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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get a puppy.

102 replies

pongonperdy · 12/01/2011 19:56

I work two and a half days a week which is what is putting me off the idea.

My daughter and husband are desperate for a puppy. I have grown up with dogs so i know how much is involved in having a puppy. The thing is my mum never worked so was always around to walk the dog etc. I know she thinks i should not have one as i work. However i doubt there will come a tme when i dont work so does that mean we should never have a pet. I think having a pet is a good thing for children and would hate them to miss out.

Am i being unreasonable is contemplating getting a puppy or do otjher people manage to combine pets and work.

OP posts:
justonemorethen · 12/01/2011 20:58

Supervised or safe.. Don't live in the country then! Everyone has dogs and they are all left to themselves in their gardens. Very few problems and your neighbours will bring them back the odd time one that decides to walk to the village (as you do for them).

LadyintheRadiator · 12/01/2011 21:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PeeringIntoTheWintryVoid · 12/01/2011 21:04

"Re the leaving the pup by itself, have you considered getting two puppies?! Not that much more work than one and they'll be company for each other."

Two puppies are far more work than one, and often fight as they mature, leading to behavioural problems and resultant rehoming.

"We have a big garden, so we can shut her out of the house when we are not there, she is at a naughty phase so she is now tied up outside (with access to shelter, food and water) when we are not here."

I consider this to utterly inappropriate for a (young) any dog's needs, for all the reasons so far mentioned by other posters, and more. Where's Valhalla when you need her??

"We have a puppy who is 7months and 2 boys, 3&4 and I don't work so I'm home with her all day. It's not just leaving the puppy when ur working, what about the other times your out, doing shopping, visiting freinds, it's very restricting! I love her and the boys thinks she's great, but given my time again, I wouldn't do it. Plus they really Do chew everything, especially when bored, and she has destroyed our once lovely garden! And we have another 15 years of it!"

Excellent experiential advice - please take heed of this OP.

OP you seem to have given this some consideration, and if you're able and willing to employ a dog walker to break up the monotony of the days when you're at work, then that's good. Where's Valhalla's advice when you need it? [grin}

Original poster
pongonperdy · 12/01/2011 21:06

Lady do cats mind being left in the day as i havent come across cat walkers.

OP posts:
Rhinestone · 12/01/2011 21:06

They shouldn't fight if they've been neutered (if dogs). And IME two are no more difficult than one.

But not right for everyone obviously.

Alster · 12/01/2011 21:12

I recommend a whippet - perfect family dog and doesn't need much exercise, sleep all day. get a dog walker for when you are at work. i think you should get a dog cause you want one, not because the kids do - they are not toys. on the other hand, i think my home would not be complete without one.

MotherJack · 12/01/2011 21:15

Pongo - I think many posters have asked questions on the same concerns as mine, but your post stating that you would take a few weeks off to settle her in would be of detriment to the dog (I don't think you should get a pup by the way, but that's your call, if you do decide to get a dog at all) as if you do that, you can cause separation anxiety in dogs. They get to spend a few weeks, 24 hours a day with the new family, all hunkydory and cosy, and then suddenly no one's around.

You need to start as you mean to go on. That means getting the walker from week one. And don't get a pup, please. There are so many lovely dogs in rescue, desperate for homes.

floweryblue · 12/01/2011 21:15

We didn't leave puppy out/tied up/ignored from the outset, we did as Pongon suggested and got the puppy when we had time to devote to her (summer hols for DPs kids, so he and they were here a lot).

I believe she is safer tied up in the garden than left to run riot, either outside or in the house.

The practicalities of life mean she can't be in human company at all times, what do people do when they sleep? And surely most dog owners go to work and have to think of ways to deal with their pets?

I don't want to argue every point. This is DP's dog and he has taken appropriate advice, all I wanted to do was to say to the OP that you can work and have happy pets.

I would still recommend cats as pets as they are far easier to deal with and far more independent than dogs.

LadyintheRadiator · 12/01/2011 21:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

floweryblue · 12/01/2011 21:24

mutz - she is a cross spaniel and sheepdog type, sorry, have forgot! She was born on a farm where all the dogs live outside.

justone - we are tying her up at the mo as the neighbours have been bringing her home/calling DP to fetch her, we are in the countryside and we are trying to secure our garden so she can be let out free but everytime we think we have fixed the problem she gets out again.

floweryblue · 12/01/2011 21:28

Lady - I do worry about strangulation but I also worry about her getting run over if she gets out and about her electrocuting herself chewing cables in the house when I am in another room. There's a lot to worry about.

Vallhala · 12/01/2011 21:49

Rescue WILL rehome to people with under 5s, you just need to find the right ones. Largely the bigger rescues such as the RSPCA will have blanket policies but the smaller, independent ones will often go on a dog by dog, family by family basis.

