And so it begins (lockdown puppies)

[Sailawaysailaway]

I’ve seen two posts this week on local Facebook/Nextdoor groups of

“Does anyone fancy walking my dog. Back to work for us etc etc”.

Quite obviously asking for someone to walk for them for free, not asking for a dog walker

I have been quite a defender on posts about lockdown dogs etc, hoping that the majority of people wouldn’t be so stupid as to get a dog with no forward planning at all - but I’m now seeing my hope was misplaced.

Not quite sure what my Aibu is - but seen yet another post today (by a teacher no less - so they were always going back to the “office”) and it’s pissed me off.

So I suppose Aibu to say - don’t get a dog if you have no plan on how to look after it when you go back to work.

@Ohtheplacesyougo reading through your situation I don’t think for a second anyone is judging you (or me even - we bought ours in lockdown too). Like you he has always gone to daycare twice a week from the moment he was vaccinated and he also (the pampered sod) has a dog walker which I’m sure will continue throughout his life - gives him variety and also gives me a break on those WFH days when I really can’t give him the attention he needs, or I can actually nip out and get some stuff done!
We considered really long term ‘what ifs’ when we got ours but you’re right the lockdown has made it easier for us as we’ve been able to take training totally at his pace, including getting used to traffic for example, shorter car journeys. There are massive benefits!
But just to reiterate I really took any judging (by myself as well) to be about people that got one without thinking long term how they’ll meet that animal’s needs. You sound like a good’un!

Try getting a Shiba Inu out in the rain

Or a Jack Russell.
Or a sighthound

Trust me to get spaniels!

@Ohtheplacesyougono judgement from me - as I said in the OP I’ve very much defended people getting dogs during lockdown. I’m not snotty about cross breeds and actually I don’t even really make too much comment on the way the costs of getting a dog have sky rocketed (it’s supply and demand to me).

BUT people who did it with no thought as to what they were going to do when worn resumed - I do bloody judge!

And actually I also judge them for trying to get free dog care off of randoms on social media as well.

I got a lockdown puppy and the judgement I’ve received from total strangers is scary.

I’ve stopped explaining myself now as it’s gotten silly and it’s none of their fucking business.
But for the record my puppy will go to daycare on the one day a week I’m out of the house for more than two hours.

@SchadenfreudePersonified

Try getting a Shiba Inu out in the rain

Or a Jack Russell.
Or a sighthound

Trust me to get spaniels!

I used to have a shar pei - if it was raining as we left the house she would just lay down the moment we left the house and wouldn’t be budged until we went back inside.

She was the most stubborn dog I’ve ever known

We've only had one dog that didn't like rain Sailaway - our great dane. We had to physically shove him outside to have a wee if it was raining (took two of us!) and then I would stand with an umbrella over his head for the duration of his toilet visit. There is NO WAY he would entertain a walk in the rain - just stood there and refused to set foot over the threshold.

His idea of exercise was a stretch and a yawn before going back to sleep . . .

I really doubt there are many people who have been told that they can work from home 'forever'

That's what we've been told. Large financial institution.

That’s really tickled me... the idea of standing over a Great Dane with an umbrella while it does its business is joyous!

Looked on gumtree; lots of puppies for sale around here, plus loads of dogs for stud.

And one guy trying to sell his 11 month old male bulldog cross for £750, because he's "two energetic for us"

He's a bulldog cross, what did you expect?! They're energetic dogs!

So sad as the rest of the advert is literally "needs his forever home no papers NO TIME WASTERS."

Obviously doesn't give a shit about the dog, and is just trying to recoup some of his money back. Really wish it wasn't so easy to buy a dog or flog it on the internet .

If you’re selling a dog on gumtree you clearly have no care for its wellbeing.
It’s full of “10 week old pup gutted to have to give him away but my son has allergies”
Any responsible breeder would take the dog back there is absolutely no reason to sell dogs on unless you’re a charlatan.

@Crayfishforyou

I got a lockdown puppy and the judgement I’ve received from total strangers is scary.

I’ve stopped explaining myself now as it’s gotten silly and it’s none of their fucking business.
But for the record my puppy will go to daycare on the one day a week I’m out of the house for more than two hours.

Absolutely nothing wrong with getting a puppy during lockdown when you have the time, money and resources to care for it properly when things go back to "normal".

I'm sorry you've been judged by complete strangers :(

tbh, my first thought if someone has a lockdown puppy is "Wow, you had £2000 to spend on a dog!" I don't have any default other opinions on them.

One of the dogs I walk (lurcher) dislikes rain & may refuse if more than slight rain. I get impression I have taken the lurcher out in more inclement weather than her other volunteer walkers... yes, not many other dog walkers around then. I curtail length in reaction to rain too. The other dog I walk (small designer mongrel) is apparently afraid of snow but she was good with moderate wet.

@lljkk my lockdown puppy cost 380 he’s a cockapoo

😂 My sighthound refuses to walk in the rain she will whine at us til we go home despite wearing a coat!
Our old dog walker wouldn't be able to get her out of the van in the end she would let our dog out give her a fuss and leave and give us half credit as it wasn't worth dragging her out! Dog went back to sprawling on the sofa! 😂

@missbridgerton

I'm on several rehoming groups on FB and there has been post after post with young dogs on, all less than a year and "lockdown" puppies. All just dumped on rescues because people are going back to work and haven't put any effort into training.

I would strangle these people quite cheerfully with my bare hands

Rehoming groups on FB? Rehoming pets actually is against Facebook’s community standards (quite sensibly) so surprised there are groups on there.

