Do I want a dog?? Do you regret having one?

We had two Siamese cats pre-kids and they were the best pets ever. I still think about them daily.
I know they're not dogs but they were really intelligent, loyal and affectionate in the way that a dog is but without a lot of the hassle.
Maybe consider one of the Asian cat breeds.

I have been looking after a good friends dog for just over 2 weeks , sweet little thing whose company I’ve enjoyed. I will however be handing her back with glee and silently saying never again, and I truly love dogs . The responsibility is immense,

I adore my little dog and couldn't imagine what life would be like without her (now, after having her for two years), but my life has changed significantly since I had her, I now have a toddler and another child on the way and my little dog is extremely clingy and needy and it's sometimes really difficult looking after her alongside everything else (I also work full time). If I could've foreseen what life would be like I possibly wouldn't have got her, but having said that she means the world to me and I know it's going to be a very very sad day when the time comes that she's no longer here

If you rescue and you've never seen a problem dog you've been lucky. Its not good management, its luck.

Or should I just get a cat?!!

Yes. If a cat is an option, then you don't really want a dog.

I would never not have a dog, a dog makes a home in my opinion <3 I have a staffy and there's no slobber, no mess, nothing, he's the best boy. We take him with us when we go on holiday, there's lots of dog friendly holiday places now and he really enjoys it. I couldn't be without a dog.

Eh?
Ive had lots of rescue dogs, including foster dogs and never had a dog with ‘bad’ behaviour. Some that needed more training or were a bit nervous, yes. Clearly she’d know the behaviour of a dog she knew of (& a rescue wouldn’t rehome a dog with aggression history to a home with a child, if OP did end up down that route) so even if you did have a point, it would be mute in these circumstance.
Also, OPs lifestyle actually sounds perfectly suited to a dog.

OP, I’ve got more dogs than I probably should. I adore them. The difficulty for me is probably the quantity. Having 1 dog, in a suitable set up like you describe, is lovely. Spend some time considering what you want from a dog and go from there. Perhaps ask a friend if you could dog sit when they next go away to give you a chance to have a good go?

I’m sorry but you sound like a no. We were ‘ah would kinda love a dog’ and while he is a member of the family and my right arm I will never get a dog again. No lie ins, can never just randomly go somewhere or visit for more than a short few hours, a lot of my son’s friends don’t like dogs so he has to be in the kitchen when they’re in the garden or out when they’re in. He’s an escape artist and has dug under fencing and broken a gate. We don’t go on days out or hikes any more without the dog so can’t just stop off and eat etc. I do honestly honestly adore him, but we definitely aren’t the dog people we thought we were!

Having a 7 year old may be an issue with some rescues, the ones I tried before getting a puppy specified no children under 10, though that was my previous dog, which I got in 2007.

Our latest dog, we again bought a puppy, I didn't want a rescue dog around the grandchildren. We have a cocker spaniel, high energy, needs loads of exercise (which she gets), was very hard work and not much sleep for the first 6 months, and she loves water and mud so my house is hard to keep clean, wouldn't change it though. Wonderful dog.

I've had at least one dog all my adult life and absolutely adored them all, I'd never want to be without one. In my experience:

Small dogs are way easier - I resisted for years as I love bigger dogs, but actually it makes a huge difference in terms of mess, esp in a small house.

Puppies are wonderful but bloody hard work. Rescues are also wonderful but can also be bloody hard work for different reasons. Either way, put the work in on training and understanding, and you reap the benefits for ever.

I'm not a fan of cats, but inherited an elderly one when my dh moved in. Omg. The fur everywhere, the endless mess/smell/litter tray issues/damage to furniture...plenty are much easier, I know. I was of course very kind to her (she has since passed away) but I absolutely hated living with a cat and said never again since well before they moved in. None of my dogs have ever caused anywhere near that amount of hassle.

Something helped for us when we were deciding was borrowing friend's dogs for a day or two.

Also waiting until the kids were a bit older (8+) so they could do things like let her out to go to the loo, help feed her etc, also old enough to not have too many toys on the floor that the dog would grab.

