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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to get a dog..

157 replies

bigbitch90 · 21/02/2011 14:25

with a 1, 2 and 3 year old?

I've had afew comments from family and friends saying I shouldn't have a dog with young children. Hmm
I'm buying it as a puppy from a friend and have done alot of research online about the breed and its an ideal family dog and excellent with children. It wont have the run of the house as I have stair gates up so can keep it away from the children say if I'm cooking or cleaning.
So.. AIBU?

OP posts:
BooyFuckingHoo · 21/02/2011 19:32

so true calamitykate. lets hope some of the new owners have a fecking clue what they are taking on.

BeerTricksPotter · 21/02/2011 19:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Vallhala · 21/02/2011 19:34

And he won't take a penny from the sales I suppose? Hmm

If he's that great and is so concerned that the woman is breeding her dog just for a fast buck why did he let HIS dog mate with her bitch.

And another thing... you say that this is the first litter the bitch of this backyard breeder. So the mother is inexperienced - god help the poor sod if she has been badly mated and needs a casear. the "breeder" won't make any money then!

Or of course she might let the bitch and/or pups die to save the vet's bill.

How old is this bitch she is breeding from?

BTW, thank you Booy, I don't think I deserve the compliments but yes, I do work entirely for the dogs and not formyself or any owner, past, present or future, and there is sweet sod all in it for me to deter someone from owning a dog just for the fub of it.

BooyFuckingHoo · 21/02/2011 19:36

it is only the truth val. Smile

scruffybird · 21/02/2011 19:39

Bigbitch90 I think some people are going a bit ott with you and can understand you wanting a pup. The big warning for me was when you said you wanted child number 4 but have settled for a pup instead, address this issue first.
Also if you plan on working full time in the future do not get the dog.
Hope it all works out for you

Vallhala · 21/02/2011 19:41

Or even the fun of it!

Disclaimer: I am sitting in poor light, typing without my glasses yet again and racing to get everything I want to say typed out before I forget in pure fucking white-hot fury that some money-grabbing arsehole of a backyard breeder (or rather TWO arseholes) are putting so many lives at risk and pure sorrow that the OP is adamant that they are reputable.

BooyFuckingHoo · 21/02/2011 19:43

OP have you done any research at all on SBT and what they are bred for, who they are bred by, issues they can encounter, who is suitable to own them etc?

CalamityKate · 21/02/2011 19:43

Well Val I'm not even in rescue but I could quite happily slap the pair of them senseless, so you must be bloody INCENSED.

Vallhala · 21/02/2011 19:44

OTT, scruffybird?

And your experience and knowledge of backyard breeders and the effects of their trade compared to mine and Midori's is what, exactly? Hmm

Rabat · 21/02/2011 19:45

Not sure whether YABU or not.

I wouldn't though. Puppies are hard work and children will be children. Puppies can easily get hurt if an overloving child holds on to it by the leg rather than letting it go where it want to.

VinoEsmeralda · 21/02/2011 19:47

I have only read the 1st page of this thread but just like to let you know we rehomed a 3 yr old dog in November last year.

The previous owners had three small children and had him from 8 weeks old. They told us he was lovely but asa we got him home he groweled at the DC plus barked a lot. They said this never happened and that they kept him seperate from the kids...

Anyway to cut a long story short we got an animal behaviuor expert in who told us he was scared and gave us lots of practical support and 3 months onwards we have a lovely confident dog (who I think still cant be trusted with kids but what dog can?).

A puppy is a lot of hard work especially with three DC that need lots of love and care too.

scruffybird · 21/02/2011 19:48

Yes Vallhala, because you can't hold her responsible for all that

gordyslovesheep · 21/02/2011 19:49

don't do it - please

www.dogwatchuk.com/index.htm

gordyslovesheep · 21/02/2011 19:50

and of course she's responsible for that - if people like her didn;t buy them they wouldn;t be bread

DooinMeCleanin · 21/02/2011 19:51

It's called supply and demand scruffybird, the op is the demand part. Without demand the 'breeder' won't see the point in supplying anymore.

