Tell Me About the Responsibilities of Owning a Puppy

[diznee25]

Hi All!

I've been wanting to adopt a chihuahua for a few years now, and have come to a point, (I think!), where I'm ready. It's just me and my husband. And our 2 cats who are 3 years old.

I prefer to adopt a puppy, and want to make sure I know all the responsibilites that come with that. My husband and I both work night shift, will a puppy adapt to this schedule?

Please tell me everything about the care of a puppy! How was your experience? Was there something you wish you had or you knew when your dog was a pup? How do I introduce a puppy to my cats?

One of my main concerns is leaving the puppy alone while we're at work. While it's still young, I plan on coming home during my break to play with the puppy and let it outside for "business time." Will that be enough though? Will the puppy bark the entire time we're gone because it misses us? We live in a condo and have people above us, and beside us, so we don't want to annoy our neighbors with our dog.

Sorry this was long, but we can use any information you have to offer!

thanks,
Michelle

 

[mommytotwo]

A new puppy is great, it's small and loveable, but you have to think of everything else. All dogs are different but if your dog likes to bite and rip things apart, you will have to watch what you have around your condo especially when you are not at home. Our puppy had gotten sheets, jackets, shoes, slippers, pillows, bed spreads... Chihuahuas have a high pitched bark, so you will have to try and train your dog to stay on the quiet side if you don't want it to bother your neighbors especially when the cat approaches and he or she doesn't like the idea.
All of our dogs had taken in our kittens very well since we had put them together at a young age, but when we had it the opposite way of our grown cats liking our puppies, it didn't go so well, but you may have more luck with your cats. Just hold your cats and puppy and have them sniff each other out and if they are willing to go close to each other without hurting each other let them play. Good luck with your new puppy.

 

[Shel]

Congratulations on your decision to get a puppy. May I suggest you try your local animal/rescue shelter first?

Puppies are a lot of work, but also a lot of joy. I suggest getting a crate for the puppy to be in while your gone. While it sounds cruel, it really is supposedly very comforting to them. I never had one for my pup, but really regretted it. Put a couple chew toys & a blanket with your scent on it, in the crate.

Puppies love to chew, chew, chew...and will chew anything & everything.

Frequent potty breaks are the key, and lots & lots of praise! Unlike cats, or at least my cats, puppies/dogs thrive on love & attention. Cats are more independant, while pups want all of your attention.

Introduce puppy to your cats in a controlled invironment. If they are not declawed then you'll have to supervise their together time so the puppy doesn't get hurt, yet learns respect for the cats.

There will most likely be "accidents". Don't scold or hit. Just clean it up & put the puppy out side. They will quickly learn.

Puppy proofing your house is similar to baby-proofing it. Anything you don't want chewed needs put up. There are sprays you can buy to spray on chair legs, etc.

Remember, antics that you think are cute when done by a puppy may not be as cute when done by an adult dog - chewing, jumping, biting you, nipping your heels. PetSmart offers puppy training, and it's a wonderful way to discipline your pup.

Above all else have fun!

 

[Shugardrawers]

You want my honest opinion? I don't think your lifestyle right now would accomodate a puppy. Puppies cry when you aren't home until they get used to it. Some never get used to it. Being that you are gone at night that can really annoy the neighbors! Enough that in a few weeks when you've become attached either you or the puppy will need to find a new home. Coming home on break is great but puppy bladders are pretty small. I doubt your puppy can hold it that long. If you want to go out of town you'll need to board your puppy which can be very stressful for them or find a way to take them with you. If you do much running around on your day off or before you go to work the puppy is alone even more. Imagine, you get off work, come home, sleep for a few hours then get up and have to run a few errands. How much time did the puppy get with you? An hour? Dogs in general are best suited to families where someone is almost always there. They are high maintenance animals. You might want to think about finding daycare for your puppy while you are at work. Maybe a friend or neighbor? Otherwise, you might want to think about sticking with a cat until you at least have a house rather than an apt where the neighbors won't be disturbed.

 

[diznee25]

Shugardrawers,

I do respect your opinion, but if you don't mind I have a few questions.

Coming home on break is great but puppy bladders are pretty small. I doubt your puppy can hold it that long.

What difference does it make if I'm working night shift or day shift for this problem? Do people who buy puppies take a month off of work to house train 24/7?

I know for a fact many people on the disboards are apartment dwellers who own small dogs. The lifestyle of a small dog fits well into an apartment type living. Because whether I'm in a house or apartment, I do have a full time job just as every other dog owner.

