For 18 year old son to get a dog

[Sadless]

Aibu to think it's a stupid idea for my 18 year old son to get a dog off Facebook for free. He doesn't live at home he lives in a shared house that doesn't allow animals so his friend and girlfriend will have it staying at there houses. But he will be responsible for it he doesn't work so is living off less then £300 a month.

Of course it's stupid and I would tell him so. Regardless of what you say, he will make his own decision. Just be sure you allow him to deal with the consequences without your involvement. When it all blows up in his face, he will have to deal with it.

He’s an idiot. My dog costs me in excess of £300 a month. How is he proposing to pay for food, insurance, vaccinations, worming and flea treatments on practically no money.

I have told him he's stupid and asked why are the owners getting rid. He said because it's had puppies and doesn't get on with them. I said it could have behavioural or health problems already and he won't be able to sort it.
I have been in a situation where I had a cat that got seriously ill and I had to beg family to borrow money to take him to the vets and he knows this. I have two cats now what are insured I wouldn't take that risk again. It's cruelty if you can't afford to look after them

And this is why there needs to be some sort of regulation for who can own pets

You need to make it clear to your son that you will not be providing any support whatsoever if he decides to follow through with this idiotic idea.

IMO if you adopt an animal you are solely responsible for its care from the day you get it to the day that it dies. That includes all food, insurance, bills, enough exercise and a happy and contented life.

If you cant cover all of the above - dont do it.

Dogs are a big responsibility. I doubt that an 18 year old has the maturity to make the kind of sacrifices required in the long term.
No going out for a long time, no unplanned sleepovers where the dog is home alone, up way before work for walks, no holidays without taking or getting a pet-sitter etc etc.

It's a stupid idea for him imo.

Can you think of a single reason why this would be a good idea?

>He said because it's had puppies and doesn't get on with them

Right, so this is an unspayed female dog then. How is he going to pay to have it spayed? Or is he just going to let it have more puppies?

Honestly, this sounds dodgy as heck - is he sure it's not an ex puppy-mill dog who is exhausted from multiple litters/starting to have health issues and is being got rid of?

I bet this is a dog from a puppy farm. Dog has given birth to as many puppies as it can. Owners now want rid of dog - so offering to rehome for free
I bet its a terrier type bully dog

This is absolutely bonkers. Not getting on with puppies suggests behaviour issues. 99% of which cone about through fear.
Bringing a fearful dog into an unstable living environment is a recipe for disaster.
How will he deal with any such behaviour issues, separation anxiety, toileting accidents and resource guarding to name just a few of the common ones.
What length of time has he actually spent woth this dog. How does he know it doesn't have a bite history. Will his friends and girlfriends really be ok if the dog barks a lot, howls when left alone or toilets in there house?
If he only had £300 a month How is he going to pay for the dog, food, insurance, worming, flea treatment and vaccinations cost us over £100 a month so a third of his budget.

What breed?

I think it's a labrador and supposed be be 2 years old. Just found out off my daughter that he is getting through a friend of a friend's mum. I know that his friends mum is always breeding cats and selling them on Facebook. She wanted him to have one of them last year and he wanted me to look after it till he got his own place and that was a no. He hasn't got it yet

He could be lovely and well intentioned but he is obviously clueless about the expense of caring for a dog or how to screen a dog's background to minimise the risk of buying one with existing health or behavioural problems.

Does he really think he can take an adult dog from its known home and farm it out to be housed in two different locations and end up with a secure and well adjusted pet?

Is he looking for work? What does he intend to do if he gets a job?

Yet another dog will end up in a totally unsuitable situation and add to the growing population of miserable and badly behaved dogs.

It would be grossly irresponsible for him to take ownership of this dog.

This is the dog

That dog does not have a lab face so fuck knows what's in the mix. I'm guessing boxer.

Am not entirely sure if he's joshing you, you're joshing us, or everyone clueless, but that's obviously not a Labrador. It could be a passable Great Dane puppy, or some kind of cross.

Sorry OP, but your son is being a dick.
He's not financially able to care for a dog. Insurance, food, vaccines, wormer, fleaing, toys, bedding is not affordable on £300 a month.
He doesn't have a stable home environment.
He is thinking of himself and not the best interests of the animal.

That's not a Lab.

I am not good with dog breeds and anyone who's willing to give a dog to a young lad so willingly is getting rid of for a reason.

OP that dog is absolutely NOT a Labrador! Looks to me like a Great Dane or Great Dane/bully mix.

Your son would be extremely irresponsible to take on any dog in his circumstances.

It doesn't matter what kind of dog it is, he's an idiot. Dogs are expensive and if you're a responsible owner they very much limit your life - where you can live, how long you can be out of the house unless you pay a dog walker and sitter, what happens to the dog while you're on holiday, etc. And if you're lucky they live for more than a decade.

I've had dogs all my life, but we just got a puppy after a year's doglessness after our last girl died. Already DH and I are going a bit mad readjusting to the limitations a dog brings to our lives - but he's so wonderful it's all worth it. And we have the money to afford him!!

Sofa surfing dog 🤔 what could possibly go wrong?

Correct

does he actually know the costs involved in looking after the dog?

what on Earth do the gf and friend think if it is supposedly sleeping at theirs?

what will he do when he hopefully gets a job? Assume he hasn’t looked into the costs of doggy day care.

dodgy AF

FFS, that's no Lab. It looks like a Great Dane/Boxer/Bully mix.

Tell your son, repeatedly, how stupid this idea is.

OP YANBU.
You know your son best, but shouting at him (as is no doubt very very tempting!) might not be the best way to get him to listen.

You presumably love him and think that "at the right time" (ahem) he would make a great dog owner...

But that time would be

• when he can live with the dog and build a relationship with it, train it and guide it daily
• when he has the resources to provide the dog with physical and financial security - you don't want him to face having to re-home the dog because it doesn't have the right environment and has developed behaviour issues
• when he can insure it - you don't want him to face the heartache of having a dog PTS because he doesn't have £8k (example vet bills from this year!) to have it treated -£150/month well spent for my old dog pick the right dog for him* - many people have dogs for longer than a marriage lasts and it IS not unlike an arranged marriage

He shouldn't let himself be pressured into this any more than he should agree to date some random cute girl who's in a bad way.