If all of these puppies sell (half of them at least will end up in rescue, as has been pointed out) then the 'breeder' will breed more, again half of them will end up in rescue and so on. But of no one buys them, the whole litter ends up in rescue, hopefully (where they will be found suitable homes) and the breeder breeds no more.

scruffybird · 21/02/2011 19:54

Hey guys, you are preaching to the converted here.
Just saying that at this stage the op is considering getting this pup, lets not hold her solely responsible

GetOrfMoiLand · 21/02/2011 19:54

I had no idea about the amount of SBTs in rescue. Poor things.

I am also astounded that anyone would work FT with a dog. We wanted to get a dog last year, but decided not to as we both work FT, and even with dog walking for a few hours a day it would be a lonely life for the poor dog.

The dog would just get treated like a toy in a house with 3 young children, it is not fair on it tbh. I think the OP would be very selfish if she got this dog.

I do admire Valhalla and Midori's knowledge, and the amount of time Val must dedicate to rescue is astonishing. I wish you would listen to them OP.

BooyFuckingHoo · 21/02/2011 19:57

nobody is holding her responsible. people are making her aware of the facts of what she is considreing.

charitygirl · 21/02/2011 19:57

Oh PLEASE don't get a Staffie. You will just look like an ignorant, agressive arsehole with a status symbol. And, frankly when Staffies are bought by people who don't know a LOT about dogs, that's all they are.

Vallhala · 21/02/2011 20:04

I won't watch that DOGWATCH video as I'm bound to cry. I can say that it will be honest though - I know Denise, the founder of DOGWATCH, through my rescue work and can tell you she's both very dedicated and very knowledgable.

Original poster
bigbitch90 · 21/02/2011 20:14

No I am not calling her a responsible breeder, I am calling my friend who has bred many dogs the responsible breeder.

I am listening to Valhalla and Midori but I dont like people talking down to me.Sad I have thought long and hard about this and am not taking it with a pinch of salt, hence why I posted on here and its really unfair to say I'm the sort of person who shouldn't have a dog or 'it will be rehomed within 6 months' when you don't know anything about me. I won't look like an ignorant aggresive arsehole with a status symbol infact I'm the complete opposite. Thank you for your views but I'm not coming back on this thread because I find some people really offensive and rude

OP posts:
melezka · 21/02/2011 20:15

When I was pregnant I researched dogs thoroughly and (despite only ever wanting the one breed of dog since I was 14) decided that I would rescue a Staffie. To this end I contacted the Staffie KC rehoming section. The woman refused to even consider rehoming one with a pregnant woman; said they were jealous of babies and problematic with young children for this reason.

I really really think you should listen to the expert knowledge on this thread, OP.

FWIW we ended up rehoming a lurcher - we were his 3rd home - no fault of his own at all. But they do take forever to toilet train - I broke my foot slipping in one of his messes early one morning. Please - you are getting so much good information here in a very concentrated space of time.

(I'll probably get that other breed of dog - when I retire)

Sassybeast · 21/02/2011 20:18

But you're still going to go ahead and get the puppy aren't you OP ? I'll give you 4 months before you get rid of it for any of the reasons listed by the experts on this thread. Poor bloody animal Sad

Your family members, who presumably know you a lot better than we do feel the same. what does THAT tell you ?

weefriend · 21/02/2011 20:19

Oh FGS don't get a staffie. I'm sure there are many lovely ones out there, and to be fair the bitches I've come across have been lovely, but as someone who has worked in boarding kennels I only ever came across one dog staffie that I liked, and he was still a pup really, the rest were not dogs that I would want anywhere near children! I think perhaps my experience comes from seeing them out of their comfort zone, but then you need dogs to be good all round, not just when they're happy, and if there's anything likely to annoy a dog it's young children!

I'm sorry but having read your replies through this thread it's clear that you haven't researched this as well as you claimed so no I don't think you should get the pup. I'm not saying never, but I don't think you are ready yet.

DooinMeCleanin · 21/02/2011 20:20

So if you are listening you will be getting another breed of puppy (from a rescue) or an older stafford (from a rescue) and not supporting these eejits and taking in way more than you can handle with this puppy?

People are not being offensive or rude, they are being blunt and straightforward to try and get through to you just how bad things are for SBTs in rescue atm.

They are not an easy dog as youngsters, by any stretch of the imagination. It will be too much for you to cope with.

If you really, really must get a puppy please save up a bit longer, research more, consider another breed (again sighthounds are great as a first puppy) and make sure the breeder you go to is reputable.

How would you feel if due to failure of health testing your puppy dies before it 6 months old? How would your children cope?