty wears off for your daughter (and you want a dog) then go for it! If YOU don't want to put the time and energy (and dogs take a lot of both) then don't do it. It is not fair to the dog to go to a home where all members of the family are not happy it is there. I've seen it happen ALOT where people adopt a puppy because it's cute, but don't do the research and the dog comes into a shelter when it becomes a large, clumsy, unruly teen. Most of the dogs that come into our shelter are between 6 months and a year and a half because they are no longer that cute little puppy and when they chew up your shoes or knock the neighbor kid over due to lack of training, it's not cute anymore.

If you do decide to get a dog, do your research. Most of the dogs that are surrendered to my shelter are there because the people did not do research. They want to surrender a lab because it is destructive (labs need to be given things to do and exercised and trained regularly or else they find their own things to do which usually leads to destruction) or a border collie because it is herding the kids or needs room to run (DUH! border collies are herding dogs and were bred to live on farms, they need regular exercise and it is their instinct to herd) or the Great Dane because it is too big (yes, i have had several dogs surrendered because of this reason and one was a Great Dane). Also, as PPs said, look into rescue. Millions of dogs need homes and they are not all defective. Ask anybody that has worked in a shelter for a period of time and they will gladly tell you stories about their shelter rejects (and you will be able to tell the love they have for their reject). In fact, where I work it is the joke that when an old beagle with lots of health issues comes in it is a dog for a woman that works in the front office. When I tell a dog that I would love to take them home, another kennel attendant will jump in and tell the dog "But you're not psycho enough for 'Simba's' house!" However, there are a lot of dogs there that will be perfect for your house and exactly what you are looking for. You don't necessarily have to get a small dog, either. Do your research, decide what you and your family can handle and go from there. Go to the shelter and talk to someone that works closely with the dogs daily and tell them what you are looking for and ask them to point out any dogs that they think would do well in your house. Ask them questions about the particular dog you are looking at, the breed of the dog, and dogs in general.

 

[golfgal]

Here is another thought. First off I have nothing against rescues. I have a *pound puppy* myself.

If there is a breed your daughter would really like, look into a breeder. Breeders many times *grow out* a few puppies they think will be show dogs. Sometimes for one reason or another the pup doesn't quite have what it take sto be a show dog, so the breeder will then sell it as a pet.
What is nice about this, you will be getting a nicely mannered dog that you know it's background. Like I said, I have nothing against shelter dogs, but since you are not a dog person, this may be a way to go.

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... .