What's the worst thing about having a dog?

[Blankiefan]

I've never been a pet person but recently have been toying with the idea of a dog. DD is an only and is 7. She could do with a bit of companionship but it'd be my dog I think. I'd expect to do the looking after/ training/ walking. I'd only consider a smallish dog but ideally a rescue dog and not a puppy. I don't know if this is an idealistic view (Do rescue dogs always come with emotional baggage?)

My plan is to wait another year or so to consider it and also to see how life pans out. Currently both DH and I are at home all day and anticipate this continuing (each 2-3 days per week) but I'd like to see that play out.

I'm only at the start of thinking this through but thought you all might be able to give me some stuff to consider over the next year.

@MJMG2015 Here he is

lake unless I’m missing something that was a really irresponsible link.

Here are some extracts from the dogs they have available for adoption:

Valentina (nearly 2 yrs) and only whippet sized- has been retuned from trial a couple of times now for being reactive on lead to other dogs

(different dog)she’s great in the home but she does have fears of people visiting and will react

Bali is one of our most damaged dogs. Owned since 5 months he learned to fear so much there – including people he doesn’t know – he is now 2 -. He is reactive to strangers (men more than women) in the home

(two dogs) They were feral couldn’t be touched, have taken a lot of work and rehab and are now ready for the next step. They are still terrified of people they don’t know

Dave- medium sized young boy who is so clever – but has had a bad start in life and uses his teeth to defend himself

3 yr old Dobbie from Cyprus is a ladies man. He has an issue with some men and so he’s looking for a single lady. He is great in the home (bar men visitors) and good on lead in the most part – occasionally reactive with some walkers. We need confident, child and cat free home for him

Before anyone thinks I’m being an arse, they are all the dogs available for adoption at that rescue centre. Wtf??

@vanillandhoney

To all the posters saying holidays/days out etc I've never had an issue. Kennels for longer holidays, pet sitters or family for short weekends (though we usually plan dog friendly weekends away). Most dogs, once they are out of puppy age, can be left be left on their own for a good few hours, mine love the car which is a bonus

But it's really important to recognise that not all dogs are like that and you don't know what type you'll get in advance!

Mine is great in the car but he can't be left longer than half an hour or so due to extreme separation anxiety. Some dogs (even as adults) will mess in the house, become destructive or bark and cry for hours if left on their own.

If you have a dog that can be left that's great and obviously makes life a lot easier, but if your dog isn't like that it can make things really difficult - DH and I can't even go for a meal out or to the cinema without arranging constant care for the dog. A dog walker popping in for an hour just wouldn't cut it - luckily he can go and stay with family

What you do, is work hard to get your puppy used to your lifestyle when they are very young. From 12 weeks introduce your pup gradually to everything that will be part of their life.

Separation anxiety will not develop if you address the issue as soon as your puppy arrives.

OP, a dog is a commitment for you and your DD. This may not apply in your case, but is your DD OK around other dogs, including those off a lead? And is your DD someone who sticks to things, so it won't be a six week wonder?

The heartache when you have to say goodbye.

Someone said the worst thing is going out all weathers. I think that's one of the best things - I'm so much healthier for getting out there every day no matter what and I love feeling more in touch with the seasons changing, nature etc. What I found was that it's a big switch to outdoor living - you often have to sit outside a cafe or pub instead of getting cosy inside. On day trips we don't go to museums and galleries like we used to, it'll be the grounds of a NT property or whatever. You chat a lot to other dog owners wherever you go and there'll always be quite a community locally - it's like you enter a parallel world in a way.

@Sertchgi123 our pup was fine with being left for up to 4 hours. And then lockdown happened! Since then we've only all been out for up to an hour and she didn't cope well!

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Fucking fireworks.

Yes, this!

Emergency vet trip for a normally chilled-out labrador who wouldn’t eat after a night’s firework bombardment (moved next door to a local park, didn’t account for the idiots).

We moved house but he still reacts very badly to fireworks. I have to anticipate and drug him or deal with a very upset, scared dog. I dread November and pray for rain.

You feel awful as there’s nothing you can do, you can’t explain it to them.

@TibetanTerrier. That sounds perfect! Definitely something to look forward to when I retire!

