To think in MN land no one should have a dog?

[bluesapphirestars]

The only acceptable dog is a rescue, with a few exceptions, and rescues won’t rehome to people who WOTH or who have children, so that immediately rules most of mn out.

The only other acceptable alternative is to make the dog more than a pet, it’s a lifestyle, involving intensive breed research and so on. Again, not conducive to homes with children.

So in short - the verdict on MN is no dog.

(Semi light hearted!)

Otter hounds! Lovely dogs! Though I'd love an actual otter (never going to happen, terrible pets. But still.)

Retrievers are the perfect family pet, followed closely by labs. Their gentle natures just can not be beaten. Females labs can be quite small too, really more of a medium size dog.

Oh I love otters too, vicious beasts though!

Current retirement plan is to buy a remote cottage somewhere near a river and live there with a couple of otterhounds. Probably won’t happen as I keep getting sucked into adopting cats but a woman can dream!

I've got three - none of them are rescues they are all pedigree from respected breeders. So there 😂

@Haenow

Genuinely, if anyone has any links to a rescue in England who would rehome a dog to a family with pre-school aged DC, we are on the look out.

You might want to look at some of the smaller charity rescues that don't actually kennel their dogs. Mine came from Heathlands in Royston, and he was fostered in a family home with 3 primary school aged children for about 6 weeks so we had a good idea of how he would be around children. (Obviously I appreciate that's not a fail safe guarantee but it was reassuring for us) I'm not sure if they would accept families with pre-school age children but it might be worth looking

I think it's a new thing, like in the last 10 years, of not leaving a dog for the day, whilst you went to work.

@bluesapphirestars

you don’t like them

Yes I do.

Know what one of my favourite breeds is? Otterhounds. Bloody love them. But they are not suitable first time pets for families, for reasons similar to greyhounds actually - prey drive and size.

Oh they’re so different though...

If you manage greys offlead time and don’t keep food on your worktops, greys are usually very easy dogs to own.

Too easy for me in fact, lol.

With cats it’s not so much the prey drive that’s the issue, it’s the speed, they’ll catch cats easier than other breeds. Yeah you get the odd one that can live with cats, but mostly they’re not a great idea with cats, so you’re not wrong about that.

But their size isn’t as... obvious? As with other large breeds, they don’t throw themselves around... they’re almost catlike physically they’re fairly delicate and contort themselves into tiny spaces.

They’re definitely not the right dog for everyone, but in all honesty they’re actually a pretty ideal dog for many first time owners.

@LaurieFairyCake one of mine is terrible for chasing runners. I take him running with me, so he sees a runner and thinks "let's go"

If I see a runner I always have to get him on the lead.

@Thunderpunt

Thank you. I approached a couple of small local rescues but they declined us. :( That said, I think the Covid situation is impacting on the availability of dogs too so we’ll likely wait until at least spring 2021. I’ll look at your recommendation though. Thanks again.

I’m a vet so I see dogs all day every day. There are several points really.

Firstly the vast vast majority of dog owner are lovely, responsible people who love their dogs and do a great job of looking after them. There’s a lot of judgement on here but honestly most dog owners are great.

Secondly UK rescue centres are too strict forcing people to look to other avenues such as overseas rescues. I may get flamed for this but please do not rescue from overseas. There are so many diseases that are not endemic to the uk that are being brought in by these dogs. They also often have behavioural issues. I have met some lovely ones but also ones where new owners are left with very hefty vet bills because they have unwittingly taken on a dog with major health problems and some who have had to be euthanised due to behavioural problems. I have been turned down by a UK rescue because I work.....as a vet.....who can take my dogs to work with me......

Thirdly if you do want to get a dog seek professional advice. Vets are more than happy to speak to you BEFORE you get a dog about what to expect, costs, breeds, exercise needed etc. We even advertised this heavily as a free service at my practice a couple of years ago. We offered free appointments with a vet nurse to talk through all that is involved with taking on a dog/puppy. Not one person took us up on it. Usually we don’t see the dog until the person has already got it. Like I said above most owners are great. But sometimes someone comes in with a dog and you can see straight away it was a bad idea (puppy farmed, sick, bad choice of breed for their situation etc etc) but it’s too late by then.

And finally if you are going to spend thousands on a puppy (I honestly can’t believe what breeders are charging for “designer” crosses these days) make sure you also have the money to look after it. So often we see puppies a few days/weeks after people have taken them on and they are sick or need treatment for something and the owners plead poverty. If you’re getting a pet then get insurance. All my own pets are insured.

But with regards to the OP sometimes people on here are a bit judgy about dogs. But if that makes one person stop and think then maybe it’s a good thing? Maybe the tone just needs to be altered so it’s educational rather than judgy?

@SamuelL

That is a fab post

People have coped for decades with dogs in a home environment without needing "doggy day care".

"People have coped"

Back in the day it was far more unusual to have no one at home for part of the day. Besides which, what is your point? Yes it used to be socially acceptable to boot your dog out for the day, now it isnt.

