To feel that soon , dog ownership will just be for the well off? And thats not fair.

[Tunamelt]

We had a family dog and as a child I really benefited from it . As did my own dc when we had our beloved dog.
When the dc had a hard day she cheered them up so much and it was such a good experience for them.
We have just adopted a dog.
She needed the vets in the first week due to upset tummy.
Ist vet appt £75 and then x2 meds.
She now needs a stool sample and a further vet appt to
check her health.
stool sample test alone will be over £100.
We had appt with behaviourist at £90 ph .
Her food is £60 pm.
the vet thinks she may need fluxotine for anxiety and those meds are around £80 pm
So thats come to a good amount and she has only been here a few weeks.
Its made me realise that these sort of costs are just not do able for
many - and a concern to us -and it seems so unfair that the joy of a dog may be beyond reach for many these days .

Oh yes, let's stop older people who can't walk as well as they used to having a dog for company

Maybe people have unexpected health problems that mean their mobility declines within their dogs lifetime, maybe they use a dog walker when they're not feeling well, maybe there is one day a week when it's just hard to fit in a walk. As long as the dog is getting the walks it needs and all the other welfare needs are being met, surely that's the important thing. Dogs can live a long time and unforeseen things can happen during their lifetime.

Aww...sorry you lost them 🌹

It's a living animal. Not a prop cause you're lonely.

Thank you ❤️
We’ve now got 3 again, 2 acquired after losing the girls but they left big paw prints to fill. One of the girls we lost had had limited human contact, no walks etc and I couldn’t even touch her for month because she just hid away…
6 months in she was unrecognisable as the dog she had been, but sadly when adopting middle aged dogs you know that you will lose them sooner then you will be ready to part with them.
Op has only had her new addition a month which is no time at all, it takes time to work each other out.

Absolutely ! I used to foster rescue dogs and only after a short time it was brilliant to see how they blossomed with a bit of attention, walks etc. you did a great thing being patient and it paid dividends!
Rescue is the best breed 😊

read all you can about dog behaviour and health, to be able to make an informed decision. It's all out there, on the internet.

Maybe people should think twice about getting a dog once they get to about 70 then.

My mum's neighbour got a dog when he was about 80. He's a lovely man and very fit at the moment, but there's a fair chance he and his wife won't outlive the dog. It's not really fair.

And I totally agree that dogs are not there to be emotional support to humans.

The UK government decided in the 1990s that there had to be more competition in the veterinary world, so the government allowed non-vets to own practices.
And look what happened!

If you go to a Linnaeus-owned practice, you are making the Mars family, in the USA, even richer. I know for a fact that one group demanded the practice make 25% profit. And this was done by cutting back on staff but not on caseloads. And changing contracts to make vets work more for the same salary.

Corporates exist to make money, and the UK government allowed it to happen to the vet world.
The only good news from this sorry saga is that the corporations have sh*t on their staff so badly that staff leave and open their own practices.

So, dog owners, this is THE time to support independent vets (ask who owns the practice). And get informed about dog health. And decide what your financial limits are.

Are the Mars family the same as the people who make Mars bars?

Not just pet ownership sadly. My husband and I feel similarly about sending children to uni. When my son went all we saw were people with lovely big cars dropping off their children. He dropped out and now does OU at home, but it does seem to be that only the privileged can afford anything but the basics these days.

A living animal that can have a lovely life, providing company to its owner and get walks from a dog walker. Why should an older person not have a dog. DM was in her 70s when she got her last dog. She could walk her at first but as time went on it became harder for her so she had a dog walker. What was she supposed to do, sit at home with no company? Fucking hell, some people can’t imagine what it’s like and clearly don’t want to 🙄

People under 70 can have mobility or other unexpected health problems too. And if they're employing a dog walker to make sure Rover still gets his two walks a day, what exactly is the problem?

Maybe your neighbour has an arrangement with a younger relative to look after his dog if he's no longer able to. Retired people often make pretty good owners I would have thought, they're often around for more of the day than people working full time.

Judging people for not bothering to walk their dog and just throwing balls for it in the garden instead is understandable. I'm not going to judge people for employing a dog walker, as long as their dog is happy it seems like everyone's winning.

So for the people saying dogs shouldn’t be used for company or emotional support - why else are people getting dogs?

People just enjoy judging others I think. I've no idea what the problem with employing a dog walker is. So long as the dog is enjoying it there's no compromise to their welfare.

No, people who want a dog will still get them but just not take them to vets, like now. Not all dog owners are intelligent and responsible and human beings.

I think the vets are ripping you off with the stool sample. Whenever my dog gets an upset tummy, I feed him plain chicken, rice and scrambled egg for a few days. Took my dog to the vets last year for a burst cyst and it was the biggest waste of money!!

Dog had a burst cysts on his back, it was weeping for days but I cleaned it with salt water until I could get a vet appointment. Anyway, 7 days later, took him to the vet, the cyst had scabbed over and looked healthy. Stupid vet ripped the scab off which made it bleed then charged me £100 for the privilege.

We had this with one of our dogs and founds that Harringtons kibble with turkey flavour did the trick. Available on Amazon.

Exactly. Someone getting a dog when they're older - like 65+, knowing there is a chance they won't be able to take it out for regular walks, and exercise is unfair on the dog. And as has been said, the dog may outlive the owner. AND it seems unfair on the dog to use it purely for 'emotional support.'

