I posted a while ago about Rhodesian Ridgebacks. We have since done some more research/reading and been to see a few RR experts/occasional breeders and are hooked. We had planned on getting one next Spring when youngest DS will be almost 3. However a litter is planned for the end of this year from a bitch we really like.
Its sooner than we planned and will be winter (obviously), yuk. We are experienced dog owners but have not had a puppy since having children. Is it a nightmare? Will the puppy be a real pest and get in the way and I'll feel like I don't have time to enjoy him and train him as I am too busy stopping him doing things? I don't mean to sound negative but I vaguely remember puppy-hood as being hard work, and with all the toddler paraphernalia/mess/chaos around, is it awful or perfectly manageable?
I want to be able to enjoy it and do it well, not survive it and find it stressful. I'd love to hear experiences. We have 2 DS's btw, 5 and almost 2, very used to dogs and puppies.
If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.
The doghouse
Managing a puppy and toddler/child - Ridgeback
AnnaBeginsToChange · 15/04/2013 16:05
Bump... Would be great to hear of your experiences of toddler and puppy management 
Hi,
We got our pup when DD was almost 3 (a month away from her birthday) and it was February. I actually felt like it was a really good time. With regard to the weather, yes it was no fun traisping him around the garden in the snow and rain sometimes but I actually really enjoyed how much more time we all spend outside when I knew that, ordinarily, we would be holed up inside. Also, by the time the spring/summer kicked in, he was able to come out with us or be left at home for a slightly longer time.
With regard to DD - I had thought about getting a pup the year before when she was just two and was very glad I didn't. The difference between two and three is enormous - silly things like if I wanted to take the do out in the garden I could just tell my girls where I was and they would come to the back door and call if they needed me (we have a large garden) - there is no way i would have been able to do that when they were 2 and 4 but 3 and 5 seemed so different - does that make sense?? (I also have a boy two years older) At three they really aren't toddlers any more - while you are with the dog he/she is less likely to fall and hurt them selves or need a poo now!
I guess there is never a perfect time to do anything but my children were 7, 5 & 3 when we got our dog and it was perfect all 'round. Old enough that I wasn't juggling babies and dogs and could take on small responsibilities but young enough to grow up with him and not remember a time when he wasn't in the family.
Rhodesian Ridgebacks are gorgeous btw 
Dear mummycowp, I just wanted to send you my sympathies for the hard time you are having. I can't imagine looking after a young pup with 2 small children so you are brilliantly - you really are! Is there any way you can put pup in crate in a separate room from your children to get a bit a peace? I would hope that, as puppy gets a bit bigger, it will feel a bit more relaxed and won't bark/whine/ whimper so much, so it will get a bit easier for you. Perhaps you could try getting a cheap 2nd hand playpen for pup, he might prefer it to a crate??? Anyway, the very best of luck for the next few weeks 
and 
x
We had a Ridgeback and I've got to say (as a fairly experienced dog owning family!), out of all the breeds we've had, he was by far the most work as a pup.
Even as an adult dog he was a lunatic tbh - he only quietened down when he got to about 7 or 8!
I would not have wanted to think I had small children whilst he was a young dog - we spent a lot of time on training but still had a lot of problems with play-biting, stopping him mounting everybody in sight and jumping up!
They also need a lot of exercise - but beware of letting them off the lead. Ours had perfect recall until he saw a rabbit and then he was off until he had either caught it or become too tired to chase any longer!
Another issue was that he was horrendously greedy - there is no way you could leave any kind of food/drink on the kitchen surface and leave the room without expecting it to be gone when you returned! Even the trick of english mustard sandwiches didn't deter him! And the puddles of drool on the floor near anybody eating...
They are lovely dogs though despite all this - he was a big softie, very clever, loved people and other dogs.
Great breed but I don't think I would consider another unless I had endless amounts of time to spend on training/walking. The main issue is that it's a big dog to handle if you haven't got full control.
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