to get a puppy now?

[CoralRose]

This is our current situation:

Semi rural house. 3 bed. Large living space. Large garden, surrounded by fields.

One (very old, very placid) cat.

3 DC:
5yo DS - school full time.
2.6 DS - Nursery two mornings a week.
4mo DS - Errr...dribbles alot.

DH works full time, me not working for at least another 2 years, even then will be part time if at all.

So WIBU to get a puppy now? If I am... how long should we wait?

Just a few pointers

A Beagle would be a terrible choice for a first time owner, esp. one who has as little time for training as you will have.

Is certainly doable, as long as you are aware of how hard somedays will be, if you do insist on choosing a larger, clumsy, boisterous breed (lab, golden, springer) do realise that in the normal course of puppyhood it will both knock over and bite your children and they will cry and be very upset and probably hate the puppy, none of this is the dogs fault, think carefully about how you will feel and how you will treat the pup when this happens.

A puppy will need you alot of the time, regardless of whether you are changing a nappy or trying to put your smallest down for a nap, not being able to always go to your pup immediately will result in house training taking an awful lot longer than a couple of weeks. It will also occupy itself elsewhere, chewing, ripping, generally destroying. It is not okay to keep it penned lots of the time because you cannot supervise.

My (medium sized, pretty easy dog) as a puppy caused carnage and I am a very experience owner, but this was the first time I had mixed puppies and children (of my own) children were 3 and 6.

As other have said, you would be best with a small companion dog and preferably an adult.

If you want a puppy it is doable but expect it to be HARD.

Oh my goodness-the dogs/puppies on that link!

OP-I´m sure you´d find something suitable there!

I have read about long walks for beagle, but the field at the back is huge and they could be off the lead and run for miles!

you would be mad to get a puppy with kids those ages

it wouldnt be fair on the puppy for one thing, a puppy needs constant attention, training and love at all times of the day and night

if you think you can cope, sure go ahead, cleaning up dog poo and wee at first, as well as dog vomit & diarrheoa quite regularly while he settles down, never shouting at the dog, taking it to puppy socialisation classes, not letting the children alone with it, not letting the children play with it unsupervised

you are a better person than me if you can cope with all that, i found it tough with just one puppy who took quite a while to settle in - naturally enough as he is a baby whipped away from his mum, who had the runs for quite a while so carpets needed scrubbing three or four times a day, and who wanted constant attention, because he is a baby.

CoralRose
My DH was not chuffed when we got Daphne, thought she was too girly. He adores her now. And the feeling is mutual. She walks past me to get to him. Ungrateful beast.

They don't look too fluffy if you keep hair short

she was a bit fluffy as a baby though

yanbu. we got our spaniel puppy 2 yrs ago when i was on maternity leave before having DS3. the children are now 8,4 and 2 and the dog is 2 too. We got him from a friend of my DH who breeds working dogs.

I dont remember it being a big deal with house training, but then we are very relaxed about that kind of thing. We live semi rural too and he has a run outside, with an area in the garage if its cold/ raining. If the weather is nice and we are both at work/ out shopping he will stay out there on his own. however he generally spends most of the time in where we are. and currently is running around playing star wars with the boys.

I think dogs brought up around small children tend to be the relaxed/ chilled out / daft ones. People on mumsnet dont tend to agree with the puppy+baby combo ( and I think if you did post in the "doghouse" you would get a negative response), but its worked for us

WTWTA makes a good point about it taking longer to train a puppy when you cannot drop everything and rush it out to wee.

Would your Mum be able to come over daily for a week when you first get the puppy, to help you with this?

Don't Beagles have a tendency to start running whilst out on long walks and just keep going ? My neighbour has one, was a great escape artist when little who ended up in our garden a lot.

ah sorry Mitmoo, think it took us about 2-4 weeks non stop of looking out for the signs and lots of trips outside. (Luckily no kids and wasnt working at the time) I would say it took best part of a 6 months to be fully 100% wee/poo free.

We have a mini daschund. :)

I think you sound like you know exactly what you're in for OP, so I repeat, go for it.
I was brought up with a dog, I was one of four, and my elder sister was only a baby when he became part of the family, so, similar circumstances to you, but also a long, long time ago.
Where I live, in the country, loads of people have dogs and young children.

diddl- I couldn't even look!

WTWTW - Thank you for your insight. I'm imagining puppy being in the tiled kitchen/diner living space until house trained. I could have doors open so it can come in and out as it pleases (would that be ok?). Obviously I will need to take it out when it needs to 'go'. As mentioned previously, garden is huge, and secure. Pen would be for when we are all in there and puppy needs to be separated from DCs. I would put a gate on door to lounge where Dc's (especially baby) spend most of their time. Stairs to upstairs are off the lounge. DC completely comfortable with dogs, although I understand living with a puppy will be completely different, and they will need training as well!

Yes Wynken, they do .
And he can jump a five foot fence.

Okay puppies/young adolescent dogs and young children from my experience.....

Puppies nip. Children do not like this and they howl. Puppy thinks child is playing. Puppy nips again. Child howls more. Puppy nips more. Parent's sanity is pushed to breaking point.

Puppies chew toys which are not put away. Young children are noitriously bad at putting away toys. Young child sees puppy with toy and snatches toy. Puppy thinks this is a great game of tug. Puppy has been rewarded for stealing and chewing toys and will forever more steal and chew toys. Children will howl when their favourite teddy/security blanky is ripped to shreds. Parent's sanity is pushed further towards breaking point.

