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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Indoor Pet People
Can you give me the pros and cons of indoor pets?
I haven't had a pet since I was little. DH had pets but they were always outdoors. I think I would like a dog, but our yard isn't fenced. I have found some at animal shelters that I think would be a good fit for us. I'm looking for info on things like frequency of walks, average vet bills, or anything else you can tell me.
Also, I'm not rushing out and getting one this weekend. I'm thinking about volunteering at an animal shelter on weekends just to get a better idea of what I might be getting into.
Re: Indoor Pet People
Now that I have indoor dogs, I can hardly imagine having outdoor dogs again!
Pearl is about 9 months old and she still needs to be taken out a lot. We still keep puppy pads in the house just in case we are gone longer than expected. The older dogs are much more scheduled than she is and can go longer periods of time without going outside.
One thing that may be a deal breaker for some is the cleanup from an indoor dog. We sweep, vacuum and clean floors a lot, but once you get into the habit it's not a big deal. Also, you would have to set boundaries on where your dogs can go (on the couch or not, on the bed or not, etc). We have a baby gate at the base of the stairs to keep the dogs out of carpeted bedrooms.
The initial vet bills will be more because of shots and a possible spay or neuter, but after that the monthly heartworm, flea and tick meds aren't bad.
Good luck on finding a puppy!
Having an indoor dog is great. I love my Bogie boo, and couldn't imagine it any other way. However, I can't think of set pro's or con's for our situation, but I can just tell you the current state of things
In general, indoor doggies and kitties are overall happier, healthier, and cleaner. Your vet bills will be lower because they can't get into as much mischief indoors as they could in the back yard, and they develop a much closer relationship with you and your dh. In my family's case, Bogie helped mine and jason's relationship as well, because it was one more common interest that we had and something we could love together.
However, the cons are shedding, especially if you or your dh have allergies. If you get a baby, housebreaking will be an issue if you get a puppy, and cleaning the litter box/cage will ALWAYS be an issue if you get a kitty, bird, hamster, bunny, whatev. You have to take them into consideration when you use certain cleaning products and whether or not they're going to possibly irritate your dog's skin or worse- poison them. If you have hardwoods, they can scratch them up if you don't keep their nails clipped. You also have to be careful of what kind of potted plants you keep in the house, because if your pet gets into them it could hurt them.
And....to add onto AM's post...remember that you might not always get to keep an item that you love for your house for fear of the animal destroying it....
like say....
a rug....
LOL
Ditto Bethany, I can't imagine having a totally outdoor dog.
One thing I truly believe works beyond belief with dogs is crate training. Especially if they're indoor dog(s). We started training chopper when we first got him, and now he loves his crate, it's his little home. We put him in there predominately when we're not home. He's full grown, and doesn't tear anything up, it just gives him a sense of boundaries. Plus it helps out A LOT when potty training them. They have to go outside a lot when there puppies but as they get older, they won't use the bathroom in there crates unless they absolutely have too. Dogs don't poop where they sleep, LOL.
Normally, dogs aren't too expensive as they get older. Once you get over the shots and spay/neuter, they're not that expensive.
If you get a short haired dog, cleanup from them isn't as bad as a long haired pup.
GL on your search and KUDOS to you for adopting a puppy.
LOL! awww... sadness... =(
Thought I'd chime in on this one.
Animals are dirty... but I wouldn't trade them for the world. The cats litter box makes the house a lot dustier than it would be if we didn't have one. We vacuum 3-4 times a week and its amazing how much dog/cat fur we suck up...and dusting is never ending. So if you're prone to allergies, then it may not be the 'thing' for you. You also have to keep in mind that you may end up limiting the guests that can come over to your house because of allergies.
Scout is a 2 1/2 year old dog that we were VERY VERY VERY lucky with - he never pooped/peed in the house and crate training only lasted a few months because he outgrew his crate. but he's a smart dog and learned to not "go" in the house. He has had 2 accidents - and that was when he ate something too rich for his tummy.
We have taken him to obedience school though. He's a mostly indoor dog, but every night he is exercised and played with outside - playing fetch... walking would NEVER wear him out like running around fetching does.
The pitfalls? our house is brand new - 1 1/2 years old and the HW floors are scratched up even though we get Scout's nails filed down every 1-2 weeks (FIL has a nail grinder thing). It just sucks...
The shedding is never ending but we also have a german shepherd dog - and they pretty much shed 365 days a year.
Also consider dog breeds when you're looking for a puppy. Some "high risk" dogs - pit bulls, rottweilers, etc will also cause your renters/home owners insurance to go up.
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11627358&mtf=1
This one is at the top of my list. She's just so darn cute! I have a friend who has a lhasa apso. I may ask her for advice. I'm also still doing research.
There is also a dachsund (spelling) mix I like. I read they don't have a "dog" smell.