Having to get someone to look after him when we go on holiday (we don't go abroad), or finding somewhere we can take him with us on holiday, and then you can't go out for a full day.
Can't go out for a full day at home either because he can't be left in all day.
I wfh so thought it would be easy to get him out for walks, but with my job it really isn't and its a pain in the arse.
He took forever to toilet train and ruined my carpets.
He also (like all living things) has his own little quirks that can be pretty irritating.
I love him loads and have had him 10 years now (got him when I was living alone with ds), but honestly getting him was a mistake. Ill never have another dog while I have children to look after.

@MagentaRocks. Thank you! He's a good looking boy!

I don't have a dog (I'd love one but the cat wouldn't approve) but I would say having to pick up poo. I walk my stepbrothers dog and she's lovely but that's definitely the worst thing.

@Mydogmylife

They can be a tie, but these days there are so many dog walking/ pet sitting services available. I adore our dog and I'm being perfectly serious when I say the worst thing is imagining our life without him .

Our beautiful girl passed away in the spring after 13 years. All these months later I still feel heartbroken. I’ve been scouring the internet for a rescue dog but no luck yet.

Please hold off on getting one until you're certain that your life has changed permanently to being dog friendly. There are so many people who got dogs during lockdown and will not be able to keep them - the charities are expecting a huge influx in a few months time. Please be certain that you won't contribute to that.

@JenniferSantoro

They fart horrifically and sometimes smell bad in other ways as well. Particularly antisocial if you're in the car. Bull breeds and greyhounds are the worst for this.

For me it's never being able to leave the house for more than 3-4 hours at a time, never being able to be spontaneous and decide to drink and stay out at friends houses or go for a day trip without planning in advance. Our youngest is only two but when the kids get older I can see this being more of a problem.
Other than that it's a hassle when they're ill with vet trips, cleaning up vomit and diarrhoea and mildly irritating that I'm constantly having to spend my time showering the mud off her every time we go for a walk!

Other than that she is lovely, very good nature's and one of the kids really, she's completed her family and if something happened to her we'd all be devastated.

[quote MJMG2015]@MagentaRocks. Thank you! He's a good looking boy![/quote]
Thank you. He is gorgeous and a delight most of the time.

For those saying dogs are a tie so you can't go on holidays get a pet passport and take them with you. Our 2 dogs love to go holiday. They love the beach. My son looks after our 4 cats. The worst thing about having a pet is when they die. When one of our cats died we were all sad for so.long. we still miss her 4 months later.

They die before you do

Lack of spontaneity and February are the worst thing about dogs.

I've had dogs for most of my life. Pre kids, when the kids were young and now they've all left home. When they were young spontaneity wasn't a thing really, but February, dark days and lots of bad weather and always having to drag them out with me with the dog was a pain.

Now I'm single and the kids are grown up but I can't just go for a weekend away (Covid permitting) without getting someone to mind the dog or finding somewhere I can take her with me.

Also, the barking at three a m, the late-night wee situation, the randomly hidden Bonios, treading on her on my death-trap stairs, the hair, the mud, the inability to have any other pet (she's a killer terrier), conversations interrupted by barking, and her taking up most of the bed.

But one look at her whiskery little face being pressed into mine and I melt. I'm a gonner, save yourself while you still can...

The puppy pissing everywhere. Some are great and get with the programme and piss outside regularly and willingly from the start. Others, not so much.

The puppy/ young dog destructo stage. Having to move all your houseplants out of range, coming back to a chewed up wastepaper basket etc.

The puppy not knowing the rules stage. We're currently doing lots of work on lead and recall and stay and other boring crap, so we can start doing fun things.

Once they're about 2, they're lovely. A well-trained dog is a lovely companions and having dogs gets me out for a walk in all weathers.

I'm at home all day with my 3 dogs (Black lab, 2 JRTs). They are super chilled and have never been destructive or barky or anything.

But the fucking hair everywhere does my nut.

Toilet training is harder the smaller the dog you get it seems. My JRTs were a nightmare initially. Took a good 3 months. Black lab did one wee inside and then never again.

You can get dogs that don't moult . We had a gorgeous bichon frise which don't moult at all so no dog hair anywhere. He died last year leaving us with our shihtzu which also doesn't moult. We didn't want her to be on her own so in July we got a cockapoo puppy . Daisy is fabulous . We have crate trained her overnight so no destruction and this also help s with toilet training . I love our dogs . Oh , and cockapoo doesn't moult either