17 replies to this topic

[amyole]

This is way off topic, but has to do with pets and I know many will understand my ramblings.


This is something I have thought about for a few years, off and on, as I've watched my neighbors walk with their pooches in all kinds of weather... Do I really want to get a dog? Then, about 3 months ago, my next door neighbor came home with the most adorable dog in the whole world. I have fallen in love. I look to see when she's outside with the pup so I can make an excuse to go out and see him.

This being summer vacation, I have had more time to think about making a commitment to a dog. I've started researching all kinds of websites and reading about the best dog breeds/mixes for condo living, rescued dogs, puppy mills, AKC statements, puppy training. Like everything on the internet, you find one statement on a site that is completely refuted on another. I've started making mental plans... thinking things like, "right now, I would probably have to walk the dog instead of (fill in activity)." Since I am a teacher, I would like to get the pup now and start the bonding/training before school starts. I also think that the dog would help me say things like, "No, I can't stay after school any longer than x o'clock because I have to get home to my dog."

I have 2 cats - love bug types, but older. I know they will be upset at first, but they are able to jump up on things (to escape) the little dog I plan to get. I think that once they realize this, they might even have some fun with the dog (my first cat did this with my grandparents' toy poodle - it was very amusing to see the cat entice the dog and then the dog would be in trouble!). My older cat is a Persian and somewhat laid back; the other one is more skittish, but is a great jumper - sometimes, too much! I think that the puppy will be smaller than the cats and that will make it a little less threatening and I also want a female puppy because, based on my cats, the male is more naturally aggressive (in play) than the female - though he is definitely mellowing with age now.

After a lot of searching, I found a place in NH that has puppies. They aren't bred on-site (yes, I know what that means... but I have looked into other venues and cannot find an available puppy), but at least I have a location and person near me if anything goes wrong.

[chapchap73]

It depends on what type of dog it is if it will take to being alone. Our puppy is over a year old now, and still not what I would call super trustworthy in the house. We do not leave him alone unless he's in his crate and even then for no more than 4 hours at a time. The websites say 6 weeks will be enough to housetrain, but this can vary greatly depending on breed, size, etc. A lady from my church adopted a wonderful, friendly dog from a shelter. He is a little older so beyond the chewing stage and very trustworthy in her home; this might be a better route for you especially if you've never had a dog before. I would suggest having your neighbor with the dog stop by for a "visit" with your cats to see how they would take it before I made any concrete decision. Dogs are fabulous, but they need a lot of your undivided attention especially when they are puppies. Hope this helps!

[amyole]

My younger cat was a pound adoption and she's a wonderful kitty; I have considered an older dog but decided to go for a puppy. I know some people may not understand my reasoning, but my husband and I adopted an older sibling group for our family, so I've dealt with the aftermath of psychological and physical trauma that someone else caused. I did not get the chance to enjoy my children's babyhood and I probably will not have grandchildren. I guess that's the motivation for having a new fur baby.

[Starfire]

I can appreciate the desire to have a warm cuddly pup to add to your life. (We currently have three!) But have you ever consider adopt from a shelter? There are so many dogs winding up there due to the current economic situation. I will admit I work with a boxer rescue group so I tend to be prejudiced on the matter. And consider even adopting a slightly older dog then a puppy, as they tend to be so grateful and they do bond and adapt just as or quicker then pups. Training goes faster too! We have in the past taken in younger dogs that had been adopted as babes and there was insufficient and constant training so the folks simply couldn't cope and gave them up. A three year old would be an excellent age to focus on as they have matured and you will know pretty much what you are getting.

I grew up with and had min poos until way after I got married so I know what characters they can be. Mine were both male and female and the male lasted until he was 24 years old. He was blind and toothless at the end but he still loved to cuddle. We has two of their pups for another seven years. My husband tolerated them but asked that we get something a little more "manly" and we looked to adopt a German Shepard since that is what he had grown up with. When we went to the shelter we were too late but there was a boxer and she looked so despondent with big sad eyes and since my folks had boxers by then I was familiar with the breed to know what wonderful dogs they were for families. We have had them ever since.

Not trying to change your mind regarding breed, just please consider shelter or a breed specific rescue group. I have been with my group for nearly fourteen years. The rescue groups tend to "foster" the dog so have a better chance to match you up with the perfect one. Just a thought.