DH and I have one cat left (she is 18 now) and we are nearly 60. Once she is gone - which I suspect will be in the next couple of years - we will not be having any more pets. The ludicrous vet bills are a big reason for this, but our declining health, the fact we are nearly 60, and the fact the pet may outlive us - especially if we got a young cat - are a few other reasons...

It's ludicrous IMO to have a dog that you can't really look after and take for walks and exercise, and they're just sitting in your house with you for 'company.' What's in it for the dog?

There are a number of dog owners in my village, and ALL the ones who regularly walk their dogs are people under 55. A number of older people 60-65+ have a dog, and they never (or rarely) walk them, as they don't have the energy, and their health is in decline. It's not that someone 60-65+ can't go for a walk, that's possible for plenty of that age. But it's different when you're walking dogs, and looking after them, and trying to exercise them. They are bouncy, active animals, and are rarely suited to people of retirement age IMO.

I know one woman (in my village) who is 73, and she has had 2 different dogs in the past 12 years. (Since her DH died.) One died aged 6 and a half from heart failure. Her current one is a pitbull who she got as a rescue at the age of 2. (5 years ago.) She gets a dog walker to take him for walks 5 times a week... 1.5 hour walks. £25 a time. She said 'I have to get Lucy to walk him as he's so full of energy and I can't cope. He runs me ragged running around my 30ft by 30ft back garden, and runs around tripping me up. And I am forever picking up his shit.'

I am like and thinking 'why the FUCK have you got this dog?'

She has also had around £3000 of vet bills in the past 6 months for him for various ailments, and he's only about 7 ... Fuck knows how much more money she will be putting out over the next 5 or 6 years for him!

But yeah, as I said - and I stand by it - no-one should be having dogs (IMO) if they are not able to walk them, exercise them, and look after them properly. It's so unfair on the dog. I also don't think anyone should have a dog if they are out at work full time.

.

It's ludicrous IMO to have a dog that you can't really look after and take for walks and exercise, and they're just sitting in your house with you for 'company.' What's in it for the dog?

Food and companionship?

Plus they would be taken out for walks - that’s what a dog walker does!

It's ludicrous IMO to have a dog that you can't really look after and take for walks and exercise, and they're just sitting in your house with you for 'company.' What's in it for the dog?

Hmm, now what was in it for DM's dog? Love, food, company, a garden to potter around in, a better life than she had before, not being in a kennel at a rescue, walks from the dog walker, toys to play with.

I cannot believe all these people aged 60-65 who are supposedly incapable of walking a dog!

65+? It's really not that simple. I was hit by a drunk driver age 22 and could no longer walk my dog. He was walked my grandfather who was 70 and walked him for several hours a day, which they both loved. He was a young dog but my Grandad was still walking him for the remainder of my dog's life.

It is far better for a dog to be owned by an older person and have company most of the day regardless of who walks them (as long as they are getting regularly walked), rather than a younger person if they are leaving the dog on their own for more than 2-3 hours at a time.

Also there are lots of dogs, especially older rescue dogs who don't need as much exercise and might be better suited to a less active person and vice versa. I think the main problem is when people have a dog the cannot cater for and/or don't look after them properly or train them properly. Another point is that older dogs find it harder to find a forever home and an older person might be more willing to take them on and have more time to dedicate to any additional needs.

With insurance, there's usually a 14 day set into the conditions and if you have been to the vets with the symptoms before that time, it's considered a pre existing condition and you probably can't claim. If it's after the 14 days , if it's the same condition, the amount is cumulative......or at least it is with ours so if you are paying for tests and meds and altogether it comes to more than your excess, then claim. Our insurance last year paid over 7k for our dogs tplo surgery. We pay for plans for all our pets too, it's been a massive saving for us as we don't pay the £55 vet visits and we pay for meds and tests, claiming if it takes us over the excess. I agree it's a massive outlay, food on top is a lot,. We have an anxious dog, barks the whole bloody time we are out...we have cameras but we do take the odd hour out together just for our sanity. If your dog is friendly to people and other dogs, look into doggy day care or a dog sitter for a few hours. I hope you resolve the tummy issue soon.....its never easy dealing with pet illness. If you are on Facebook, there are some helpful groups but beware of advice you are given from non professionals. The best is Pet Vet Corner who saved me when my cat needed thyroid meds as they told me about transdermal gel which our vets had never prescribed for anyone prior to us asking.

My dog was nervous from a puppy and howled the house down if we moved into the next room especially if I moved. He would shake uncontrollably if there were any loud noises. He hated other dogs and became aggressive after being attacked by a larger dog. You're doing all the right things and giving confidence that this strange new place is the new normal and nobody is leaving her. We worked on it and gave him time and confidence to work through his fears. He spent a lot of time following me around until he trusted me. He's 14 now and he's had cancer in the last two years which we had to work through and he always stops on walks and stares at some point in the distance which is a bit spooky but we expect it after all his other quirky problems. (Would only walk around the edge of the lawn, never through it. No idea why). He's a Patterdale x Jack Russell and yes, he's all terrier and worth all of the effort we put in. I must add that we were very physical with him, striking him and sitting next to him before we tried addressing his separation anxiety. At some point his problems resolved but then the attempts at manipulation started to get his own way. Terrier are extremely manipulative.

@Tunamelt

How are you and the doggy doing?

Are you aware of the rule of 3’s? (3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months?). Tricky if the dog has had trauma. It’s a balance of boundaries and building trust.

Is the dog crate trained?

Once the dog can learn to relax and sleep, I’m sure that’ll be a massive help!!