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Original poster

Calling all dog owners....please help me decide!

54 replies

HonorMatopoeia · 30/09/2006 21:36

Hi there, to cut a hugely long story short, DH and I are just beginning to think about getting a dog. We're by no means certain but just assessing the situation at the moment.

Our situation is this:
I work 3 days a week, FIL could pop in on the three days i work or even possibly the dog could go to him.
We have Dd - 20 months
We have 2 house cats
I would like another baby within the next two years as well.

So, are we kidding ourselves? Is a dog not for us at all. I don't want to offer a dog a home and then realise we can't cope / offer them a good home.
If a dog is for us which breed would you recommend? Rehomed or bought from new (iyswim)?

Any advice would be appreciated. As I said, we've not set our hearts on a dog yet and I'd rather not get to that stage then find out it's just not possible! TIA x

OP posts:
Original poster
HonorMatopoeia · 30/09/2006 22:57

We're kind of on the outskirts of a small town but lead an outsoorish sort of life (shopping mall is my idea of purgatory!)
thanks taffy!

OP posts:
lilymolly · 30/09/2006 22:58

but a dog share would work if dog lived at your house and FIL took care of it whilst at work, then hose it down, hoover it down, take to MIL occasionaly for pat with rubber glove, (who sounds just like my mum btw)and everyone wins

Original poster
HonorMatopoeia · 30/09/2006 22:58

outsoorish????? Outdoorish I mean!

OP posts:
Original poster
HonorMatopoeia · 30/09/2006 22:59

DH in fits of laughter with that one! That's his mum to a tee!!

OP posts:
MamaGlamourPuss · 30/09/2006 22:59

If I sounded like I was saying a dog wqould be miserable with you 0- I wasn't. Iwas just saying my labrador loves being with people and gets sad on his own.

I wouldn't own any other breed with small children.

nearlythree · 30/09/2006 23:01

We live in the country too but enjoy things like visiting country houses and nature reserves where dogs are banned. Even many beaches ban dogs for all or part of the year.

Original poster
HonorMatopoeia · 30/09/2006 23:01

Don't worry MGB, I didn't think anything of it! I'd not really thought of labs before this having a dog idea took root. Since then I've only heard good things about them. Certainly a breed I'd keep my eye on, along with 57's I think.

OP posts:
lilymolly · 30/09/2006 23:01

Sold to the caring lady!!
Def go for labrador, my gorgeous little black thing is flat out asleep under my feet, may sneek her into bed whilst dp at pub!! Ha Ha
God half my MN name is named after her, I am so sad......

Original poster
HonorMatopoeia · 30/09/2006 23:02

MGP not MGB I'm getting tired!

OP posts:
lilymolly · 30/09/2006 23:03

she would be no good at nature reserve, she would flush out all the birds.....

MamaGlamourPuss · 30/09/2006 23:04

lilymolly, my gorgeous black thing is keeping my feet warm too! Bless him.

Original poster
HonorMatopoeia · 30/09/2006 23:04

That's not sad! You're talking to the woman who calls her cats 'the boys'!!

OP posts:
MamaGlamourPuss · 30/09/2006 23:04

lol yes she would, and bring them back to you in her mouth

lilymolly · 30/09/2006 23:06

hey heres an idea, why dont my little lab meet your little lab and have lovely puppy for HM!![GRIN]

nearlythree · 30/09/2006 23:06

My lab would never give anything up, she wasn't aggressive but had this game where she backed away, then brought it to you, then just as you tried to take it backed away again...imagine her doing that on a shoot! (She did once come across a man shooting pigeons and she stuck her nose up his rifle.)

Isn't the worse thing about labs their habit of eating poo? Or was that just mine???

lilymolly · 30/09/2006 23:06

damn those cap locks

MamaGlamourPuss · 30/09/2006 23:07

hahaha yes, he is a virgin though so I'm not sure he'd know what to do!

DH wanted to take ours on a shoot, but he's so excied with ohter dogs, dH though he'd embarrass him - sounds a bit like yours, although now he's 3 he's a lot calmer.

lilymolly · 30/09/2006 23:07

OH GOD ,nearly three, thats Molly to a tee!!! she even ate dds poo today I was nearly sick Ha Ha Ha

Original poster
HonorMatopoeia · 30/09/2006 23:08

wa hey! It could be a mnet dog dating service!! Ok, that's it, I'm obviously sleep deprived now! Thank you for all your advice ladies. Will continue to deliberate but lab now firmly at the top of my 'wish list'. x

OP posts:
MamaGlamourPuss · 30/09/2006 23:08

mine doesn't eat poo [horrified emoticon]

lilymolly · 30/09/2006 23:08

LOL!!! Molly would be terrible on shoot, far to excited!

lilymolly · 30/09/2006 23:09

Me too, going to bed now

.........shall I take dog to bed or not hmmmmmmmmm

Night night x

bottomburp · 30/09/2006 23:16

i was desperate for a dog my whole life but both parents worked full time so couldnt have one. i can take my dog to work and eventually a lovely medium size mongrel turned up when i was 1mth pregnant.it was fab cos i had to walk him one hr before work and an hour at lunchtime every day. had fab park near work and home. i was so fit all the way thru pregnancy. DD now 6mths old and still love having DM (darling mutt) but it is such hard work to make sure he has his 2x1hrs a day, i really think if you have a medium/big dog they need this much. my DD absolutley loves the dog walks and all her fans that we see on the walks. DM has lots of cuddle time when DD in bed. i second the cavalier king charles vote for children.

mummymic · 02/10/2006 00:01

hello - sorry for sticking my oar in...my best mate had a king charles..great with kids, but barked/yapped and awful lot - i have a rottie (such bad press again ) and she is 8 on wed (getting old for rottie ) and she is fab with dd and ds, need to be a strong handler, had a golden retriever as a kid - ace dog - sister now got chocolate retriever - fab with the kids, just now sense and knocks them down when playing good luck with your decision x

sylvm · 02/10/2006 09:31

Re "rejected" guide dogs - we had one a long time ago - he failed his training due to cat distraction but was a brill family pet once we had got used to the fact that you really had to watch him when cats were around. We enquired about adopting again recently and were told that most of them have "multiple behavioural problems" as lots of the best who aren't suitable are now offered to hearing dogs or dogs for the disabled.

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