Has anyone ever regretted getting a dog?

[jt2345]

Just that really!
I'm thinking about getting a puppy and have been thinking for a while.

I have grown up with family dogs and know how much of a responsibility they are.

Just wondering 😀

X

I wouldn't say I regret it but I wish I'd done more research and been more prepared for the crazy nature of the breed we ended up with. I took my dp's word for it instead. He is a lovely lovely dog and I would miss him if he wasn't here but he's very hard work and incredibly tough to train. He is 3 now and settling down a little but those early days were chaos.

I agree @SoupDragon. I have committed to every animal I have every got. I have never given any animal away. I have looked after my insanely crazy and demanding spaniel to the best of my ability, even with my newborn baby in tow (which is apparently relevant to how great a person I am ) but I feel threads like this need to be read by people who are thinking of getting a dog. This is reality. People dont think of the reality, or they dont realise the severity of it. I had some idea, but not a full idea, despite having raised 2 pups previously (completely different breeds to the spaniel I took on at 7 weeks pregnant). My SIL took a whippet on a year ago and it was rehomed by 6 months. She needed to see a thread like this before getting that dog. Maybe if more people were aware of how hard having a dog is, we would see less dogs being handed into shelters because people 'cant cope'.

Yes. Such a massive commitment, which is fine if life goes according to plan, not so much when it throws obstacles at you.
Our much loved old girl is 14 now and not long for this world. We’ll care for her to the end, obviously, but certainly won’t take on another dog.

DDog saved my mental health. I think people thought we were silly to get him with three kids, but one of my DCs has ADHD and the dog is a focus for family life I couldn’t imagine. I wouldn’t want to do for a walk now without the dog - it would feel pointless. He is such great company, he exudes love.

Glad we got him when we did though - he’s used to city life, schools, kids, trains, markets, pubs. Now the kids are a bit older and we are in a rural area a puppy would be less used to those things. As it is the dog is portable and comes most places with us.

Growing up with dogs doesn’t prepare you for owning a dog. As a child it was your parents who had the ultimate responsibility for the dog, it’s training, walking, vets etc.

A dog is more restrictive than a child. You can take a child into shops, restaurants on holiday, to other people’s houses - you can’t with a dog.

I’m have an elderly labrador who I love more than anything - but I didn’t get her until I was at home all day and my DC had gone to university- because I knew I needed to give the dog my full attention and time. We (DH and I) walk her twice a day - whatever the weather - have spent £1000’s on insurance/vets bills, more £1000’s on dog sitters when we go away and we know that within the next couple of years our hearts will break.

I won’t be getting another dog for many years, if ever. I couldn’t replace my girl.

My sister brought home 2 puppies one day 10 years ago and has never bothered with them moved out of parents home got a cat so they are classed as my dogs I love them but they are sooooo badly behaved because at the start no one trained them they bark at everything and try n bite other dogs I have given them a very good life but sometimes I fantasise life without them they revolve around everything I do !! When I go to the bank ,supermarket , doing errands they come in the car with me so they don't sit in the house and bark all day and anoy the neighbours !! Why don't you adopt a dog that is older so it's a shorter commitment ?

We have five dogs. Had them all prior to our first child so it wasn't a shock to the system as such. We already knew how tying it was to have dogs.

The most difficult thing about having them is that we can't be spontaneous about going away overnight, for a weekend or on holiday. everything has to be planned with military precision. I also won't put them in kennels so rely on a family member to dog sit and yes I do pay them to do it!

However we can have family days out and I'm happy to leave them for 6ish hours as they always have a good walk before we go with plenty of offlead running. My dogs are all older now and they have each other for company and if we're going to be out for more than 5-6 hours then I pay a local lady to come in and fuss them for an hour, let them out in the garden etc.

In all likelihood in the next few years I am probably going to lose 3 of the 5 due to old age. It won't make life any easier as such as will still have 2! Once we lose them, I have said we will have a break and enjoy the freedom. This will be extremely difficult for me as they have been a part of our lives for a very long time so I will be bereft at not having any dogs, but I think I need to give myself a few years of not having the commitment. I used to be such a spontaneous person before I got into dog ownership! Having said that, the love I have for them and the pleasure they give me is very special. They are absolutely like children to me.