[fov]

I would strongly suggest looking at a shelter. (I adopted my dog from the Humane Society about two and a half years ago.) My local Humane Society often has tons of small dogs, "older" puppies and young dogs that need a home. It might not be the same on the east coast, but here in California the shelters are overrun with chihuahuas and chihuahua mixes... I swore I would never get a chihuahua but now that I've had one (a mix) I love them!

The good thing about this particular shelter (and I'm sure there are others like it) is they do behavioral assessments ahead of time so you know more or less the personality of the dog you're getting. Getting a dog that didn't bark was important to us and by visiting her at the shelter we were able to observe how she behaved and see that she's not a barker, and we were able to talk to the people who had been dealing with her at the shelter and read notes from her foster companion to get a much better idea of her personality and her potential issues than we would have just by "picking her out" of a group of puppies. (She had spent time at San Quentin prison in a foster program they have there - my dog has been to the big house!!) You might also be able to find out if the dog has a history with cats or has been observed around cats.

A rescue dog still needs time to get used to the house and bond but if the dog's already housebroken and/or has had some training it makes your job easier in the beginning. You'll also have a better idea of how the dog deals with staying home alone. Puppies are puppies for a long time - they're not truly settled down until they're about two years old - and if you have to go back to school two months from now and start leaving the dog home alone it could make your training much harder. Also if you get a dog that's a little older you'll know about health problems that tend to appear in the first 1-2 years of life (and that can unfortunately be more common if the dog comes from an irresponsible breeding situation).

Anyway, we all have our own personal experiences and I know plenty of people get puppies and do just fine. But adopting from a shelter was a wonderful experience for me - I would absolutely do it again. (By the way - Rosy was about one when we got her and she's incredibly playful. I don't feel like we've missed out on her "childhood" at all... just the obnoxious parts like chewing and potty training!)

The other things I would suggest are getting pet insurance and looking into training classes. My dog has been taking classes at the Humane Society since we got her. She's learned a lot (much more than I could have taught her on my own, I wouldn't have even known how!) and it's great bonding for the two of us. We have taken small dog classes where she gets to socialize with other little dogs, agility, "Good Citizen" class where she learned to behave nicely out in the community (outdoor malls, etc.) - it's great stimulation for the dog and has turned out to be lots of fun. Also my spouse and I read a few of the Cesar Milan books and watched some of his DVDs before we adopted her, and those were helpful for knowing what to look for when we adopted and also for "getting off on the right foot" with the training. I highly recommend those!

If you're curious, in the first year of having my dog I spent about $3000 on her. It's been a bit less since then but we're probably spending at least $2000 a year on the dog. (It would be much more if she were bigger and ate more food!) Just an FYI.

(I can't help it, I'm attaching a couple of pics - one of Rosy in her crate the week we got her, when she was a skinny scrawny little thing, and another that's more recent, after we "fattened her up." She was only 10 pounds when we got her and is now almost 15, and that's what the vet says she should be.)

[A. Wright]

I hate to beat you to death with it, but please consider a local shelter / breed specific rescue. We've adopted our (now passed) older dog from a wonderful breed-specific rescue who helped us match her personality to our home and it as a beautiful friendship that I still miss to this day. The lady who ran the rescue knew all the dogs and the transition could not have been better. Many of these rescues will arrange for transportation all over the country, ours has contacts all over and volunteer shuttle runs from points.

I know there is a perception that these animals are at shelters because they're poorly behaved, but more often than not right now it's due to people being forced from their homes and/or not being able to provide for them.

My girl was a beautiful retired pro sled racing dog, the owner passed away and we brought home a completely trained gentle giant. She did great with our 2 cats (like the rescue gal said she would) and even provided those spoiled ladies with baths (poor kitties covered in doggy slobber).

[Starfire]

To check what a good breed specific rescue does and what a site would look like, go to my group's. It is for boxers (and I know that is not your kind of dog!) but it will give you an idea of what you can expect. It is http://www.secondchanceboxer.com . Take a look around and if you have any questions, contact me off line. You can do an on line search for the breed you want and research there. Now I will get off my soapbox! Good luck with your hunt!

