Black lab puppy, with 3 kids, 5, 3 and nearly 1, should we......

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They are 5 weeks old now, ready to come to us when our littlest (and last) child is just 1. He is almost walking but not quite.

I have done sooooooo much research.

My main concerns are that I will not give the puppy enough training time to make it a 'good' dog.

I have never had a dog but DH grew up with them. He really wants a dog but is not encouraging me, as he knows 95% of doggy care duties will fall for me.

I have discussed this with many, many people, not one has said - oh how lovely. All have said - OMG are you mad.

DHs parents are very doggy and have 3, 1 black lab and 2 norfolks.

My parents are very against, they dislike dogs and very worried about the kids getting bitten.

To OP...oooh, how lovely!!!

Do you HAVE to get a lab? I don't have experience with labs - but we have a greyhound, and even when she was a pup, she would go for a spin, then SLEEP for hours.

That said, the puppy stage is really hard work - puppies are a giant make work program for mums.

There are - however benefits to getting a dog at this stage (we got our first dog when our youngest was 2, then our other dog when she was 4)

• I do think the dogs and kids both benefitted from growing together. The kids "get" that pets are a responsibility and a privaledge - they are very kind to animals.They helped with the training, but I nowhere near spent enough time on it. I think its been ok because our Greyhound is so placid. And lazy

-Also, by the time I was ready to go back to work, the dogs were old enough to be left a bit longer than they could have at the puppy stage.

Good luck whatever you decide

sb6699 - i dont know if it is different for females/males, but ours were totally calm by 4. fingers crossed eh?

Wait - don't do it yet. I have a lab who needs long walks in rain, hail and shine - even when you have the flu and the children are climbing over you, the dog will still want the walk.

Barks when bored (obviously) and wakes up the children. Digs huge holes if I don't get out with him when his 'alarm clock' goes off for a walk and then to top it all - he is a walking dustbin, eating all manner of revolting things (to humans - great to a dog) including cat poo and his own - which I cannot bear. YUCK. Some other lab owners have told me this is common with labs, but I must admit that it has made me very careful not to let him roam the kitchen or areas where the children are crawling etc or allowing him to pick up children's toys, for obvious reasons.

Dogs are hugely time demanding and costly with vets bills, innoculations, worming, insurance, food, chews etc and kennels (if you need to use them).

I do love our dog to bits BUT...somedays it would be much easier without him. Now I must go and cuddle him as I feel terrible for saying such brutal things...big brown eyes saying "What? Me?? Feed me"

Has the OP not come back. Would love to know what she decides.

Reading this back, I'm feeling a bit bad that nobody has just said "they're lovely pets - go on".

We are such a horribly practical lot.

They are lovely pets, but if you have a baby too the dog would just seem like a massive list of chores.

Just for a different point of view...

We have just done nearly exactly this. We have two dd's, 1 and 3. We brought home our 8 week old lurcher cross a week ago today.

So far, it has been fine. I've had a few moments when ultra clingy dd2 has been in the living room screaming for me while i'm in the kitchen or garden with the puppy which has stressed me out. I think though that this may help with the clingyness!

The puppy has a crate in the laundry room and a radio on in there. She comes into the living room with dh and I once the dd's are in bed at 7 but during most of the day, she is in the kitchen/laundry. This will change once the dd's stop harrassing her. They already love her to bets and sit the other side of the gate, stroking her.

She gets fed after us and then taken straight outside and touch wood, this seems to be settling into a quite nice routine.

We'd decided before we got her that dh and I would take it in turns to take her to puppy training classes in the evenings, as it'd be a chance for us to escape the house which we never normally get.

It may sound like she's in boot camp reading back, but she gets loads of attention and cuddles, we just thought we'd start as we mean to go on and make her crate her sanctuary.

We did choose her though as lurchers are quite lazy dogs and as she's going to be slight in build, I'll be able to manage her and a buggy.

Labs can be a bit loopy though, I'd do it as long as you do the training and I'd definatley reccomend a crate.

As I type, pup (Mavis)is asleep with her teddy in her crate. Aaah!

They are lovely pets but I think sometimes we forget how much work they involve and time they need.

I certainly appreciate the fact that I can tell the dog all my troubles / worries and he won't repeat it unlike lots of the humans!

But sb6699 is right - we are practical!!

Can't believe have found this thread. We didn't ge that puppy, but did get one six months later.

She is gorgeous but only 15 weeks old. DH is away for 10 days and by the 3rd day I wa at my wits end. I have sent her ack to the breeder for the weekend and some thingkig time.

Is it better to re-home now, or persevere for a bit. It might get easier? Toddler has had a few bad scratches.

I say oh how lovely but I think you should wait.

We have a black lab who is now 11 he is fantastic with the children but he is really my third child! A dog is just another lovely being who needs to be worried about and his happiness and comfort considered along with everyone else. I think you have you hands full already.

When you littlest one is about 5 they will all be excited about a puppy, can all help you it and can have things explained to them properly.

Why don't you see if you can be helpful and take a friends dog for walks or look after it when they go away or something to help break you in gently as a family?

Have a lovely time when you do get one!!

No definitely not. I would go for rehoming.

That as just a taster of whats in store and a puppy will probably bite your baby properly rather than a warning bite.

you will spend your time demented between the kids and the dog and thats before you try taking all 3 on a walk togther.

To qualify this doom,we have a 14yo dog who is and lovely and socialised but with 3 dc the same age as yours he does not get the amount of attention we would like to give him, the cleaning up is increased with all the hair and the delicate stomach.

It is constant vigilance to keep him and toddler separate as ds3 thinks its great to hurl himself at him - poor dogs patient first time but expects to be rescue pronto (which he is) I couldn't rely on a puppy to behave that way. If the dogs outside and ds3 goes out dog has to come in.

the other 2ds are fine with him. but it is impossible to take a dog a pram and 2 youg dc on a walk and guarantee all will get back alive.

If the dog dies (he is 14) there is no way we will get another until the kids are old enough to help with walks and understand that they do not throw themselves on the dog.