The reality of getting a puppy

[CJ201]

Seriously considering getting a dog. I've looked into local rescue places but it seems they would rather not rehome to families with young kids so I'm looking into getting a puppy from a KC registered breeder. Can anyone advise me on the realities of getting a puppy and caring for it?

I'm a SAHM but I will be starting a course one day a week from September, I'm
currently not sure how to work around this.

Any advice or insights would be appreciated. I want to make an informed decision. Thank you.

A lot of commitment and dedication- my pup used to cry constantly poor thing and needed a lot of attention. I like to compare it to a demanding baby but with a toddlers abilities.

Get a dog trainer to give you tips before hand. A decent breeder should keep the dog until 10 weeks old and do basic training.

Okay. We've had a dog for 6 years. He was the centre of my world (apart from DH). Until we had a baby. Now, all the little things about the dog annoy me. And it's not his fault of course.

But if I was to give any advice I'd say, train him, train him, and then train some more. I could put up with the random barking (he's a Terrier watch dog) when I didnt have a baby that I was trying to put down for a nap. Similarly, when people came to the door.

Also, life with a baby and a dog
Is not easy - there aren't many places you can go (eg what if baby needs changing and you can't take the dog inside etc).

I have found it very difficult. But if you are confident in training the dog to behave impeccably then best of luck!!!!! X

We are considering getting a Beagle

Thank you for your honest advice x

Beagles are hard work - my friend couldn’t cope with hers as she didn’t train him enough. It takes a lot of time and effort to train them. She gave him away after he hurt her toddler (due to lack of training) in his excitement.

You need to consider dog walker costs and company for the dog too. You have to built up the time you leave them for. I planned my dog around a schedule that meant not left for the first 2 months more than the odd hour, then 2 hours and built up to 4. She’s nearly 3 and is happy for up to 6 on the odd occasion- any more than that and we get someone to come into her. But she has her hour walk a day minimum prior to being left.

Dogs are great company and loving but the puppy stage is hard.

A beagle is not really suitable for a novice unless you are going to take onboard a lot of training.

He is a hound breed and I have met at least six who have a life of misery because the owners bought them because they look cute but are unable to let them off-lead as the dog does what it’s supposed to do and goes off looking for a scent for hours on end!

It’s the wrong breed for you.

Beagles are not easy dogs, doesn’t sound like a sensible choice for your first family pet whilst juggling the needs of your children and doing training a day a week. I mean, they are lovely and friendly but they are “challenging”, not good recall etc. I would think a more trainable breed like retriever, poodle might be better? Ps having a puppy changes your life, is wonderful but ties you to your home and is stressful. Very happy to be out of puppy stage with a lovely dog now!

Any reason why a beagle? They’re incredibly difficult dogs and not for the faint hearted - your life and soul will have to be beagle focussed 24/7, for years.

Puppies are such hard work. I honestly wouldn’t recommend getting one with a young child unless you are full of energy and can really honestly commit to changing your life. It takes a long time (literally years) and a lot of training for a puppy to settle down into an adult dog.

Thank you for your feedback. It seems they are a challenging breed and high need. What are the less demanding breeds?

What attracted me to them is their size, look, intelligence and they are meant to be good with kids.

I had a German Shepard growing up and he was wonderful but I'm worried that a GS will be too big for me to handle

Pomeranians are good family dogs but any puppy is going to be incredibly hard work. I was shocked, however I had waited till my youngest was 10.

Demanding means different things. I have a miniature dachshund (you might have guessed from the username) so for example he needs shorter walks than most breeds so isn’t demanding on that front, but is typically a stubborn breed so toilet training is difficult.

What is your lifestyle like at the moment? Will it need to be ok left alone for some of the day? What level of exercise can you realistically commit to? Do you already have any other pets?

Labrador,, poodle, retrievers, spaniels - with training I hasten to add- would be much easier. They are just more trainable. If you like small/medium smart friendly dogs, a mini poodle or cocker spaniel may suit. Poodles are very smart (as are spaniels) and they don’t need to look like cartoon ones.

King Charles cavalier - friendly, love a good walk and easy to train. I've had cocker spaniels too and they are wonderful dogs but love a really really decent walk and lots of stimulation.