For anyone thinking of getting a dog I would simply say, if you like your freedom and like to take off when the mood takes you. Dog ownership is not for you. If you're not prepared to walk in any weather 365 days a year then the same applies. Those are the two major drawbacks imo.

Also I would insist that people do their breed research. So many people buy a puppy on a whim without knowing anything about the behavioural characteristics or how they might cope when things go wrong.

Having dogs is a real lifestyle choice and a huge commitment. Most people get into it for the wrong reasons. A friend of mine was nagged relentlessly by her kids and husband, she doesn't even like dogs. But she caved in and got a high needs breed despite my warning her that it was a terrible idea. The result? The dog has ruined her life and I'm not exaggerating! She hates being so restricted and doesn't feel any particular affection for the dog. She just sees the dog as a massive pain in the arse which is sad for all involved.

The only time I regretted it was in the first week when I was stood outside with him for about 15 times a day and the kids who had promised to help were nowhere to be seen!! It also made me realise that I did not want a third baby after all!!

Other than that I have really loved having him and he has competed our family. I was lucky in that I had six weeks to devote to him when he was a puppy and so he house trained remarkably quickly and settled well. He was also a very relaxed and easygoing puppy - I appreciate that this can be very much the “luck of the draw”.

I really was the driving force behind getting a puppy and ultimately a dog! I feel very lucky to have him.

Reading this thread has totally shocked me that so many have regretted getting a dog and find them so much hard work. I just assumed that everyone with a dog felt pretty much the same as me, that they enhance family life. We have taken on many animals at different stages of their lives and after an initial settling in period, they just fit in with us and the other animals.

@MyBlueMoonbeam I could have written your post and have been in a similar position! This is a sad thread, but perhaps essential reading for anyone thinking of taking on an animal.

Yep and I will never ever ever own another animal. Ever

Really does depend on your lifestyle , we had our first 2 dogs at 15 and when they died and we said no more but missed having a dog ( it so we thought ) so we got a puppy
We were lucky as he was and us very well behaved but even so he's sometimes ill and it's always day your late for work , going out for day has to be planned luckily we have teenagers who don't always come with us so often someone us at home and my parents and mil will have him when we go away or are al going out for the day
It is sane commitment as a young baby in lots of ways
We have said he will be our last

I adore pooch, rescue dog coming up to 5 years old and we've had her since she was 1. She's the easiest going dog in the world - she loves a good long walk but equally content to just nip round the block.

But even with all that, I doubt we'll get another one for the reasons above - you cant be spontaneous, every arrangement needs to consider her needs.Our kids are teens and so the load is shared but once they go to Uni, then I know it's all on me.

I fear for all the puppies taking in at the start of lock down when reality bites with work and school starting up again - dog walking will be a good business!

@DarkMutterings we got a puppy at the start of lockdown. We'd been planning one for around the start of the summer holidays but this was even more ideal - plus a very well timed close friend with one puppy left available from her litter. She definitely won't be getting rehomed, we've waited 6 years to be in the right position to get her but I'm seriously thinking of starting up a dog walking business as I think you could be right about that.

Only when I want to go on holiday and have to think about what to do with her! All our holidays have been camping which has been fine for the dog until we tried to boogie board last year in Devon - cue one of us out of the water taking it in turns to look after the pooch, who only wants to be with me and goes mental when I’m in the water without her.
I won’t kennel her, she’s a Sensitive working cocker and I think it would break her. We do have a great dog sitter, but she’s always fully booked!
Other than that I could not be without a wet nose and waggy bum.

I think you have to be realistic about how your life will change. We are happy with dog-friendly days out and mainly cottage holidays in the UK where we can take her, plus my parents will look after her when we go abroad. We are still able to go for meals and to the shops etc, we just have to be mindful not to be out longer than four or so hours, which hasn't really impacted us particularly. But for others, it's a massive lifestyle change.

We wouldn't be without a dog now, but our life is well set up for it.

*It's called being honest.

It is blinkered posts like yours that result in so many dogs getting rehomed.

