If you are thinking of getting a dog please.......

[GertrudeCB]

Consider the needs of the breed / breeds you are getting, excercise , training etc.
In the last 24 hours I have met a couple who bought 2 adult labs on Gumtree and were baffled as to why my lab was " slim and well behaved" ( their words) and theirs were obese and hyper. They had been told by the seller that 10 mins playing in the garden was sufficient excercise 😤.
We had a good chat and I pointed out that my dog was not slim but a healthy weight and that without a couple of hours excercise a day could be an arsehole. So I am pleading with anyone considering bringing a dog into the family do your research .

My DH works from home but is away on business next week so as doggie daycare was booked up I've taken annual leave to be with ddog. Some people in my work are a bit , funnily enough the most vocal has a dog that she leaves for 6-7 hours per day home alone, as it " sleeps all day anyway"

Totally agree especially 're huskies. I have a very well behaved collie. Gets admired a lot 're her obedience. That's because we trained her, and she averages about 75 miles a week and does agility. I often have to recall her to help another dog walker get their dog back which is hassling mine and they can't get it back. Husky. Idiots

Our dhusky is on a lead only - once scaled a fence +stream so never off since!!

Ha! Definitely a little old lady in a young dogs body who just humours us I’d say you’ve hit the nail on the head with your description!

Any pet really. Don’t get any pet without understanding and committing to what they need to be healthy, happy and thriving both physically and mentally.

There are thousands of miserable small, caged pets in this country. Bought by well meaning parents as little Johnny/Jenny’s first pet and then ignored because the novelty wears off/the pet bites/scuttles about/is nervous/is shy/is nocturnal/noisy/smelly.

Dogs are the visible ones where neglect/poor ownership is concerned. Small furries are behind closed doors, rarely seen, never heard. No cutesy RSPCA appeals for them. Disposable pets.

The truth about dog ownership...ours is a rescue with terrible history so at the extreme but still.

She hates 'going for a walk' so we have to find different ways to exercise her. We still have to take her out but she gets her mental/physical stimulation by accompanying us in what we are doing. This means in six years we haven't been put for more than 2 hours on the weekend in the summer and in the other seasons , one of us sits in the car with her. Eventhough she would look fine (no barking or detruction) she would be scared so want company.

If/when my DParents aren't willing or able to look after her, we won't go on holiday unless we can take her. She wouldn't be happy with anyone else and I wouldn't trust them.

Due to a chaneg in work patterns, we used to be out of the house for 6 hours a day if we were both working. We didn't have a dog walker, DParents had Ddog at theirs so she wasn't on her own. Again, she would be 'fine' by some people's definition, she wouldn't mess or destroy but I know she would be unhappy.

We went to training classes every Saturday for 3 years and she's still scared of so much we have to walk through every outing to check she will cope.

Don’t choose a breed because you just like the look of them. Or because you met one once and it was nice. Or because you’ve seen cute puppies on Gumtree or Preloved (FFS) and just couldn’t resist.
I waited 20 years for my dog. Waited until my lifestyle was suitable. I spent two years researching the breed and finding a good breeder. It has still been a really hard first few months and a very steep learning curve.
Bloody love her though.

Next door have a husky, it’s never walked (except very occasionally by a 10yr old child who obviously has no control over the dog, disaster waiting to happen) and is shut out in the garden the vast majority of the time. It has wrecked their garden and my dogs are now scared in their own garden because every time they go out to pee it attacks the fence so aggressively it has wrecked the fence panel (which we paid for ). NDN is not approachable and I’m pretty sure RSPCA would do nothing if I reported as it has water and shelter but I genuinely don’t understand people who have dogs and put no effort into training or even spending any time with them, especially working breeds

Dogs are hard work!
My DPs got a puppy after their last rescue dog was pts (despite saying they’d never have another!) and he is lovely but wild!
Luckily DM doesn’t work anymore so she’s home all day with him, he has regular walks and goes to puppy classes etc!
I don’t understand how anyone can have a dog and work full time, it wouldn’t be fair.
And I wouldn’t have a puppy with a baby either, it’s bad enough visiting for an hour or so at the moment!

Most definitely agree we have a rescue greyhound saluki cross but knew the breeds and knew that they were pretty lazy!

We both work ft but have suitable arrangements of wfh days, dog walkers and my DH back at lunchtime as his office is 5 mins away. We also made it clear to the charity so was only offered a dog which had been assessed. I would say that crating isn't all bad if responsibly done my dog sees it as her safe space very happy to sleep there whilst out or in an evening when she wants quiet time if you go out and don't crate her she gets very upset/ anxious and cries..... We know this as witnessed it when she didn't realise I was in and we have cameras linked to our phones.

No one can be that stupid? Although I had a Lhasa and met people out on my walk lecturing me that I walked him too far. When he was younger I walked him for about 80 minutes a day, less as he got older, he died at 14. Dogs are a massive commitment and need a decent walk. It's why I'm not getting another one until I retire.

The other thing that's important is that you should look into the future and not just with dogs. My daughter has guinea pigs. She has created huge enclosures for them (she has two bedrooms) and they have the best of everything. They need grooming daily and have a diet of fresh veg. She is an older teen and takes full responsibility for them.

However when she leaves for university they will be my responsibility. I was more than happy to take care for them. But it has become apparent that there is no way I will be able to look after them as she does. My knees to do not allow for me to get down on the floor to catch them, change the bedding etc. So now we are looking for new off floor cages and all the expense that involves.

Used to have neighbours who had two lovely little cockers. They went for regular walks - every Christmas Day.

@glenthebattleostrich
Absolutely agree there should be compulsory training and a license before you can have a dog

Do you mean compulsory training for the dog (obedience etc) or for the owner? Because, you know... Totally agree, I'd love to see obedience training become mandatory but I've no idea how that would be enforced. And the good owners would want to do all that anyway, it's the rubbish owners who just don't care who would avoid it.

I have a nine year old rescue Lhasa Apso, she was bred from repeatedly for years and was sent to rescue when she had outgrown her usefulness. She is the most lovely dog and now looks nothing like the matted, flea ridden, underweight dog that came to us. I am determined that she will have a good life from now on.

If he doesn't get a full quota of walks he is naughty through boredom. Not his fault.

Sounds like one of mine (I have 3 springers, best breed ever!) There are 4 days a month when me and the dh work ft. The neighbour comes and lets them out and watches TV with two of them at least draped over her.

Despite plenty of treats, games and garden time with the neighbour, plus a walk when the dh gets home, cheeky boy still needs more mental stimulation in the evening!