For those who raised puppies, how much time is needed for care? I personally work with a woman who adpoted a small puppy. She was only able to visit the dog during her lunch hour. Nobody can possibly leave work for more time than that!!

Michelle

 

[Shugardrawers]

My concern about working nights isn't so much about housebreaking as it is that if your puppy cries because he's alone it's going to be in the middle of the night when the neighbors are trying to sleep. I think they'd be more cranky about it in the middle of the night than during the daytime. If he has the company of your cat that may help a lot. Housebreaking is a longer process for people who work full days. Doesn't matter whether that's at night or during the day. Guess I wasn't clear about that. Anyway, only you know what your lifestyle really is and whether you have time to raise and train a puppy. I was just pointing out that dogs in general and puppies in particular are high maintenance and not everyone realizes just how much quality time they really need.

 

[stormi65]

We have a new puppy and they are much more work than the 3 cats we already have. I think the PetSmart puppy training is a good idea. I am planning on doing that with our pup.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[diznee25]

Shugardrawers,

Thanks for clearing that up. I've talked to my husband about the things you mentioned, it's really got us thinking!

I am researching all I can about house breaking puppies. I want to know everything before I make that lifetime comintment.

Thanks again
Diznee25

 

[wdwnutze]

Puppies are a lot of work. I would definately go with a crate. The puppy likes to have their own spot and it keeps them safe when you aren't home. As for crying at night because they miss you - a puppy will cry at night anyway if you're there or not. No one stays up all night to be with their puppy. A crate with a few toys and something with your scent on it is a good idea. My puppy loved to sleep with my DH's shirt. I would do a lot of research on the breed of dog you want. Try to find one that might not be very vocal. Training is another great idea. Puppies need lots of love and attention. Maybe you could try to get one when you and your DH could arrange some vacation time from work. That way you could get a routine established. Good luck!

 

[poohtown]

Just curious why a puppy? Is it because you think it's more playful or easier to adjust to the cats? These are real questions not sarcastic in anyway (sometimes people read things wrong so I don't want you to get upset).

We adopted a young dog (pom/chi mix) who was going to be put to sleep. This was the best thing for us because)

1. we already knew her temperment to children/other dogs and cats (the house she was in before we had her had dogs and cats)

2. she was completely trained - had no accidents, had no problem be left alone

3. she was very grateful to be adopted. She adores us and is still very playful with us as well as our other animals.

I've had more people adopt a dog after seeing her than you can image. Just something to think about.


If you've never had a dog, just know that puppies are alot of work. Besides the bathroom accidents, you will be dealing with chewing (furniture, shoes, etc.) and probably barking (our neighbors just got a puppy who howls all day long) Our first dog was still a puppy and he was a constant 'work in progress'. He chewed the legs on our dining room table, clawed the woodwork on the window ledges, ripped up sections of the carpet, all destroyed a door. Not that I didn't love him but he couldn't be alone for a minute without getting into something. Yes, he was crated when I was gone but I'm saying I couldn't even take a shower without him getting into trouble.

Like I said it's something to think about.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Puppies might cry at night for hours if they are lonely or have to potty, when you first get them. That does pass after awhile.

Since you have 2 cats I say get 2 dogs. Otherwise the puppy will want to constantly play with the cats. In general a 3yo cat isn't up for puppy antics.

Have you socialized your cats to dogs? I think this will be your bigger stumbling block. Perhaps you can "borrow" a friends dog and bring it on "their turf" and see the cats reaction. Some cats could care less & some HATE dogs. Do you know which category your cats fall under? Remember it has to be in "their house" that you see their reactions.

Good Luck!

 

[poohtown]

p.s.

if you go on Petfinder.com you'll be able to find alot of information about puppies/dogs and you could look into adopting from your state. They have links to shelters as well as message boards from people getting rid of pets for whatever reason.

 

[HauntedMansionGeek]

What great questions you've asked!

Personally, we've found dogs to be needy for more attention than we were able to afford at the time. Both my husband and I worked full time +++. It felt cruel to us to spend so little time with the little guy so we let our small dog go to a home where there would be more interaction with people.

Cats are easier because they're more able to adapt to being alone for longer periods of time, say all day or sometimes a day or two if enough food and water is left for them.

The responsibilities go much further than just food and shelter for a pet. They should include the willingness or ability to sacrifice time to actually BE with the animal.

