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

You should post this in Dogshouse and read some of the threads there of the issues and struggles people have had with rescue centres (i) pressurising them to take dogs after only one meeting, (ii) lying about the dogs behaviour (iii) matching dogs to completely inappropriate families (iv) no support once the dog is in your home. Breed specific ones are better. Lots won't rehome to families if you're not there 5 days a week of have children.

Just because people love their dogs and wouldn't be without them, doesn't mean it's not hard.

With a rescue, as with a puppy, you're looking at three months settling - i.e. not leaving them for more than a few minutes - in time before you can begin to work on leaving them for long (or you're going to be in for a very tough time with separation anxiety).

We got a dog as my DH wfh full time and me much of the time. Apart from hair, paws, digging in the garden, chewing of all my slippers and trainers (when a puppy) I wouldn't change a thing, she's awesome!
We also have 3 cats and the boy cats get in great with the dog ... girl cat not so much (she's a grump who hates the boy cats too!)
It's never going to be perfect but you can adjust your weekends away like we did, loads of places allow dogs these days, going to central Edinburgh soon with the dog!

If you're already concerned about dog hair everywhere, add in mud, saliva and the occasional upset stomach. How does that make you feel ?

And you might love long walks but what about the short, round the block walks in every weather, at least twice a day, every day ? That you'll have to drag the kids out on ?

Dogs can be an absolute joy and I wouldn't be without one but too many people have an idyllic idea of what life will be like and yes, it will be amazing, and fabulous and enriching but I guarantee that there will also be tears, heartbreak and frustration. 10-16 possible years of life changing companionship.

Can you dogsit for anyone to see how you feel about having one in your space before you commit to having one in your life ?

I think a good way to decide this is to sit down and work out all the practicalities. Who looks after the dog if you need to go out for the day, away for the week, called back in to work in office full time - what options are there nearby, how much are they, what options are further afield if they are all full? How much is food, insurance, vet bills?
Do you have time to commit to training properly - how will you train a dog so they don't suffer separation anxiety (it's not all sit and stay) if you are at home with them all the time - loads of great resources online for this, but read through them and work out if you are able to give the time commitment!

My world is forever changed for the better with my dog, but everyone i know who regrets it didn't do enough of the above research or eventuality planning!

I love my dog, but as PPs have said, he does restrict our lives in certain ways. We got a puppy and were able to work from home the first six months, so he wasn't left alone until he was happy and confident to be on his own. Which is just as well, as he's a bit nervy and we soon realised was NOT a candidate for doggy daycare. We'd assumed we'd use a local daycare, but when we visited it was not very secure or well run, and only seemed to work well for bigger dogs. We've been lucky to get local dogwalkers who take him out, plus a friend he can go and stay with when we're on holiday. But we have to work round when friends are available for our holidays. At weekends most dog walkers don't work so you have to plan days out to be back in time, or where you can take the dog. As I said, my dog quite likes staying home alone (he just sleeps), so that's okay as long as we factor in time to walk him, but some dogs would not cope with that and you don't know what kind you're going to end up with.

I don't think rescues generally lie about the dogs they rehome, but it's also just the case that dogs behave differently in different places, and it can take a rescue dog a while to settle down and for their full personality to come out. So they can legitimately say 'this dog is toilet trained and doesn't mind being left alone' if that's what they've observed, but that's no guarantee it'll be true at your house.

I have a dog, I love him to bits and he is spoiled rotten. He's 12 and lives the best life he can ask for. But when he's gone, I won't get another. I want to be able to go whenever, wherever and for as long as I want. When I want to go, I have to think of the dog before booking anything

might be worth having a "trial" first - borrowmydoggy.com is absolutely fantastic!

I was the same, a cat lover, having been bitten by other people's dogs and strays as a child I was scared of them . I was overruled and it took a few weeks to bond with our first dog (my fault not hers) but bond we did & I became a dedicated dog lover, we are now on our 5th rescue dog who we adore just as much as the previous 4 . Mess can be cleaned up it's no big deal, but the joy & love they bring is immeasurable 😍

I love my dog, I definitely don't regret getting him.

For me the pros outweigh the cons.

I can't imagine life without him now.

I absolutely adore my dog, but I won't be getting another. She developed a very strong bond with me and howls and barks if I leave the house. Progress with trying to sort this has been very slow and this makes things rather difficult.
I certainly wouldn't be without her now, she really does bring me so much joy, but I won't do this again.

I wouldn't be starting from "I like medium/large breeds" - you need to be thinking about behaviour, care and exercise needs etc.

Disclaimer in that I've only done this with cats, but would you consider adopting a very old dog? They're usually much more mellow with age, and are given up by owners going into homes themselves.

Some still have so much love to give, and it gives me a real sense of joy to have given an old cat a new home. The brutal flipside is that you lose them sooner, but then you get a "break" from ownership.

I love our dog. She changed the outlook of our animal-phobic DD2 and is a great companion. I didn't ever want a dog but gave in after 13 years of badgering.

She's 11 this year and I don't regret having her but when she goes we won't have another. This is my choice, the rest of the family would happily do it again. As much as I adore her, It has been like having another toddler! I've spent much longer sorting care for her than I ever have with the DC. My DC are mid-teens and older and I'm ready to have my life back.

We have cats too, they're unlikely to be replaced either. We can nip away for a night and leave them though!

I love our dog (not as much as DH does!) but won’t get another, it just places too many restrictions on life. We now have a good dog boarder, but they’re not always available so we’ve sometimes been unable to do things we’d like (eg weekend at Center parcs when the DCs have an inset day).