I read something that said they sometimes think they are the leader of the human and get territorial. The barking is because they are trying to get the humans attention. It also said that if you let them know you are in charge it usually isn't a problem. The article made it seem like that was the problem with kids too. I definitely need to research that more.
they were bred to be personal guard dogs for royalty - so they are more apt to bark...
and I'll never forget this - "Willfully disobedient" is one of their traits...they are really sweet when they want to be, but can be a real pain...
I also remember Roxy being very "cat" aggressive but it could be a territorial, preditor thing too...and you're absolutely right, training and the way you handle your dog has everything to do with how your dog acts...but somethings, in my opinion, just can't be out trained from the natural breed instinct...
Overall Roxy was a very sweet dog though...
It says she is a mix, she may be part shih tzu. That is the biggest problem I've found with adopting. It is so hard to research.
Given the number of dogs that come thru my tiny house every year (and even the ones who never leave!) I'm probably not the best to answer the pros and cons part. I will say good for you for 1) considering a homeless pet and 2) considering an "older" (not a tiny puppy) dog.
Good luck!
Leopard in Acacia Tree, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania 2009
Crafty Owl Blog
We have three indoor dogs and while it is a lot of work, it is ALWAYS worth it.
Here are my cons:
-Shedding. My dogs aren't breeds that typically shed a lot but we still have fur in our house, it is bound to happen. All dogs will lose fur for some reason or another sometimes, regardless of if they do not "shed" or not.
-Accidents. We've had our fair share of accidents and while it is possible to get the smell/stains out, it is tricky.
-Indoor dogs need a LOT of exercise outside. Lots and lots of walks. It isn't a con, necessarily, but it is very time consuming.
-Getting into stuff. Indoor dogs will get into anything and everything and destroy stuff in matter of seconds. Ours have destroyed: clothing, computer/cell phone/lamp chords, blinds, chairs (the bottom rungs), rugs, shoes...and they really are well behaved dogs! They were just puppies.
Pros:
-Always have someone to cuddle with!
-Someone is always there to greet you at the door when you get home.
-Protection.
-The love that they give and the fulfillment you will get from having them and loving them is something that can't even be described!
In my opinion, it is not ok to have an outside pet. The conditions (weather) can be rough on dogs, they are a part of the family, they deserve to be in the house just like everyone else and they are safer and healthier when they are indoors.
TI, IUIs, IVF = c/ps and BFNs
We adopted an indoor cat (2 years old) back in April. It does cost money, there is extra cleaning, but I love Lily to pieces. And best of all, she needed us-she was at the Humane Society since January, and it felt great to give her a home.
She gets weird bursts of energy and 'sprints' around occasionally but, that's a cat thing...lol. She's very affectionate, loves it when we get home, and has helped our relationship since we've never taken care of anything together before.
Basically, her box needs cleaning a lot, but it's not bad-it's out of the way and she's never had an accident. There was some confusion right after we got her with a tracking mat she didn't like-but she was adjusting to her new home and when we took it away she was totally fine with her box and we have never had a mess on our nice floors. (yay Lily! lol. knocking on wood)
The biggest thing is the cleaning becaise all the shedding. But, dustbusters, lint rollers, and a good vacuum help all that. (We need a new vacuum anyhow, so that'll be a good investment when we get to that ). She just lays on certain things often and they have to be dealt with on a regular basis.
Overall I am so glad we have her because we had no choice but to have an indoor animal (in a condo). A lot of people in our complex have dogs, and we don't have yards so they are indoors too. My best friend has a happy indoor dog as well.
The biggest thing is safety. My childhood cat was injured and I was just devastated at the time because it was due to her being outdoors. I told myse;lf then I'd only have my own indoor pets. She recovered completely, luckily- but I don't want Lily to lose any of the 'nine lives' so to speak.
I think it's really good that you are looking into adopting an older dog instead of a puppy. While puppies are cute (and I've had my cocker spaniel since she was 6 weeks) a lot of the headaches and expense of owning a dog come from the first few months!
If you get a dog that is older and already housetrained, seems like you would bipass a lot of that.
I grew up with indoor/outdoor dogs. My 6-year-old cocker spaniel is completely an indoor dog and now I can't imagine having it any other way. It's so nice to have her there welcome me the second I walk in the door, to have her roll around in bed with me in the morning or give me a morning lick. She loves going outside on walks, but otherwise she has no interest in going out otherwise unless it's to do her business.
I would highly suggest researching dog breed personality types and visiting with dogs at the shelter or a rescue group to find out what that particular dog likes/dislikes. You may be able to find out more information about what a dog is like that is in a foster home because his foster family will know him well.
As far as cleanup - my dog is a long haired dog and I don't notice a lot of shedding or anything like that until I sweep behind the furniture. Otherwise, it's not a problem for us.
Also, when I was researching dog types I knew I wanted a cocker spaniel because (while some have been overbred and have their character defects) they are very loyal and loving dogs who don't need a ton of exercise and are mostly laid back.