Our pets are our companions, in owning one, we make ourselves their companions.....

 

[Jockaroo]

Please consider Petfinder.org as another poster mentioned. I adopted a 4 year old Scottie I found on petfinder. She is a dream. As an adult dog, she was a better mix for our family since we had an adult dog already, who I was worried would not be tolerant of puppy antics.

That said....
Please consider where you get your dog. You mentioned a chihuahua. If you decide on a puppy, do your homework on the breeder. These tiny toy dogs (and any dog) can suffer detrimental health issues if they are not well-bred. Find a dog show in your area. Ask the people showing chihuahuas about the breed. These are typically honest people. They have a love for the breed and want the dogs in good homes. They might recommend a quality breeder or have a non-show dog (pet quality) for sale. Don't buy a pet from a pet store that sells animals! You are asking for trouble. Before buying a dog from an ad in the paper, find out what other breeds of dogs the breeder has. Quality breeders rarely breed more than 2 types of dogs. Breeding too many types of dogs is a red flag!

As far as puppies....
We got Mac from a breeder (newspaper ad--we didn't know better, but were very lucky) who was very good. He was 15 weeks old. Scotties are independent and we saw little crying our first few weeks. I was not working at the time (ideal situation) and walked him at least every 90 minutes. He trained quickly due to his age and our dilegence. Can't address your cat issue. Think of all factors before getting a dog. It is a lifetime commitment.

 

[diznee25]

Thanks for all the advice everyone!

You bet I'm researching every aspect of this! My husband and I both may have jobs, but we are home bodies and hardly socialize at all on the weekends. I know the misconception about night shift employees is that we're busy all the time, but that's not true for us. After getting home from work at night, we stay up for 3 hours before we go to bed. And in the morning we awake at 10am and have 5 hours to play with our cats until we go to work. (We don't run errands during the week.) That's Mon-Thurs. On our weekends, Friday thru Sunday, we are home bodies and only go to maybe dinner and a movie. And of course to run errands.
So we actually may spend more time with our pets then the average day shift working person.

As for choosing a puppy: As most know, Chihuahuas are in high demand. It's actually very rare to see an adult chihuahua for sale, or for adoption at the rescue shelters. (I've been looking at our local rescue shelter for the past year, haven't seen a chihuahua there.) But that's not really the reason I want a puppy anyway. We got our cats as kittens because we wanted to raise them with our ideals, and watch them grow up in our family. So I want the same for a dog.

For some families an adult dog will fit in. I believe a puppy is a better fit for us. Trust me, I realize a puppy is A LOT OF WORK, but that was my reason for starting this thread in the first place! I have realitives who own puppies and dogs, so even though I've never owned one, I've been around them. An old friend of my even has a chihuahua who I was constantly around a few years ago. Her chihuahua made me fall in love with the breed!

I just purchased the book, 'Chihuahua for Dummies', and am reading it now. It has a great chapter on where to purchase or adopt chihuahuas. Not getting one at the pet store in the Malls! i've heard they get their animals from puppy mills, which I don't approve of.

Thanks for taking the time to post and share your experiences. It's helped me a lot, and by the time I get a puppy, I'll be better prepared for how to handle everything.

michelle

 

[HauntedMansionGeek]

I used to think chihuahuas were yappy little biting machines but over the past few years have gotten to "know" several little darling ones.....they're very sweet little dogs!

what fun you'll have when you get your new little guy *sounds like that's the direction you're leaning!* LOL

 

[mickeysaver]

I love our Chihuahuas! We just added another pup to our pet clan. We have 4 adult cats, 2 adult Chihuahuas, 2 Asian Firebellied Toads, 1 Hamster, and our new Chihuahua pup.

If there is one piece of advice that I found to be the most valuable, it is to buy and read the book Chihuahuas for Dummies cover to cover before you bring that pup home.

Chihuahuas are such great little dogs. We have a Pack and Play that we keep our pup in. We have a puppy pad on one side and her blankets on the other. It works well. The Pack and Play was only about $15 at a thrift store. The blankets came from a yard sale and most of her toys are from yard sales too. Her collar is actually a ferret collar and she wears teddy bear sweaters from Michaels.

She finally topped 2 lbs, so we have taken the food and water out of her bed. Now, house breaking is going much better. Until they top the 2 lbs mark, they have the potential for major blood sugar drops. So, they have to have food available 24/7.

Anyway, I never really thought that I would want a Chihuahua, but they are just great companions. We love them all. Good luck! Maggie