Criteria to get a dog

[decisionsdecision]

I've seen quite a few threads the last couple of weeks with OPs talking about their search for a dog or wanting to discuss dog ownership to be met with hostility on their threads. It makes me genuinely curious about what MN views as the criteria to own a dog?
So far it seems you can't get a mixed breed
You can't get a pedigree
You can't work
You can't have any other animals
You can't adopt
You can't get a puppy
You can't have a child
You can't live anywhere other than countryside with acres of land

This doesn't leave a lot to work with really so what is the suggestion from those that hold these views?

[june2007]

I would ignore that however you do need....
Time. (To wlk the dog give it attention.)
Money. (To pay bills/insurance/equipment.)
To do your homework (Different dogs have different needs and suit different people.)
Space... (But that doesn,t mean you can,t have a dog in flat but do need to consider which breed is best suited and what outside space you do have.)

[decisionsdecision]

@june2007 those things are totally sensible and measured. I think everyone would expect things like that and quite rightly they should be reminded of that when looking for a dog but normally this isn't good enough for the Mumsnet crowd

[Girliefriendlikespuppies]

Ha op I agree with you, we got a lovely puppy from pets4homes, he was from a local surprise litter and is a mix breed. We dote on him and he's the perfect dog for us, I've stayed in touch with the family we got him from and they love getting updates about him.

Honestly the reaction I get from mentioning how we got him on this forum you'd think would be reserved for criminals!!

[3teens2cats]

There isn't a one size fits all approach. Dogs have needs and that will vary depending on the breed. Everyone's circumstances will be different too. You need to be sure you can meet those needs, that's what is important. Dogs are a long term commitment. It's like having another child in many ways.

[decisionsdecision]

@Girliefriendlikespuppies you awful awful person how dare you get a puppy! And how dare you get one from online!
It's absolutely ridiculous

[Sitdowncupoftea]

@decisionsdecision Ignore the hostility it's usually the same people doing it. Unfortunately there are people in this world that love to pull others down. Get a dog that fits in with your family and lifestyle.

[dobbyssoc]

Tell me about it And if you have a child when dog is in situ you must get rid of the dog straight away as there will never ever be a dog that can be around children

[mencken]

it is simple. For 15 years (maybe less) you promise:

• to walk it as much as it needs even if that affects your schedule
  
• to accept that it will restrict your life; need to get home for the dog, can't go to certain places, may not be welcome at friends houses
  
• to pay vet bills without complaint
  
• to carry bags of warm shit about until you reach either a dog waste bin or your own bin
  
• never to let it annoy anyone by barking. Any more than a brief bark is UNACCEPTABLE. Not every time someone passes by, not for 'an hour or so'; keep it company or send it to daycare.
  
• to accept responsibility instantly if someone complains about barking, and do something about it.
  
• to keep it on a lead at all times when out of your house/garden except in designated off lead areas. These are not public roads (road traffic act 1988) however little traffic there is
  
• when it is off lead in a public place, to have it trained and under total control
  
• if it does go nuts or you can't control it, and it attacks or threatens someone, to have it destroyed without argument. Not ignore the warning letter, let it attack again and thus waste police time. And the time of the person it attacked.
  

as long as you are prepared to do all those things, go for it.

[LemonadeStrawberry]

I love cockerpoos.

Apparently this makes me a fool

[BiteyShark]

There are always extremes in views. I have looked on some of the parenting threads (I am childfree so only look and run) and some of them seem a lot more scary than the doghouse

[decisionsdecision]

@mencken not sure if you're being sarcastic?

@LemonadeStrawberry I have a couple of cockapoos which makes me the devil apparently

[dodgeballchamp]

You can get a mixed breed or a puppy but you should visit it at its home before buying to see the conditions it’s kept in and the health of the parents. I got my chihuahua from Pets4Homes but visited the home first to ensure it was being raised in a loving home and not a puppy farm. I was also able to see the mum and uncle, aunt and grandma so I could see he was from a line of healthy chihuahuas who didn’t appear to have visible defects of the breed (eyes too bulgy, heads too big etc).

If you’re adopting the shelter may have stricter criteria about what kind of home the dog can live in, but this is as much for your benefit as the dog, to ensure it’s the right dog for you, as much as seeing if you’re the right home for the dog. Yes, it’s better to adopt if you can but personally I don’t see too much of a problem with buying a puppy that was ethically bred and raised, and is a breed that won’t be likely to have health issues. I also have an adopted pug, I love pugs but wouldn’t have bought a puppy pug as the breed comes with so many issues like severe breathing problems.

[vanillandhoney]

I don't think anyone agrees with all of that, but I do think the following applies:

You can't get a pedigree - I've never really seen this. But I do think it's important to be aware about where your dog is coming from - their health, their breeding, the breeds general temperament and what health checks are necessary.

You can't work - I don't think working full-time and owning a dog is compatible unless you can afford daycare or regular visits from a dog walker, or of course you work from home/can take the dog with you. Dogs deserve more than being left home alone for 8+ hours a day while you're at the office.

