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Original poster

Pets - pros and cons

82 replies

gold123 · 17/07/2004 19:15

Thinking of getting a family pet.

What pets do you have, what do you wish you hadn't had, pros and cons appreciated please.

I was thinking of a dog - it would be lovely to have one for many reasons and I think it would be a good way to get fit and healthy too

Can't quite decide, can't mention my thoughts to dh, because he would be out there getting one with very little thought.

OP posts:
Rae1973 · 18/07/2004 11:57

Hiya Gold123

I have two cats, one being a kitten.

I have found that some of my friends children are either frightened by cats as they have either not been around them and never had a pet, or, they are very rough with them and don't know how to treat them.

My two children, now love all animals and understand that they should not be teased etc and know they shouldn't be frightened by them, my eldest who is 5 loves it when the kitten curls up on her bed with her whilst she watches a video.

HTH

Rae

Original poster
gold123 · 18/07/2004 12:34

FIO2 - I love border collies, my mum and dad had one called Sally and she was adorable, she was 12 when she died.

Where in Rugeley, just had a look in YP and wasn't sure what to look under - off to ring a vets now

OP posts:
Frenchgirl · 18/07/2004 13:07

Hi again! Little Mac has been very good (apart from a few accidents....) and is now testing out his new super comfy basket and blanket by having a good snooze in it! Vet visit is next though.... hope he forgives me!!! Get a dog, they're the best!

Original poster
gold123 · 18/07/2004 13:28

Ive found the number for the collie place and just had a long chat with the man that runs it - I need to talk to dh, I think we will go and visit this weekend. When I told him, we had had a collie cross with labrador before, he said they were a good mix for the children, the intelligence of the collie and the stupid side of the labrador.

ive phoned the vets and got all the costs of bit and pieces she said

£120 to have 'op' and about £30 per year on injections and worming, pet insurance about £9 per month.

The kennels were so good, they wanted to see us without kids on the first visit and with kids on the 2nd visit, so they can check the kids out as well as the kids seeing the dog.

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 18/07/2004 13:48

Gold we have a 3 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback. She is docile and sweet and gentle with dd (22 months). Very good house dog, just slobs out all the time at home and is very easy, however when out on walks she is like a bat out of hell!

I love having a dog because it gets me out and about and also because she is so affectionate and full of personality.

JanZ · 18/07/2004 14:02

We're cat people - two Siamese.

I've never been comfortable with dogs - so they were never really an option. But the child minder has a dog, so at least ds is getting used to them.

Pros of cats: look after themselves, don't need to walk them.

Cons: They do what THEY want!

Having said that, Siamese are more like dogs, in that they crave company. They'll even go for walks with you, given half a chance!

And another "con" is that they die - but you can turn that into a "pro", as a way of teaching "the circle of life" to children. The brother of our older cat died in February (terminal kidney failure and had to put down), but ds (3.5 at the time) accepted it and will still talk about "Leo going to the Animal Doctor because he wasn't well, but the animal doctor couldn't make hiom better, so he died". We've also been careful to make sure that ds knows you can go to the (animal) doctor and come back BETTER (so he'll talk about "Baby Cleo going to the animal docotr and coming home".

Fio2 · 18/07/2004 14:05

gold123 we had our bitch spayed for 60quid about 18 months ago by Mr Jolley on the weston Rd HTH he is good!

Tessiebear · 18/07/2004 14:08

We have a 1yr old Labrador Pup - brilliant with the kids , good house dog, good excercise. First few months were hard work getting him trained etc. Clearing the garden of dog poo has to be a daily routine!!!

PicadillyCircus · 18/07/2004 14:12

We have a cat who is lovely, doesn't mind being "stroked" by DS and sits nicely on knees.

She also leaves fur EVERYWHERE, and has taken up leaving us presents of birds. Today's was on the bed.

But we all love her

motherinferior · 18/07/2004 14:30

Well, I was congratulating myself on Bonding With The Cat. She's been following me around all morning. Oh, I'm so good with animals, I thought, clearly ought to move to rural retreat and wander barefoot through the stone-flagged kitchen (I have this complete fantasy parallel world of doing this, god knows why) baking cakes.

And then the cat followed me downstairs and looked pointedly at her empty bowl

geekgrrl · 18/07/2004 19:13

we have a bog-standard moggy, very cuddly and the children love her. she too has a nasty bird habit, I recommend the 'liberator' cat collar (£10 or so from online petshops, do a search on google) - it's got a little sensor attached to it that beeps and flashes when the cat makes a sudden movement. It's really cut down on the number of birds I get to clean up - used to have 2 or 3 a week, now it's just once a month or so. (and no, I'm not an agent! )

sweetkitty · 18/07/2004 19:43

3 moggies here

cons: cleaning out the litter tray (although being pregnant thats DPs job)
hair everywhere
stratch the bed/sofa (could never have leather sofa)
or nice wood furniture
one cost over £1300 at vets last December
always having to break up fights between them
they don't understand the concept of weekends!

but I love them all to pieces and would be lost without them, good precursor to children!

Goldygirl · 18/07/2004 19:55

We have a golden retriever and we love him to bits. We waited until our youngest dd was 5 before getting him, as they are very bouncy but big when young. We (not so much we, as I) also made sure I trained him to use a particular area of the garden as a toilet because clearing up poo before letting the kids out did not seem like a good idea.

