To ask if you regret getting a dog?

[Saladmakesmesad]

The plan has always been to get a dog when the kids weren't little anymore, and they're not little anymore. I grew up with dogs and know all the usual things people say (adopt don't shop, dogs are for life, don't get one during coronavirus, research the breed, all dogs are different, get insurance, don't leave it home alone for ages etc). I'm not trying to be dismissive I'm saying I've researched it a lot and am absolutely not rushing into anything at all. I want a dog very, very much and have done for years, but that doesn't mean I don't realise what a big undertaking it is.

But... when I talk to dog owners, they seem to be quite negative. Several told me recently that if they could go back, they wouldn't get their dog, as much as they love them. Another said once her dog dies, she won't be replacing her. Another said her dog recently died and life is much easier now, as sad as she is.

So, overall and even acknowledging that you love them, do you regret getting a dog? If so, why?

YABU: I do NOT regret getting my dog.
YANBU: I DO regret getting my dog.

*hell and love

Yes & no. Regret isn’t the right word though. Looking back we got our dog when our lifestyle was very different - we now work shift work (nights & days), are expecting our first child etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love her like a child & would never ever get rid of her because my lifestyle had changed. She’s my baby & she’s kept me so sane during lockdown, but if we lost her we wouldn’t be rushing out for another one anytime soon

For us, although dogs are a huge commitment, we get more joy than the work we put in. Yes taking them out several times a day is a big commitment but we’ve made some great friends that we’d have never known just by being out with our dogs. The truest friend and companion you’ll ever have.
That said, we’ve just lost our beloved dog, the grief and heart ache is beyond words, but he enriched all our lives so so much and I wouldn’t want to never have known him.

@FruitPastillesaregood (great name...) @Alsohuman
I've also got a super easy Jack Russell. We didn't house train her as she is a rescue dog but apart from one overnight accident in the first week she's been great. Also very loving and friendly. Chilled at home but loves walks. She has scruffy longish hair but doesn't shed much. Brilliant dog.

No I don’t.

But I researched heavily before I got my dogs, to see which breed would fit into our family the best.

I have 2 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and they were easy to train, like walks but don’t need lots, happy to sleep a lot.

But hate being left alone.

We lost our elderly Labrador in January and I miss him so much. He was the easiest, loveliest dog ever and we loved each other totally. However, three years ago we got a second Lab and he is the polar opposite of our first. He’s barky, doesn’t like anyone he doesn’t know and there have been times I have regretted getting him. I do love him and he is improving with age. His latest is waking me at 2:30 and 6:30 (On the dot) and asking to go outside every. bloody. night. It’s worse than a baby. He doesn’t even need out. I think lockdown is going for him!

Interesting about the easy J Rs! Ours used to bite the postman and my siblings ( childhood dog) and eventually had to be rehome. I thought they were ‘one person’ dogs really. Obviously I’m wrong!

My house feels so wrong without her when she's at my mums etc.. This sounds daft but it's a house without her but an home with her. She is such an easy dog though and we love being at home if we're not travelling.

I'm.not getting another after ours has gone. I love him but he is so tying. We got him.as a rescue when we were living a different life but since then redundancy and bereavements of our dog support network have made it difficult. I work split shifts now.so that he is not home.alone all day and we get up at the crack of dawn to.walk him. We didn't forsee any of it when we got him, I had a lovely, well paying, two day a week job with in-laws around to help on my work days.
He is also very hairy and I am constantly hoovering!
I do love him.dearly.but I am.quite sure that I don't want another until retirement.

@Seychelles98 I don't really want to say what breed I have as it is a fairly unusual breed and I don't want to out myself.

I don't really feel the house training in 3 days was down to me much. I think we were just lucky with this particular puppy and he is very bright and intelligent. The breed is none to be slow on the whole for house training and some owners say it has taken weeks, if not months, to house train.

I think it is more down to luck than breed although if you are patient and you take the puppy outside regularly - after each meal, each drink definitely and, if possible, every 15 to 20 minutes and praise enthusiastically each time the pup wees or poos the puppy should, hopefully, get the idea pretty quickly.

I do think 8 hours is too long to leave a dog. Definitely far too long to leave a puppy and even a full grown dog it is unfair on. We only ever leave our dogs for 4 hours maximum and that is not that often. If we are going to be longer than that we are lucky that we have a couple of friends that will go and sit with them.

Dogs are a tie there is no disputing that but for me and DH they are worth it. You just have to plan if you want to go out somewhere or away.