It makes me so cross how many puppies are now needing new homes because people bought them without thinking long term. So many people haven’t bothered to research into breeds and what they need.
I would love a dog but for us it isn’t practical at the moment so we walk other peoples dogs at weekends instead. I don’t think asking if anyone wants to walk their dog is a terrible thing, some people(like me!) will happily do it, I’m more concerned about those who plan on leaving these new dogs home alone all day without a walk.

My parents (mid seventies) have just bought a large lively breed 3 month old puppy as their first dog, because they were bored due to not being able to see their grandchildren during lockdown.

I'm really upset by their selfishness, and because I know that they will end up asking me to look after it or take it on permanently, and I will feel bad for refusing.

They usually spend at least 5 months of the year at their holiday home abroad, and have 2 other foreign holidays a year (a month in total). They're both really lazy and don't enjoy walking.

The puppy is already biting people.

I just feel so sad for it. Completely irresponsible of them. If they had to have a dog, they could at least have offered a home to an older dog.

We occasionally look after a beautiful black lab for a therapy dog charity. He refuses to leave the house in even slight rain and I'm always worried he'll do himself a damage by refusing to go out and wee. We've tried an umbrella and boots and so on, but if he could not wee for the whole day he would. It's wierd for his breed, the rest of his litter (who we also look after occasionally) love nothing more than charging about in rain and mud (and snow is a treat to end all treats).

@Ulelia

We occasionally look after a beautiful black lab for a therapy dog charity. He refuses to leave the house in even slight rain and I'm always worried he'll do himself a damage by refusing to go out and wee. We've tried an umbrella and boots and so on, but if he could not wee for the whole day he would. It's wierd for his breed, the rest of his litter (who we also look after occasionally) love nothing more than charging about in rain and mud (and snow is a treat to end all treats).

That is strange. I have a lab and he loves the rain. Don’t worry too much about the toileting as long as you’ve offered. We discovered my dog can hold in wees for 18 hours when my DH had covid and we were all housebound relying on walkers and friends to take him out. He won’t wee in our garden but even with restricted walks and full access to the garden he still didn’t wee at ours, we were convinced he would as he couldn’t possibly hold on, normally he goes out at least three times a dat, but usually four. However he did hold on and showed no discomfort at all. Bladder of steel.

So I reckon if the dog you mind doesn’t want to go out, it’s probably fine. They usually make their feelings clear. Our dog also wakes my DH up (never me) if he’s eaten something he shouldn’t and wants to get sick. He’ll vomit in our garden no problem!

EpiphanySoul1you were very lucky to get a puppy at that price,maybe it was just at the start of lockdown?
I think all breeders should be registered and regulated, and at the moment prices capped or taxed on what money they make
One woman on benefits was caught because she sold a poorly puppy which died a few days later,she had £12000 from the sales,
It really annoys me, when these breeders say the pups have chance of a better home ,which is rubbish
My last little dog i had given as the people were going to put her sleep, they told me she was 3, which i couldn't understand,anyway she turned out to be more like 9 or 10 when i took her for a checkup, she died of dementia last year,
I really miss her, but can't afford these ridiculous prices,and cant even find a rescue dog, but then have to be careful as i have 3 cats,so don't know where all these abandoned puppies are

We're looking to take on a 2nd rescue dog but I don't want an untrained young dog I want and elderly lazy bones! Current dog is already at least 8, doesn't really play much, loves walks and will walk for hours but again a rain refuser!!!

DH has always worked from home and confirmed that she slept from 8am until 3.30pm everyday the awake for a while until evening then slept 7pm until 7.30am.

I don't think she would tolerate some lovely young thing!!

No dogs available in local rescues even many of their "difficult to rehome"'have gone!

I wonder how long before people give up try to sell unwanted lockdown purchases and give to rescues?

It's the people who know nothing about dogs but think they do that worry me. My springer has hit his teens early and decided he won't do a thing he's told, so we are back to basics. He's walking on a halti just now as he's pulling so bad, his prey drive has kicked in and he just want to chase birds.
Twice this week I've been told I'm cruel to muzzle him by two different women one whose frenchie was running about chasing kids on bikes and the other whose terrier was pulling her off her feet. The first I explained its not a muzzle, the second I ignored.
At least I'm trying to train mine, despite me knowing I'm doing the right thing both of them have knocked my confidence and cut our walks short.

RandomMess i hope not long, as i would prefer an older dog,
My last one was so lovely and didn't bother with the cats,just basically ignored them ,but if they laid next to her it didn't bother her

@Redyoyo have you looked at a mekuti harness instead? I have a teenage Sprocker and I totally get you with the pulling and the prey drive although the best book for recall is Pippa Mattinson total recall - and a whistle! But for pulling the mekuti is great and gently leads the dog back round to you so they don’t get anywhere! I appreciate you’re doing the right thing trying to train but the halti (if it’s the head collar one) can be quite uncomfortable- there’s some good info graphics about all the nerves in a dog’s nose. Fair enough if it’s short term but just wanted to let you know of an alternative that really helped me and saved me from breaking a leg on the ice...

I find it hard to believe, as scho staff, that a teacher is only just going back to the office. I have worked full time not including planned school holidays since the first lockdown.

It does irk me that there will be lots of dogs confused and upset but I'm sure they'll get used to it in the same sense that other dogs have to when there are changes to circumstances. Bit cheeky to expect it for free though.