^Do^ I want a dog? And if so, what sort?

[NotQuiteCockney]

DS2 is nearly three. I am home most of the time. I quite miss having a dog.

Pros:

• company, particularly for running
• kids would love one
• I really miss having a dog

Cons:

• we do travel, what would we do with the dog then?
• dogs not welcome in playgrounds etc
• faff of walking, picking up poo, etc etc

And then of course, I don't know what sort of dog to get ... I don't want purebred, and I waver between big (good at running) and small (portable, less poo) ...

you can go onto the kennel club websitye and they have a page where you fill out the form and it gives you examples of breeds that would be best suited to you.

if you are unsure about getting a dog though i would say you probably shouldn't get one just yet.
wait a while until you are absolutly certain it is what you and your family want.

yes of course you do
dogs are marvellous

You can get dog sitters for when you are away
Re playgrounds, they can stay outside

HOWEVER
If you think walking a dog is a faff
then don't get one!

(picking up poo is like worrying about changing nappies, becomes second nature in about a week and keeps your hands nice and warm on those cold mornings )

I don't think I want a purebred. Ok, I know I don't want one. I want a cross of some sort.

I am not about to get a dog in a hurry.

The picking up of poo would be teh thing to put me off most and then having to get the dog looked after if you go abroad although for a fee you can usually take them to kennels.
Just think though, every poo your dog does for the rest of its life, has to be scooped up by you! I didn't mind scrapingthe poo off my babies bums but dog poo is altogether something else!

don't get a dog - your life circumstances may considerably change in a couple of years. a dog will lat for at least 12 years.

whilst on holiday you will have to board the dog - unless you have a family member to put upon - and the kennels costa fortune.

vets fees etc.

if you decide to get one after all, please go to the NCDL or similar. Pure breeds are rubbish, give a dog a home.

To be honest I would wait until ds was a bit older before getting a dog especially of you are going to get a puppy or get a rescue one which may have unpredictable behaviour.

We have a dog, it belonged to dp before we were together and it has taken me about three to four years to accept having a dog and ours is a nicer dog than most I have met.

We have a lifestyle that suits a dog, we do lots of camping and we go fell walking at the weekend but even then I ahve times when I regret having him - for example our garden is wrecked, if we go abroad or to a hotel we have to rely on people to look after him and as a springer he needs about 2 hours a day which means me walking a dog at 5 in the morning.

I used to scoop up poo when I had a dog before, it was ok.

I think I mostly like walking dogs, but the early morning/late night stuff is a faff. We do have a bit of outdoor space that could be ok for a dog toilet, I guess.

I would have to take dog training classes, too, I think.

why are purebreeds rubbish
my dog is certainly not rubbish! She is gorgeous and gentle, just because she is not a scruffy mutt why does that make her rubbish???

in fact she is on my profile looking not at all rubbish

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Purebred dogs are not at all possible. I can do rescue, or maybe looking at the local vets for a recommended dog.

I do suspect DS2 is a bit young. DS1 is nearly 6, and can be relied upon, but DS2 is unreliable and strange, and could traumatise a dog.

I'd worry about a rescue dog maybe not being ok with kids, anyway ...

not at all possible?

I have never heard this sort of thing before!!!

Our garden is ok. Depends if the dog can jump. Four-foot fences.

We definately will be having dog obediance classes, anyway, my parents' dogs were always v badly behaved, and I'm not doing that.

Personally, I couldn't do purebreds, not when there are plenty of mutts out there looking for homes. Nothing against anyone who has a purebed, but it's not for me.

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awww
cutie!

OMG, is yours a visula? Or is it a Rhodesian Ridgeback? My parents used to have a redbone, which looks a lot like a visula.

Hmm, I guess I should talk to the rescue place, and think about it some more.

I mostly get around by bike, which isn't very dog-friendly, but I do like to run and walk, both of which are dog-friendly.

no a Ridgeback, she is my first baby

Do you mean Hungarian Vizsla? No they are too much like hard work for the Draculas!

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