Well I'm single and if my dog wants to eat then she has to be left while I'm at work!

She wasn't an only dog when she was a pup so she got used to being left with the other dogs. Now my old dogs have gone and she's fine when I'm on shift at work, can hold her bladder and bowels for up to seven hours and is relaxed but happy to see me when I get in. Neighbours report no barking, no urgent little face at the window and nothing is destroyed.

Otherwise she's a complete nightmare, hates all other dogs and some people and can be yappy and overprotective.

But dogs CAN be left if they are gradually accustomed to it and know you will always come back. Otherwise only people privileged enough to work from home, be in a family situation and have plenty of money could ever have dogs.

@Zaphodsotherhead just because some dogs can be left does not mean they should be.

Being alone for 8 or more hours 5 days a week is not a great life for a dog. Just because they don't bark or cry doesn't mean they are happy.

I do know a few people who have dogs and work full time but they all have either a dog walker and/or dog sitter or the dogs go to doggy day care

I don't at all but our dog is a very laid back, easy, older rescue! I knew when I got him that a more demanding dog was a definite no.

I loved my dog but I would never ever get another.

Really tying, we love our holidays, days out and weekends away. The hair everywhere, the poop and wee everywhere (7yr old rescue who had been caged her whole life so never trained) walking late at night in all weathers, and when she became elderly it was horrific watching her deteriorate.

No regrets at all. I researched loads before getting my dog, got him at a time were I was able to take few months off work, spend an absolute fortune on his day care, insurance, food, etc every month, and I'm by no means rich. My dc adore him too. I feel very lucky to be his human!

@lynsey91

I don't work five days a week for eight hours a day.

But you haven't answered the question - are you saying that only people with very fortunate lives should be allowed to own a dog?

I absolutely wouldn't be without ours, he's the love of my life. We got him just before Christmas and it's been the best ever.

He has absolutely killed our sex life however. It's really hard to concentrate with a little sausage dog peeking up the side of the bed/crying to get into the room...

no one warned me about that

It took DH and the kids 10 years to convince me to get our dog. Hands down it’s the best decision I’ve ever been persuaded to make! I must tell him I love him at least 20 times a day 😆. Pup has bought so much joy to everyone in the family, it makes all the hard work worth it ten times over.

I love my dogs. But yes I do regret getting them. One dog was great then we added another which was a mistake! We don’t have anyone to look after them and I won’t put them in kennels so holidays are completely out. We’ve had caring commitments for over 20 years and we since last year we finally have some free time but still can’t do anything.

I love my Ddogs, lovely company, great with the kids and when DH takes them out for the day the house feels empty. But the white dog coat goes everywhere and I mean everywhere. The other dog has a double coat so doesn't stick like to glue to me or the house. So would I have another dog yes but one that doesn't moult constantly it's really the only fault passed puppyhood. Will never have another cat though the fucker thinks he owns the house

@Zaphodsotherhead no of course I do not think only people with fortunate lives should have dogs. I am not even sure what you mean by that.

No dog should be left regularly for hours on its own. It is just not fair on the dog. They like company and, as I said before, just because they seem happy enough not barking or crying when alone does not mean they are.

If people have a dog and work more than say 4 hours a day they need to have some sort of provision in place for their dog. It could be a dog walker or going to doggy day care. If they can't afford either of those (although a dog walker is not expensive and the cost should really be factored in when thinking of getting a dog) then a neighbour, relative or friend going in to be with the dog for a time, playing with it, maybe walking it, continuing the training is a good idea. Most would not want any payment.

Also borrowmydoggy is good so a dog does not have to be left alone. I have 2 friends who can't have their own dogs because they work and they both look after dogs through borrowmydoggy even having them in their own homes for a few days at a time.

Yes Lynsey91 before all this happened our circumstances had changed and through borrowmydoggy and a local FB group I had a couple of lovely students lined up to give rookiedog additional walks over and above the daily dog walker. They were super happy to do it and didn't want any payment.

Of course insurance and liability are an issue but I am happy to carry that risk rather than have a lonely doggo.

@rookiemere that's good that you thought of your dog's happiness. So many owners don't.

Borrowmydoggy is an excellent site. My friends love looking after other people's dogs.

I don't regret getting my dog or my cat, having said that I won't be getting anymore pets when they go either. My youngest child is 16 and I'm looking forward to being able to travel a lot and just go away for weekends with Dh on a whim, that's not easy when pets are around plus it make a cheap night or two away turn into a not so cheap night or weekend away :p