Oh & I had a newborn baby - 4 dogs 2 horses 1 cat 1 goat - a husband who worked away all week - no central heating & no family nearby either

And?*

@Soupdragon WTF has what I said got to do with dogs being rehomed? I can assure you that the 9 rescue dogs we have taken in over the last 30 years were not given up due comments made by someone on social media 🙄

The info re my circumstance were directed at people who have found their dogs too much like hard work since having a baby etc.etc.etc

Don't bother to respond to me I've seen enough of your nonsense on other threads and I'm hiding this one now.

@thriftyhen

A kindred spirit x

I bloody love my dogs. But re read what CMOTdibbler said!
Our life revolves around the dogs. Puppy still on three meals a day. Plus snacks. Daily grooming and training and exercise and cleaning up after them. Right now it’s dust. They’ve destroyed the lawn and when they play dust billows up in the air and all over them. Then they bring it in.
In the winter. The mud. Dear fucking hell the mud.
Can’t ever go to the cinema then have lunch. Too long to leave the dogs.
Can’t go to the beach on a hot summer day. Too hot for the dogs.
Can’t go out for dinner. The dogs need their dinner at the same time.
They are a tie and a commitment. But I do love them.
The puppy biting? That I could live without.
Being woken before 6. Ditto.

I don’t regret getting a dog but I do regret getting the dog I got. I should’ve done more research and gone to a reputable breeder. I don’t think my dog is the breed we was told therefore his a lot bigger then we thought. I wouldn’t change him for anything but I also have a smaller dog and said that if we had got our little dog first then we wouldn’t have thought about getting another.

WTF has what I said got to do with dogs being rehomed? I can assure you that the 9 rescue dogs we have taken in over the last 30 years were not given up due comments made by someone on social media

Everything. Lots of dogs are given up due to unrealistic expectations because of "oh dogs are just SO wonderful!" comments

The info re my circumstance were directed at people who have found their dogs too much like hard work since having a baby etc.etc.etc

Everyone is different. You may have found it oh so easy but it's not helpful to make out it is easy.

Don't bother to respond to me I've seen enough of your nonsense on other threads and I'm hiding this one now.

Oh dear. Have I disagreed with you elsewhere too? Your post here was unhelpful and insulting and I simply pointed that out. As did someone else but I see you only took umbrage with me. Says it all really.

Lots of dogs are given up due to unrealistic expectations because of "oh dogs are just SO wonderful!" comments

I.e. they were got as pups because of people go on about how wonderful dogs are and poo-pooing anyone who dares to put forward an alternative viewpoint. There are so many posts on MN where people say how a poster who is thinking it getting a dog should absolutely get one because a dog is so wonderfully life enhancing and amazing. They never mention the actual responsibilities and hard work of a dog though.

Both me and dp grew up with dogs, when we first moved in we got a dog (from a rescue place) who was the best. Dog sadly died of old age and after we had ds we decided to get another dog. We wanted D.C. to grow up with pets. The dog was a bloody nightmare, hated our ds and ds who was 3 at the time was just too much for the dog. It was also really difficult trying to give enough attention to them both, dog hated it when I played with ds and would lie down on top of me so I couldn’t move and ds hated that the dog was in the way. Dog went back 6 weeks later, the 2 were just not compatible despite us doing everything correctly, the dog tried to bite the dc. Dog was a rescue from a reputable shelter and were told that the dog was great with kids etc the dog hated everything and everyone. We did the right thing by sending him back, we just weren’t the right people for him. Don’t regret sending him back one bit. Wouldn’t get another dog, they are so demanding of your time and assuming you can’t take it everywhere you are limited to what you do during the weekends unless you pay £££££ for someone to look after it.

V

Me and my husband agree that if we could snap the dog out of existence Thanos style, then we would.
Despite being small he’s always needed a lot of ‘management’. Which has only got harder / gone out the window now that we have a child. He’s ever so good with the baby but I would never leave them alone so There has to be a plan every time that I leave the room. He gets overwhelmed in busy environments so he can’t accompany us on days out or even to the park. Equally he doesn’t like being alone so we can’t all be out for extended periods of time, particularly in the evening so we very rarely go out at night. Its an awful thing to say but he’s just not a joy to own. He would only be a joy to own for a very specific person though (who may not even exist!) And we made a commitment to him as our dog so... that’s life I suppose!
And it definitely made the transition to having a baby easier as our life has been very restricted for 7 years at this point!