Puppies need walking in the cold and the rain. Children do not like long walks in blizzard like conditions. Children whine and dawdle. Puppies do not like to dawdle. Puppy plays in the mud while child is dawdling. Parent now has one wet, miserable child to deal with and one muddy puppy to bath. Parent's sanity pushed even further towards breaking point.

Puppies love playing with and tormenting elderly cats. Elderly cats do not like this. Elderly cat moves in with the neighbour. The children gowl for their cat. Parents now at breaking point.

Puppy poos on the carpet. Child investigates with it's mouth. Parent has full blown breakdown and sits in a darkened room rocking slowly back and forth.

Again from vast experience:

Children and older rescue dogs - rescue dog has been tested with children and is past the nipping and chewing stage. Child and dog co-exist peacefully. Parents are happy.

Rescue dogs and cats: Rescue dog has been fully cat tested and is completely indifferent to the cat. Cat and dog co-exist happily.

Rescue greyhounds and walks in rain: You're having a laugh, yes? Walk in the rain? A geyhound? You've more chance of winning the lottery

You sound like you have a perfect home for a dog, but not a puppy, not at this point, unless you place no value on your mental well being, in which case, go for it

Jeez, just been to the doggie section, scarpers back to AIBU! First thread has taken a poem about the holocaust and changed it to be about dogs.

Worrying stuff.

Sorry to hijack again, but having son at school, I'm thinking also the sleepless nights wont be good for anyone at the beginning while the pup is getting used to being in the crate at night.

With son having AS he wants it now, now funds are there for it, oh freak, I'm not going to get one while I am undecided and feeling under pressure.

Coral you've done all of your homework, you're prepared for all of the work that's going to be needed (that's where I'm not sure), I don't see why not now as you will be home for a couple of years, you couldn't do it if you were working but if you know what you're in for I don't see why not.

Mitmoo
I would get advice, if I were you, to the question of if there is likely to be issues with the puppies being removed from the mother so early.

Great post dooinmecleanin

Its sad that people asume rescue dogs are unsafe as they may have had a rough time, the dogs are often put in foster homes first and tested out on cats and kids, also it saves you a fortune as they are vacinated, chiped and castrated/spayed. Our dog must have cost us close to £500 (including what we payed for her, vacinations, cip and to be spayed), you can rescue a dog or pup for a small donation (i think around £50 or a bit more).

doinmecleaning Just loved your post.

Marne £150 at my RSPCA.

MME RSPCA said that it was because the mother was dry and she wasn't a rescue the owners wanted her back, so they kept her there for 8 weeks, said only one is acting out grabbing nipping ankles the rest are fine. Apparantly.

I think if you're up for the hard work then why not.

I was desperate for a puppy and had given it lots of thought. In the end though decided with 3 young children and my time stretched enough as it was, that a slightly older dog would be better. Got a 1 year old lab from a good rescue who has been perfect for our family. Still young and crazy and loves to play but came house trained and no longer chewing! He has been a fab addition and the dc's all love him. Would you consider a young rescue dog?

If you area SAHM then I think you have the time to bring a puppy into the house as you are around 24 /7. You are an experienced mum and will have a routine in place - can you imagine trying to do this when back at work - that would be much harder! I house trained my dog in about a week and had basic commands down using the clicker method very quickly. one of my fav mottos is " anything worth doing/having comes with hard work and effort" - of course there will be some disruption and readjusting but the joy and love a dog can bring to family life is immense and in my opinion worth the leg work at the start! It' s all a matter of attitude - if you see the worth of having the dog go for it! I lost my springer spaniel in August after having had him for 16 years - baby due in October - the void is awful and I am already thinking when can I have another!!!!!

£150 is still a good price as it costs that to get a bitch spayed (well almost). I would love another dog but will wait until my dog is a bit older and less loopy and will then rescue another Staffie or maybe cross breed. I have always wanted an English bull and would be tempted to get one when the dd's have grown up and would probably buy a pup (if i couldn't find one to be rehomed). I feel very guilty for buying a staffie pup, at the time i did not realise how many were in rescue centers and like others on here i worried about their backgrounds, after looking into it a lot more and knowing that they are checked (with children and other animals) i would happily re-home a dog.

You would have to be mad IMHO, I have. 6mo puppy who has been hellish hard work, for the last 6months she has needed the attention of a newborn baby whilst having the mobility/attention span and habits of a 3yo. She can climb, jump, run, escape, and has the ability to destroy anything left within reach in a matter of minutes. She has also at 6mo just about become house trained, up until the last 2 weeks we had at least one accident a day.
Do yourself a favour and get a young dog from a rescue, there are thousands of dogs needing homes, you can have a dog which is fully housetrained, past the chewing stage, and is no longer doing the mad puppy running around the house bent on destruction thing. You will also pay a lot less than you would for a pedigree dog, and even better, it will already be spayed or neutered.

sorry OP but iam PMSL at the idea of letting a beagle off in a field and havingany hopeof getting itback.

beagles arehighly scent oriented nd willbe off like a shot following all and ay scentthey pick up. they arealso extremely difficult to tran. my last dogwas a beagle X and thepuppy trainer said she would give me his cetificate jus for atempting to trainhim!! she wasright. he was sohard to train.

i reallyreally would advise against getting a beagle.

my beagle also scaled a 40ft almost vertical quarry face in order to escape my garden. he could teach mountain goats a thing or 2. really not a good choice when you have 3 small children already. i spent many dayswhen ds2 was just days old drivinground looking for him.