A female lab would be a good choice, they are quite a bit smaller than the male of the breed. All puppies are hard work so be prepared for at least 2 years of wishing you hadn’t done it but then something clicks and if you’ve put in the time training you end up with a lovely companion who is totally devoted to everyone in the family.
There is a good book on training your children to behave with a young puppy since this is more important than training the puppy to behave around your children. I learnt the hard way, our latest dog was far harder to train with DS around than previous dogs we had before DS was around. As he has matured so has she.

No other pets, youngest child 8 yrs old. SAHM so home most of time but starting a course in sept which will be one day a week.

A border terrier is also a good option for a young family.

Agree with PPs about not getting a beagle

Any of the gun dogs have been bred to be disciplined and make good family pets. You will need to sort out dog care for your day at college. Any puppy will be demanding, expect broken sleep again.
That said, they are wonderful! We have a springer spaniel and I would never want to be without him.

Our pug-jack Russell is now 6 months old we collected him from a busy family home at 8 weeks old. I'd definitely say he is exactly the same as raising my 3yo and 1yo. We love him like our 7th child but he is hard work. Potty training, teaching manners and how to behave in certain situations - expect to raise another baby haha.
Consider breed based on traits, needs and potential health problems.
We also pay around £50pm for vets4pets, petplan & tails so consider that too - bigger the dog, bigger the costs xxx

I am a dog walker with experience of lots of different breeds. I would agree with people who are cautioning against getting a beagle.

There are always exceptions, but in general they are tricky dogs. Beautiful tick, intelligent tick, high energy tick, prey driven tick, scent driven tick, wilful tick.

I walk several and I love them to bits but they are very hard work and recall is always a concern as it can seem reliable but if they get a fabulous scent they can be off in a flash.

They are not a dog to fit neatly into family life. They demand a great deal of consistent hard work and commitment.

Please consider an easier breed. You won't regret it!

I would second a female Labrador as a good first dog. Bit easier to train too but you need to put the hours in. Its honestly like having another baby. As for a medium breed being too big to handle; I respect you massively for saying that. So many people don't think about that. If your dog is one day going to grow so big and strong that you cannot physically overpower them, you make damn good and sure that you'll never have to.

My DDog2 is a fucker. Ironically a Lab. He cannot be trusted around other male dogs and I can only just come out on top in a power struggle with him so we are working very very hard with a behaviourist because he is a big boy and only getting stronger and soon I won't be able to. DDog1 (also a Lab) is an angel, thankfully, meaning that in an altercation, I can just let go of her and she won't stray far. She'll wisely duck out of the danger zone but won't run off while I'm wrestling Dog2. If she wasn't then I would have had to give Dog2 up already because if he ever got away from me and hurt another dog, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself and I couldn't physically manage two of them so that's another thing to think about.

In an emergency could you manage the dog and the kids?

We have a 19 week old Cavapoochon and I really can't stress how clever and quick to learn they are as a breed. Google the breed.. as a 1st dog... best choice ever for us . And sooo cute too..
ps.. previously a cat person.. funny how things change!

We have Beagle, she is ten now and has calmed down, but I will never have another Beagle. She is beautiful, very loving, adores children and is super calm with them, but she was bloody hard work up to about 5 years old.
Full of energy, obsessed with food, eats faeces, any will do. Stinks regardless-of baths as they live to roll in anything stinky. When younger had to crate her just to go to the loo as chews everything, I could go on, and I did take her training, she has gold in obedience, fantastic as long as the food I have is more interesting than anything else she can smell/ see but that is difficult to sustain and not always practical.
We have never considered rehoming her because she is just being a Beagle, true to her breed, but in hindsight they are not family pets.
We also have a rescue Cavalier King Charles who is just incredible, so well behaved, very very loving and loyal, obsessed with playing fetch so off lead is an absolute dream, not bothered about other dogs but loves humans. He is the best dog I have had and I have had 8 since I was 13 years old. Recommend a Cavie wholeheartedly.

We have a maltese x poodle ...very easy to housetrain, excellent with kids, never cried at night, I can honestly say it was never like having a puppy in the house at all. When I read all the horror stories about puppies on here I honestly think that we got VERY lucky not sure if anyone else has the breed and found them very easy dogs?