[Mary11]

Sounds like you've made the decision. I have three. Two Boston Terriers and a Chihuahua. The are both great breeds. The cats will adjust. You're right, they can get away when they don't want to be bothered or have had enough. Be careful if you are getting a mill puppy. They tend to have more health problems than bred on site pups. A lot of people on here have suggested animal rescue, which is a wonderful option. You know what you're getting, if they get along with cats, fears... There are so many dogs available out there. Summer's still early so take your time. Two of mine are crated when I'm at work. My 6 year Bostie gets to be out and about in the house as he has finally earned the title: Trustworthy. Good luck with your search for your new friend. Keep us posted. I want to see pics when you get your new pup/dog.

[Mad for Mod]

We got our dog through ARPO Alliance for Responsible Pet Ownership. She's a mutt and was three months old when we got her. Although we missed the tiny puppy stage, she was still a puppy and was already potty trained, micro chipped and fixed. The has turned out to be the best dog EVER! Most full breed dogs tend to have health problems of some kind. I suggest adopting one from a shelter or an alliance that fosters animals instead of breeding them.

[rbytsdy]

Congrats on being a future dog-owner! My two are bully-dogs from the rescue shelter, and they're spoiled rotten. We are not cat-people... In fact, I'm pretty sure some of us have eaten cats... Wherever you acquire your new little guy, it'll be alot of fun!

[havanaholly]

Both of our beagles came from breeders and were "accidents" (the breeders didn't know which male sired the litters, so couldn't register the puppies nor bring themselves to destroy the litters). Please don't even consider a puppy mill; one of our good friends has a toy poodle she got that was a puppy mill dog, and he has issues like you wouldn't believe! If DH & I ever decide to stop traveling and get another dog we shall definitely adopt from a shelter!

[heidiiiii]

You should find out if there is Doggy Daycare in your area. Two of my neighbors use it. They do not send the dogs every day but each sends their dogs twice a week. The dogs get some exercise, interaction, and doggy playdates.

I have a chihuahua, a Morkie (maltese/yorkie) and a puggle.

Perla and Ruby


Lu

[amyole]

Yes, Buttons will definitely go to doggie day care for the important socialization. I know that Mondays are my longest day at school because we always have meetings after classes that day, so that will definitely be the day and I might do one more during the week - I'm afraid it will be too long a week for her if she doesn't have something to do. (This is so funny for me because my children never went to day care, so talking about my dog going makes me chuckle!!)

[amyole]

Update: Buttons is going to be 6 months old tomorrow! I cannot believe how much I ADORE her. Having a puppy has really reduced my mini-time, but I know that when she gets a little older I will have more time to work on my projects (especially with school back in session, too, it's been tough to get a spare moment for the dh in-progress). I love spending all my time with this dog. I could never have imagined this. I have always had cats and loved them, but this relationship is very different. She loves people and other dogs, too.

[New Day]

Amy, that's great! Happy Half Birthday to Buttons!
We have cats and dogs and love them both, but yes, there is something special about the way dogs feel about us.
Have to add, one of our cats could be a dog - she is the most attentive, loving and easy going cat ever!

[Dalesq]

Dogs are the best! We've had cats, and they have their own charm, but I will always have dogs in my life, and haven't gotten another cat since our last one died a few years ago at the age of 19. I don't miss the litter box.

[Lady Grey]

Oh my, forgive me for giggling, but when I read your title, I thought you were telling us that someone called you a dog, and that you wanted advice as how to handle them! LOL - sorry for the misunderstanding.


Anyway, I am a real dog lover, but my favorite and soul breed is the retired Greyhound. I have found more pleasure and sweetness from the Greyhound than any other. And by the way, they do GREAT with apartment life and most are cat-friendly. They are tested for cat freindliness before they are adopted out. It is stated in their paperwork. But if you are a small dog lover, than that sounds wonderful as long as your cats are ok with it. I have found some cats impatient with new puppies - unless you are gonig to adopt from a shelter. I am sorry I did not read all the other posts that responded to your initial one. I guess I would say that as long as there is harmony in the house with the others, it sounds great. Good success with you decision.

[amyole]

One of my cats is a really good sport with the puppy. When they play - albeit in different languages - the cat plays "tag" while the dog runs like crazy around the house. Then they will play chase. The dog doesn't always understand that the cat won't play like a dog, but they have worked it out, since the cat can always jump out of range. The older kitty laid down the law a couple of weeks ago - I think he gave the puppy some time to grow up. Neither cats have claws, so they cannot do much damage. They will all sit with/near me on the couch at night. Even the old kitty has figured out that the dog is not so much of a threat, just an annoyance (typical cat attitude, eh?).