Some rescues will rehome across the UK - for example, Many Tears (all breeds) and German Shepherd Rescue UK.

There are hundreds of healthy dogs out there dying every week in pounds across the country, all for want of a home. This includes puppies too.

Lotster · 12/01/2011 21:54

"We have thought about a cat. I have had cats in the past and from experience they temd not to interact with the family as much. Cant take a cat out for long walks or runs on the beach."

Oh well as long as they get the odd picture postcard run on the beach to make you feel good, the majority of their week's daytime hours spent in solitude will be fine then! Hmm

I think most rescue centres will be more focussed on the hours spent slne than the ages of your children when it comes to a puppy.

In my last house I lived opposite a weimeraner pup left alone most days. He howled all day and it was very distressing to see and hear, I find it arrogant in the extreme when people buy a trophy pet because they want a "warm welcome" when they get home...

Lotster · 12/01/2011 22:00

Slne should say "alone"

BlueCollie · 12/01/2011 22:13

floweryblue - i dog sat for a family while they were on holiday and there garden did not have fencing around it all. They had put some electric wire all teh way around it and there dog had a collar on so that if she went to leave the garden she got a mild and pefectly safe electric shock. She did not ever try to leave after the first few times and she was left alone to roam the garden while they were at work. From what I could see the dog was very happy. have you thought of trying this?
OP - where does your mum live? could she not go take the dog out? I abuse my poor mum and she looks after my dog when I am at work..she also looks after my son Grin
I caged trained my dog. Started off with a small one and he was fine with it. Only whined the first night. Met we never had any furniture ruined, he didn't mess and was easy to house train plus we knew he was safe when we went out. He loved his cage and when he grew we got a bigger one. He used to just take himself off to it at night without even being told. It doesn't really fit in our new house and I think my dog misses it as he gives us dirty looks and is restless around the time he used to take himself off to his cage LOL.

HelenBa · 12/01/2011 22:14

It sounds like you know what you are doing. Having a young dog now and things fresh in my mind, I would say do factor in that you'll need the dog walker to come pretty often while the puppy is young or house-training could be a nightmare and so that is a real extra cost. It also depends hugely on what breed of dog you go for - while I was out walking the other day a family tried to palm their 7 month old highly destructive puppy on me as they just couldn't cope anymore, it had eaten all the kids toys etc (it was the same breed as mine). And if you are going to get them used to being on their own and not getting distressed you will also have to be quite tough in making sure the dog has alone time when you are in the house too and not making a fuss when you leave/come in etc. (I always found that quite unnatural but it worked ).

RE leaving dogs outside, it really depends on the circumstances, when I lived right in the countryside my dog had the run of the garden while I was out (and a nice warm kennel if he wanted) - I thought it was much healthier for the dog, but now I live in a city I can't do that as there as there are too many distractions (cats and foxes pass through the garden) and he would bark and disturb the neighbours.

floweryblue · 12/01/2011 22:16

Thanks Blue, will suggest to DP.

salsmum · 12/01/2011 22:29

Justonemorethen you are correct to say dogs just flop around inside or out BUT none of my roughty toughty staffys would have been happy to flop about outside in the freezing rain/sleet or recent snow Shock yes they love/d to have a lay in the sun or flop by the fire in winter but not shut outside all weathers and depending on which way the wind blows or it rains it goes straight in the kennel surely? Hmm in fact my old staffy (died aged 16) hated going out in the rain. So how can your dog feel loved when shoved out in all weathers?. Why not a nice warm dog crate indoors? in the warm and away from the elements?.

hatwoman · 12/01/2011 22:35

pomgonperdy - there's a woman round here who does dog-minding - you drop the dog off at her house on the way to work and pick him/her up on the way home. that sort of thing is probably more expensive than a dog-walker but would be ideal.

salsmum · 12/01/2011 22:39

Do I see electric dog fence and dog very happy in the same sentence? Shock

Lotster · 12/01/2011 22:46

Yikes

PonceyMcPonce · 12/01/2011 22:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BlueCollie · 12/01/2011 22:56

it's not a fence but a single wire that just goes round the garden. When they first told me I was a bit hmmmmm but their dog was very happy being able to roam about the garden freely and not go into the road and get hit by passing cars!

HelenBa · 12/01/2011 22:56

Dogminding - my dog walker charges £6 for a 1 hour walk or £10 for minding, not cheap but pretty good value and the dog comes back tired out from playing all day with the others!

HarrietSchulenberg · 12/01/2011 22:57

Can I ask what "responsible" dog owners are supposed to do to be "responsible"? Do you not work at all? How much time do you spend actually walking and playing with your dog each day?
Just curious as surely not all good dog owners can have no job and devote much of their day to their animal?
Surely a dog can be left outdoors if it has access to good shelter,food and water?
Have a cat and 3 fish so no experience.