@ShesMadeATwatOfMePam

People have coped for decades with dogs in a home environment without needing "doggy day care".

Just because something was acceptable "for decades", doesn't mean it's acceptable now.

It used to be acceptable to beat your kids black and blue.

I got flamed on here for innocently asking what to expect when I bought my cockerpoo puppy home.

Apparently I was single handily supporting puppy farming. I’m not, I know the breeder.

We both work full time but wfh a lot, obvs even more now, and have family who can take her at the drop of a hat.

We aren’t experienced dog owners but she’s a happy well behaved little dog. And loves kids.

@BarrelOfOtters cockerpoos are cracking little family dogs. I see a lot around here, they are sweet and smart and great with children.

MN is definitely a bit nazi on this whole subject. I was told I should put my 13 year old westie down because she was getting food related allergy ear infections.

I'd keep off the dogs board if I were you, it's not a pleasant place for normal dog owners with nice non rescue dogs. They all believe all dogs are highly dangerous to small children too. Weird because most of MN is great. I used to think dog owners were mostly good people - but there are some very strange ones indeed.

Leaning your dog home alone for a few hours vs spending the equivalent of nursery fees on a dog isn't the same as beating it black and blue. Families up and down the country have dogs and leave them for half a day without calling in a dog sitter and everyone copes. The Mumsnet way isn't the only way, im just suggesting that the dog people of Mumsnet go over the top and don't reflect actual real life quite a lot of the time as to how many families live with their dogs. You almost make it sound like not getting a dog sitter is abuse.

Most people I know who have dogs routinely leave their dogs all day with a dog walker coming in for a 60 or 90 minute walk half way through. No one judges or cares. I've only ever seen dog owners being admonished for this, here on MN.

@ShesMadeATwatOfMePam

Leaning your dog home alone for a few hours vs spending the equivalent of nursery fees on a dog isn't the same as beating it black and blue. Families up and down the country have dogs and leave them for half a day without calling in a dog sitter and everyone copes. The Mumsnet way isn't the only way, im just suggesting that the dog people of Mumsnet go over the top and don't reflect actual real life quite a lot of the time as to how many families live with their dogs. You almost make it sound like not getting a dog sitter is abuse.

Half a working day is only 4 hours or so, though, which is the maximum recommended amount of time per day to leave a dog. I don't know anyone who's criticised for leaving their dog five mornings a week, for example.

But people who leave their dogs 8-10 hours a day with no break (because not everyone pays for a dog walker) are cruel in my opinion. I do think it's totally wrong to get a dog and proceed to leave it home alone for 50+ hours each week. If your home set-up means you're never there, get a goldfish.

People just assume they have the right to keep a dog, even when their lifestyles are totally unsuitable for it. It's wrong. And puppies being sold with no regulations on Gumtree or Pets4Homes just exacerbates the problem. If you have money, you can get a dog, regardless of whether you can actually look after it properly.

I'd keep off the dogs board if I were you, it's not a pleasant place for normal dog owners with nice non rescue dogs. They all believe all dogs are highly dangerous to small children too. Weird because most of MN is great. I used to think dog owners were mostly good people - but there are some very strange ones indeed.
One of the thing that baffles me about some (by no means all) posters in The Doghouse is that they believe entirely in the absolute rightness of Purely Positive Training* but at the same time are willing to arse-kick anyone who disagrees with them and think that sarcasm and tellings-off are the way to win the argument. So Purely Positive with NO punishments is the way forward with dogs, but you can be nasty as you like to other people

*To the extent of one poster recently being told by another that the only way to make her dog stay away from the table when the family was eating was to give it something nicer to do - rather than just teaching it a proper stay.

@GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman oh haha you are so right! I suggested watching the dog trainer (dogs behaving badly) for a lady having problems with a dog and talked about a great technique he had for naughty dogs (terrier, on the sofa, biting. Put it on a lead when it gets aggressive say NO, and pull it off the sofa. ) and omg got a kicking.

Clearly do as I say not as I do,

And here is the issue with entitled dog owners. I agree if the dog bites a child it’s not necessarily the dogs fault but it’s absolutely the owners fault. I don’t dislike dogs but I do dislike shitty dog owners.

Sometimes it's the child's parent's fault.

“To the extent of one poster recently being told by another that the only way to make her dog stay away from the table when the family was eating was to give it something nicer to do - rather than just teaching it a proper stay.”

Well in fairness, giving a dog something better to o will mean a quicker result than teaching a stay that long ... but you can also teach a stay with positive reinforcement...

I think it's up to the owner to have a dog that doesn't bite. Mines not keen on kids but would never bite - she moves away. There's no excuse unless the kids are being cruel and the dog can't get away - which does happen. Children can be nasty.

Yes and if you have an unruly annoying kid who screams and shouts in public that's okay but a dog off the lead we must call the police