My parents are recently retired as well and my Dad especially just dotes on her which has helped, as he's always keen to pop over to see her (aka spoil her rotten, take her to the pub, and spend the rest if the day on the sofa cuddling her) 😅

I am very sorry for your loss. I feel my husband and I are going to be the same when our old girl goes across the bridge. She is very much adored and now nearly 14 and aging. She costs us about £800 a month (which is not so much an issue) but we are loath to leave her for any great lengths of time. We have not been on holiday together for the last 5 years or so and weekends are spent being a tag team to do things so that she is not left alone too long. We worry about her so much as she is virtually blind, mostly deaf and a bit wobbly. Whilst I know we will be absolutely devastated there is definitely something about not wanting to get another and have some freedom.

This. One of our cats is genuinely the most affectionate, loyal and loving boy I’ve ever met. Causes me far less trouble than the golden retriever!!

I love my dog but like others I won't be getting another for a very long time.

The expense. Even though he is insured the amounts under the excess add up. Boarding costs a lot.

He is a tie. Spontaneity doesn't happen anymore.

The mess. I have had to shampoo him three times in the last week as he decided to roll in a rotten dead animal (different walks so not the same one)

I never wanted a dog, always been a cat person. My exH got a dog, then another one, and I ended up with most of the work! When we split up I left with the two dogs. Best thing I got from the marriage. They were amazing for my well being and get me and my daughter out and about. I will never regret it and while they cause more worry than my cat, they give back in a very different way.

I foster occasionally for the breed specific rescue that both my late dogs were. It was fostering the last one this autumn that made me realise how much I needed to get new dogs this year. Have you thought about fostering for a dog charity? Many need this and it’s not 100% commitment for the next 14 years or so. Plus our rescue offers fosters to their foster parents first when they’re ready to be rehomed. Our rescue will only use foster homes with this breed specific experience but many others will consider any with a suitable home and lifestyle.

my dog pissed on our sheepskin rug overnight.
I love but she's an asshole.
Would I get another one?
Perhaps not.
Although the love you have with a dog is completely amazing.

The thing is most people who have dogs love them dearly and are not going to say they wish they didn’t have them.

Dogs are a big tie and a lot of work, to train to exercise and to clean up after. They pay you back in spades but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still hard work.

Plus they have minds of their own and don’t necessarily turn out as you might expect.

Just remember that the idea you have in your head, the dog doesn’t 😉. I wanted a dog I could take to a pub or cafe. But neither of mine settle well, so we don’t try now.

And in regards to shedding, even ones that don’t shed as much still create dust. I have friends who have got a cockerpoo because it doesn’t shed hair, it totally does. So if the hair is an issue just be aware that despite the breed, there is a possibility of hair, maybe less but there all the same.

Honestly, cats are so much easier and are underrated. People say they're not affectionate and loving, but that's nonsense, in my opinion. Every single cay I've had has been sooo loving. My current cat is a little darling. Follows me around like a puppy, jumps on my lap whenever I sit down. If I go out, he waits for me by the front door.

I have two largeish dogs and have never ever regretted it for a second. They have made my life feel so much better in every way.

I love our dog but I do regret getting her and wish we would’ve just stuck to cats!

• No spontaneity - dog sitters need to be booked months (even up to a year!) in advance. Last minute trips are a thing of the past.
• My house is constantly messy - hair, muddy paws and toys/chews everywhere. No matter how much I clean and tiny within a day or two it’s a dump again. I miss my nice garden, all of the grass has been ruined by DDog toileting on it.
• Walks can feel like such a chore - lovely on a nice day and we enjoy great trips to the beach, forest etc but in the middle of winter when it’s dark at 4pm with wind and rain pelting down it’s absolutely miserable.
• I just can’t relax. Dogs are demanding and she always wants/needs something. No weekend lie ins as she’ll wake me up to go to the toilet at 6/7am. If I’m out it feels like I’m on a timer to get home again. The incessant barking if someone dares to come to the front door (yes we’ve worked with a trainer to no avail!). Behaviour issues that even 2 years down the line are a work in progress. We can only dream of the lovely pub lunches that you describe! She’s just too disruptive and wants to greet everybody.
• Cost - breeder fee, vet bills, insurance, walker/sitter, training, food, accessories, fuel to drive to walking destinations all mounts up more than you think.

We have 2 dogs, and I 100% regret getting them. The first is my husbands and daughters, and the second is my sons, both much longer for by them. I prefer cats, they're far less hassle. Dogs are so limiting and restrictive, and each breed brings its own issues. Though to be fair, our big breed has been no trouble at all, the little one who we've only had a year is a nightmare!

Having a dog was great.
I’ll not get one again though.