Ds and dd both regularly come on dogwalks with me unlike dh)which is great for their health, knowledge of nature and in any case is just a lot of fun. I would not be without one, ever! Dd wants her own puppy now, but I draw the line at her idea of a St Bernard. I can't be house proud with the dog we have got, but even I have limits!

logic · 19/07/2004 02:27

We have two cats. When ds arrived, the male one took up residence in our wardrobe and only comes out when ds is asleep or very quiet. We have started calling him "Narnia"

The female one loves him to bits and sits with him to watch telly.

The only downside is that yesterday, ds walked out of the kitchen carrying the cat water bowl and showed me that he had emptied it of water (onto the floor obviously) and filled it full of half eaten cat food instead.
Nice.

BadHair · 19/07/2004 03:06

We're a one-cat household, largely because cat refuses to tolerate any other pets as he is king of the castle. Got him from Cats Protection and he's settled in just fine.

If you go through a rescue centre, which I would heartily recommend due to the vast numbers of pets that need homes, they should be able to advise you of which pets / dogs are good with children, and if they are reputable they will not home an unsuitable pet with you.

Would love a dog myself and so would the children, but just don't have time to look after it. Cat much easier but leaves tons of hair everywhere and tries to sleep on ds1's bed in the daytime. Big bonus is that he keeps our rampant mice at bay.

oxocube · 02/08/2004 08:19

I've just come across this thread as ds1 (9) is desperate for a dog and we have spent the morning trawling the internet for dogs looking for new homes at our local rescue centre. Ds wants a medium to large sized dog, ideally a labrador or retriever. Do you think it makes a huge difference if you don't have a big garden? Our garden is secure but very small - about 6m by 5. I am at home so companionship when the kids are at school would not be a problem and I think I can rely on ds to do the long walks. TBH, I would love a dog too, although not a puppy as I would really rather do without the chewing, although our 3 cats and 3 kids have already destroyed anything valuable! Only problem is my DH is not keen, but then I persuaded him to have a third baby so there is hope

tallulah · 02/08/2004 17:47

We don't have a big garden & when dog-hunting were told it doesn't matter, as long as the dog will get taken out regularly

nutcracker · 02/08/2004 17:58

I have just had a quick peak at some dogs that need re-homing. Dp face was a picture

I really love the idea of having one, but am not sure how it would work out in reality.

Anyone on here with dogs and young kids ?? Mine are 6, 4 and 19mths, and my biggest worry is that the two wouldn't get on.

oxocube · 02/08/2004 20:38

Well, my dog-indiferent DH has just come home and told dog-obsessed DS1 that he has spoken to a friend at work, whose wife breeds golden retrievers, with a view to finding an older dog which needs re-homing. I can't describe DS's face . They are sitting at the table now, with a book on dog training, discussing the practicalities of dog ownership. Aawwwww! I guess we're getting a dog!!! It certainly wasn't this easy persuading DH to have baby no. 3

oxocube · 02/08/2004 20:40

oops, spelling! indifferent even

Piffleoffagus · 02/08/2004 20:44

we want a dog when we move, I have reservations as we desp want a ridgeback, I used to own and show them back in my youthful days and they are the only dog I would entertain, aside from maybe a pair of Jack Russells...
But I think with our family a dog would be a big committment, dh says og he will walk it before work every day... I doubt it, I would feel guilty spending days out with dd minus the dog....
plus the poo, we are buying a lovely house, with landscaped precision gardens (not our style tbh but still lovely)
Cannot see dog fitting in, will def be getting a kitten, we have one older cat too...
Cannot wait but what I really want is a pony...

Paula71 · 02/08/2004 22:01

Nutty my ds twins are 2 1/2 and they get on fine with our dog (only 6 months old and very very bouncy.) As I said I have found it tiring looking after a pup as well as the boys, but the age of the boys meant we couldn't get an older dog.

However it is like the three amigos in this house! I never let the dog alone with them, just in case but they play out in the garden fine. He has knocked them over a few times but they don't blame him and it has always been because they get in the way between him and his ball. I am looking forward to when he matures though.

I think the benefits of children looking after a dog and learning more about animals will outweigh this struggle I am having. I hope so anyway. I had a GSD when I was growing up and as an only child she was my best friend, it broke my heart when she died (3 days after my 16th birthday!)

Lisa78 · 02/08/2004 22:07

I have a border collie / labrador cross and she is wonderful with DS2 - she gets in between us if I tell DS2 "No" (she must think I am going to tap him on the nose!)
So long as you pick a dog with a good temperament and one that is trained or you are willing to train properly, I think they are a wonderful addition to a household - apart from when crawling baby steals dog toy, covered in slather and gums it, whilst dog whines in dismay!!!
Wouldn't get a Rhodesian ridgeback Piffle - one attacked me and DS1 a few years ago and I am told they are more likely than most breeds to turn on you without warning or provocation

nutcracker · 02/08/2004 22:13

Thanks

I didn't have a dog until I was about 15 and my dad still has it now. It's a daft soppy thing and although it isn't very keen on the kids, it does tolerate them. Seems to favour Dd1.

Am still trying to persuade Dp at the mo. Have been looking at some online that need rehoming, and he did get quite interested when i found one called Ozzy

Oh another question, should i get a dog or a bitch ?? Does it matter ??

Lisa78 · 02/08/2004 22:17

depends on the dog really - males can be a bit more aggressive, but girls seem to be less predictable
Either way, neutering them reduces the problem but even the cutest, gentlest dog (mine) should never be left alone with a child - at the end of the day, they are still dogs!

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