^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) ...

our springer is a lovely family dog but they are a lot of work, they do need a lot of attention and walking or they can turn naughty especially when puppies. They are quite human though if that makes sense, strong personalities and very expressive.

Oooh rehome a Greyhound, rehome a greyhound

Hmmm, there's a small terrier rescue place in London.

I really do like small terriers, the one I had was good at walking/running. I guess I could look for a similar one.

But in what way rubbish
Define what you mean by rubbish

That is like me saying boys are rubbish I only like girls

Think carefully about having one around your home as well. Take into account things like hairiness, jumping on furniture, toilet training, dirtiness of bottom, barking (when children are asleep), snappiness, dog going mental when someone comes to the door etc.

My much loved 16 yr old terrier is sadly not an ideal living companion for my crawling and cruising 13 month old - I'm perpetually wincing as the dog plonks her shitty backside (and sorry if tmi, but dogs' backsides are never completely clean) on the exact bit of carpet DD likes to play on with her toys. I'm not the most fastidious of housekeepers but you'd need to be on constant hoovering and disinfecting duty to keep the place properly clean. It's also extra dirt on eg kitchen and hallway hard surfaces which the baby is crawling around in.

Although on the whole the dog just ignores DD, she is old and a bit nervous and can't be expected to be relied upon not to snap if a toddler pokes her if she's not expecting it, so I have to be constantly vigilant in keeping them apart. Ditto with any visiting children - and of couse dogs are a magnet for most children.

Of course a lot depends on the dog and the age of your children, but I'd say do take these things into account and be prepared for them.

personally I find terriers hassley and yappy (big generalisation obv). I like a dog that is chill around the house

Oh, god, I've just realised, the boys would love a dog that fetches. Can you train them to do that? Or is it a by-breed thing? Do they have to learn when they're a pup?

Yes, I realise dogs are grubby, we already have cats, and the kids aren't tiny crawling things. And I'm not exactly fastidious. (Oh, and we have a cleaner, thank god. )

I'm not absolutely certain I actually want a dog, I'm more mulling it over.

i think they are pants.

i choose not to define it - except to say arsey arsey pants paying hundreds for a dog bred in a partic way when there are dogs one could home.

more status symbol in my opinion - and status symbols are pants arsey pants.

Yeah, there are yappy terriers. Mine wasn't, he was lovely. But then, hey, I've met a lot of horrible horrible poodles (not the standard ones, more the miniatures and toys), and a few really lovely ones.

my dog fetches, sits and rolls over.

think it depends on the dog. soe look at you with a " fuck off" face

Our Chihuahua, although not a terrier, is a very yappy dog and drives me to insanity.
Yorkies are the same too.

Whats the name of Hagrids dog in Harry Potter?
Is it a Blood something?

Now they are amazing.

We used to have a dog that would fetch, and then go hide it so you couldn't throw it again.

What ARE you on about
Do you really think purebred dogs never get rehomed
freak

Beagles constantly have a "fuck off" face

I might get a rehomed purebred or rescue greyhound or whatever, I guess, but I really do prefer mutts. For me.

i have a horrible feeling custy has gone mad
she is a dog class warrior too!

ofcourse they do CD, i thought it was inplicit in the "hundreds of pounds" comment that its the paying for a pure bred dog that i personally find obectionable.

what is your problem withme of late? i do think the freak comment was completely unecessary.

I have no problem with you you twit
I haven't even spoken to you lately have I? Not seen you around...

You ARE being a freak about this though
dog racist

I like goldfish

do you think you either ARE a pet person or you are most definitely NOT?

because I would rather stab myself in the eye than have yet another thing to look after

dh the same

my parents love dogs and cats, ditto my sister

to me it is just faff, hair, poo and grief (and I have children for that)

i prefer mutts, you may prefer something different. c'est la vie. my view is different from yours. But if you want to win by calling me names then fine CD you win.

you didn't say you preferred mutts
you said that purebred dogs are rubbish
whioch is fucking rude

This is my first post to you this month btw so not sure how I can be having a problem with you maybe you have pmt

we had a dog, looked like a dulux dog but was black

pain in the arse he was

my sister looked after him, I sneered from my bed as she got up at 6.30am to take him for a poo

is freak an insult?

I use it all the time

yes so do i
custy is cleary in a strop for some reason i don't know
i am going now to buy things for dd's birthday cake