If you holiday in the UK with them then you’re restricted to eating in pubs, which gets boring after a couple of days.

I wouldn’t get a rescue with a young child, the risk is too high.

Can only speak from my own experience but I absolutely adore my dog, I wouldn’t be without him! He’s a Labrador and so loving, the puppy years were a challenge (but then they are with any dog) but he has grown into an amazing dog, it’s a bond I don’t think you can really explain!

Cat vs dog depends really on what you want out of a pet. A cat can be lovely but they don’t get you out the house like a dog does, a dog gives so much back and really becomes part of the family, we love our staycations with our dog & the days out hiking.

Well I had 2 JRTs for about 18 years, when they were 10 DD was born. When the last one went I vowed I’d have at least a year off. DD was 8 at the time. We lasted 3 months, the got the latest as a rescue from the local council shelter. It was 2021, shelters were starting to overflow and we now have the most beautiful, lovely natured little boy. He was a stray but didn’t really have any issues - maybe we were lucky, maybe we just grew into him.
Yes I have to get up early and plan my days around him, I have to pay a dog walker twice a week, there is constant mud in the house, plus at least 13 tennis balls on the go at any given time but….I wouldn’t have it any other way.
DSis and I do reciprocal dog sitting and if we’re doing stuff at the same time our dog walker also boards. We have 1 UK holiday per year where he comes with, and another when DSis has him, when we go abroad.
IMO, if you really want a dog you will make it work. Sounds like you’re in a better position than most. Only you know whether you’re prepared to make the changes (I don’t even see them as sacrifices).

No op I wouldn't I love dogs too have had them when I was younger living at home with parents but even now 16 years since last dog passed my parents garden is ruined patches of grass that won't grow back from dogs.
The dog hair and smell we would have to sweep the floors two/three times a day bathing them when muddy and smelly etc.

The cost of having to put them in a kennel when going away on holidays, having to plan care if you're away for a night or two if you can't put them in Kennel.

I also wouldn't rescue a dog if you have DD you really can't tell what the dog is like and could easily turn and attack out of the blue but even worse when you don't have the dogs full history of why he was given up everyone tells tales of why they no longer want the dog even the rescue places trying to rehome them.

We got our Boxer dog from a rescue place he was lovely and loyal to us but we were lied too that he was great with other dogs super friendly he was great with our current dog at the time that was already here but he would attack other dogs when off lead like charge at them full force knock them on their backs etc we had to keep him on lead when walking him outside because he was a risk to other dogs.

I have a labrador and they are easy, friendly, undemanding dogs (I also have a jack russell/beagle - don't get one of those!). I don't think you can go wrong with them as family pets, although they shed a LOT so be prepared to invest in a good hoover and use it all the time. I'd probably go for a puppy from a reputable breeder (and puppy training classes obvs) rather than a rescue, as you have a young daughter. It's just easier if they come to you without behavioural issues that need fixing.

I will never get another dog again. I love him to bits but he’s so restrictive, he has several issues which various dog trainers have not been able to help with and which have curtailed our social life immensely. It’s not how I imaged having a dog would be at all.

Weve accepted how is is and work our lives around him and his quirks. I reckon we’ve got another 3 years with him, I love him dearly and will miss him terribly but will be ready for the freedom not having him here will bring.

I love dogs, and we’ve had them, but not any more, because you can’t go out for the day anywhere that isn’t dog friendly. And we never had anyone to leave ours with, so for holidays abroad that meant kennels - very expensive and around here need to be booked well in advance, which means no going away for a few days on spec.

Though having said that, we’re both retired and if I were left on my own (I hope not!) I’d have another - the not going out/away wouldn’t bother me. I’d get an older rescue dog in need of a loving home.

We love dogs and have had two, last one pts 6 years ago, but have more or less decided we won’t be having another one. Too much of a tie, too much of a responsibility and it’s so bloody hard to lose them. My DB’s lab looks to be reaching the end of his life and I’m upset enough about that.

Why would you not get a puppy?

The brutal truth is that virtually all "rescues" are nothing of the sort. You are taking on an animal that was abandoned for a reason, and it's almost always because of the dogs behaviour. Recent changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act mean that your dog doesn't have to actually do anything for you to be prosecuted. It doesn't have to have bitten or attacked anyone, a person only has to think it might be likely to. So taking on a rescue is no longer advised, unless you want to risk a conviction with every walk or visitor to your home.

From what you describe, I wouldn't get a dog, your lifestyle just isn't suited.

I was firmly against getting a dog for years. I was more of a cat person and thought dogs were needy, noisy and annoying. I eventually caved and we got a dog as I knew my dh and dcs wanted one.

honestly, having a Dog is so rewarding. She brings us all so much joy. We are so happy when we talk to her or interact with her. She is just a nice, happy creature. Maybe we just got lucky but she is well behaved and doesn’t bark.

we have taken her on a couple of holidays with us. If you want to holiday without your dog just make sure you know of a trusted sitter or kennel to leave her.

but also cats are great too.

I loved my dog, who we had for 14 years, and my husband and I still speak of him every day. Much as we adored him, though, we haven't got another dog in the five years since he died, and the reason for that is that he was a huge tie. We adjusted our lives around this, but after he died, once the worst of the grief had passed, we did feel a sense of freedom - not having to consider whether places we might want to go were dog-friendly, or be limited by the time he could be left alone. My summary would be that dogs bring joy to your life, but at a price.

Yes, seems very manageable for you. I think dogs are good for kids too, teaching responsibility etc