Thinking of getting a dog

valkaz · February 2014

lala5507 said:

We got our dog when he was about 1.5 years old. He was already trained (although still crazy), so I have no advice on that front.

We crate him when we are not home and at night. Like I said, he was crazy when we got him. There was no way we could trust him alone in the house. He is 9 now and would probably be fine in the house when we leave but I think the crate gives him a sense of security.

He eats Nutro natural choice dog food.

I think you really need to research what kind of dog would best suit your family. Big dog? Little dog? I think labs are the most wonderful dogs in the world, but I'm a little bias.

Also, adopting is a great option if you want to bypass the puppy stage and maybe get a dog that is already at least house trained.

Labs are great family dogs because they're usually so good with kids - but they also have a lot of energy and require exercise. Ours also "retrieves" everything, and sometimes it gets on our nerves.

valkaz · February 2014

MandyMilller said:

Right, this was my concern. I just don't have the kind of job where I can run home to let a dog out or take it with me. I figured there must be other people who have dogs who work more hours than I do, especially with me being part time, but I just can't figure out how they do it. I feel bad because I can't imagine growing up without a dog, and I really would like my kids to have that experience too. But, I just can't figure out how to do it with work other than having someone come to the house, but there's no way I'll find someone who can stop in every other hour.

Our dogs are home about 9-10 hours every day, and they do fine. They're not crated, and they never have accidents in the house.

WhitneyAnne · February 2014

All I can say is that we got our dog off the euthanize list when he was about 1.5, pre kids, and he will be 8 in June. He is AWESOME and I cannot imagine our lives without him. I stay at home, so I consider him to be very low maintenance bc letting him out, cuddling, playing with him, is just another part of my day

He is super healthy-one vet bill a year. I understand people want certain breeds, and I will echo what others have said-there are still shelters/rescues out there for each breed. Try petfinder.com, plug in your zipcode and the breed. I believe labradoodles are really energetic, aren't they? No personal experience, just from what I have seen with others. Poodles are high energy dogs! Before kids, I volunteered at Animal Friends several times a week. There were always purebreds coming and going (some so fast that the website cannot be updated) You can put yourself on a list to be contacted if what you are looking for shows up (I know it many take longer). Many of these "designer mutts" are coming to shelters/rescues (yay!) when their puppy mills (grrr) are shut down. I know, because we fostered one. Not to say all of those dogs come from puppy mills either...surely there are reputable breeders too-just saying that yes, these dogs end up in shelters, too. Or the poor dog who was surrendered bc her owner redecorated her home and the dog no longer "matched the decor." YES that actually happened! So just for what it's worth-I know ppl can think shelter dogs are damaged/there for a reason/bad behavior, etc. SO not the case

Good luck with whatever you decide, and make sure it is best for the entire family (including your kitty!!)

Thinking of getting a dog

Re: Thinking of getting a dog

Choose Another Board

Search Boards