You can't have any other animals - of course this isn't true, but it's important to recognise the needs of your existing animals first. A terrified house cat plus a dog isn't going to a great combination, after all.

You can't adopt - some people are wary about rescues, especially in cases where you know nothing about the animals history or temperament (for example when people import dogs from abroad).

You can't get a puppy - Of course people will advise rescue because there are lots of young dogs/pups in rescue centres, but that doesn't mean you can never get a puppy.

You can't have a child - small children and young dogs/puppies aren't always the best combination. Both require you to have eyes in the back of your head, both are fast and can be clumsy and unpredictable. Sometimes it's better to save yourself the stress!

You can't live anywhere other than countryside with acres of land - definitely never heard this, just people acknowledging that certain breeds won't cope with stairs, and that living on the 3rd floor in a flat will make toilet training much harder than it has to be!

[Floralnomad]

I don’t think there is a MN view , like on all the boards there is a lot of different views some of which are fairly extreme and a bit ridiculous .

[Carrotgirl87]

I learned quickly not to talk about my cockapoo on here 😬

[decisionsdecision]

@vanillandhoney you clearly haven't been around this part of MN very much then! If you get any mixed breed you are evil and should never own a dog.
Also as you've just said rescue dogs are unpredictable but buying a puppy is frowned upon so what are you supposed to do.
Children mean nothing as to how well you can look after your dog!

[vanillandhoney]

[quote decisionsdecision]@vanillandhoney you clearly haven't been around this part of MN very much then! If you get any mixed breed you are evil and should never own a dog.
Also as you've just said rescue dogs are unpredictable but buying a puppy is frowned upon so what are you supposed to do.
Children mean nothing as to how well you can look after your dog! [/quote]
I've been on MN for about ten years, and on the doghouse for three - just under various name changes.

Why does it matter that buying a puppy is frowned upon? What does MN's opinion on mixed breeds really matter in the grand scheme of things?

According to MN, I have a breed (beagles) that's apparently not for first time owners and that has an awful reputation on here for being untrainable. Luckily I didn't ask for breed opinion on here and instead went to people who already owned the breed and spoke to them instead. I also bought him from a KC reg breeder and I've had him since he was a pup.

I've been told beagles are awful, untrainable, not for first time owners, not suited to living in a house - all sorts. I just let it wash over me. My dog is 2.5 now and he's absolutely fine. His only problem is barking when I'm talking on the phone and trying to steal food

At the end of the day, no matter what you do, someone will have an opinion on it. You're never going to do everything right, so as long as you do what works for you, other people's opinions shouldn't even come into it.

[drinkingwineoutofamug]

We have a rescue and both work full time. When I'm at work she goes to work with my husband. Yes he owns a garage, she's on a 20m long line and we have signs up to warn drivers there's a dog about.
She woofs in the back garden
She woofs at strangers
She doesn't like children.
Our lives are now about the dog, kids left home , holidays are they dog friendly.
We don't use day care . Don't use dog walkers. I get up even earlier and husband takes her on a epic walk in the evening.
I was shocked at vet bills but have the best possible insurance.
I'm only just getting her spayed as well. Which possibly makes me an unfit dog owner as she's 3.
I don't have 4 acres of land just a medium size back garden which doesn't have 6 ft fencing.
But she is fed, warm, has beds, healthy and a pain in the arse but wouldn't swop her

[Floralnomad]

I’ve been using MN for years including Doghouse and I have a mixed breed that was a Battersea pup and I don’t think I’ve ever been called evil or anything else along those lines .

[decisionsdecision]

@Floralnomad you are allowed to rescue a mixed breed just not get one as a puppy especially not a poodle cross!

[Dreamersandwishers]

@decisionsdecision, @Carrotgirl87 very much against the MN grain, I love a cockapoo. I would love pictures of your cuties 😍

[Carrotgirl87]

Here you go @Dreamersandwishers 😄 as you can tell she’s 50% butter wouldn’t melt and 50% definitely a spaniel 😂 but she’s so clever and happy I’d always recommend the breed 🤫🤐

[Dreamersandwishers]

Gorgeous! Love to see a dog covered in mud 😍😂

[Sitdowncupoftea]

@Dreamersandwishers You should see mine! He's pure white on rare occasions hes not in bog mud on the moors.

[Paranoidmarvin]

I agree. I asked a question. Left out the breed as I didn’t want that brought into the equation. Bam. It was bought in. Assumed it was a cockerpoo. It all sounded dodgy. It happens in most threads.

I work at the place I am getting the puppy from. Have known both mum and dad since they were born. All done well. Still it was not good enough.

I think most people here just hate people getting puppies. I can often read just the title and know that the poster is going to have their arses handed to them on a plate.

And yes. Cockerpoos are the devil. And apparently you can only get them from a puppy farm. Personally. I know two. And both came from good family homes. But hey. What do I know.