Suitable dog

[Ronnie1234]

We're planning to get a puppy / dog for our youngest is 7 & is desperate for a pet, we've debated & promised her for a while & now decided the time is right as recently her nan lost her dog & we had said it's not fair to introduce another dog around Nannie's dog as he was old.

Please could I have some advice on suitable dog breeds, daughter wants a lap dog type that she can pet, baby, look after, take for walks but doesn't need huge amounts of walking, can be left alone at home for few hours in days - up to 7/8 hours maximum but I work from home some days so won't be every day

We work full time and have a dog, but the dog comes to work with us. We wouldn’t have been able to have him otherwise. As for leaving him alone, he’s fine with 3-4hrs as and when it’s necessary, but that’s not a regular occurrence.

These are for elderly people but sound just the ticket foe your child -

www.precious-petzzz.co.uk

Why won't you consider a cat? It seems so much more suitable for you than a dog. What will you do with the puppy when you leave it for 5 hours? It will destroy the place and/or howl the whole time!

I work and managed the puppy stage by using doggy day care, working from home some of the time and I also had my mum who could puppy sit.

My dog can be left for 5 hours now but I couldn't have done it for the first year.

A retired grey hound might fit your requirements, they are cuddly dogs who tend to be happy with a couple of short walks a day.

As PP have said, you cannot leave a dog for 7-8 hours and even 5 hours is too long which you seem to think is perfectly fine.
It's cruel, and you have no idea how to raise a dog properly. It's all about your daughter and not the poor dog. Please, don't do it.

Dogs can be left alone just fine if they're not a breed that suffers from separation anxiety as standard. However, a 7 year old cannot take dogs for walks. It's completely unsafe. The amount of young kids I come across who think they are helping but can't control the dog and when it comes running up to my reactive dog despite me saying not to, and then I have to control two dogs is ridiculous.

Get a cat or a toy. Kids are notoriously unreliable when it comes to helping with pets.

Is there any reason it needs to be a puppy? An adult dog will already be house trained, and potentially used to being left for short periods - if u can find one that has lived happily with children before then surely that would be far more suited to your lifestyle?

I've got 2 staffies, I appreciate they're not everyone's cup of tea, but mine are perfectly happy to be left for a few hours and are my 12 year old DDs best friends in the world. Granted she has grown up with dogs and has been taught to recognise dog behaviour from a young age (but this is important for all children and all dogs)

You can't leave a puppy too long if you want toilet training to work. That's a simple fact.

Dogs can be left if you put things in place like neighbour to call in/ dog walker etc we did both plus day care 2 days a week so it can be expensive but I'm sure you're aware of all this op. I would look at Yorkshire terriors.

Just because they”can” be left all day does not mean they should be left.

dogs should not be at home all day with only a quick input from neighbours or a dog walker. That is not a good life for them. Poor dogs.

@CollieDug well then half the countries dogs would he in shelters because people who work wouldn't be able to keep them. Having dog walkers in for 45 mins and a neighbour is fine font be ridiculous

Are you aware that dogs aren't toys?

I think people are quite reasonably asking how you expect an eight week old puppy to hold its bladder for five hours. Would you consider an older dog?

For those that have said they wouldn't let a child walk a dog. Does anyone think I was sending my 7 year old out to walk the dog unattended?! Seriously?! Obviously someone will be with her!

An older dog could be a consideration.

As we have said September time approximately we have plenty of time to get everything in place & research breeds, what needs to be in place for my two office days, research doggy daycare or provisions for someone to pop in. It's not like we are doing this on a whim we're planning!
Initially starting with thinking about suitable breed.

I will be speaking with work colleagues & friends as they have had puppies & held down jobs too. It is manageable with the right provisions in place hence while we are starting planning now.

Thank you all for the lifestyle advice as opposed to the breed recommendation question I asked.

Thank you all for the lifestyle advice as opposed to the breed recommendation question I asked.

So you wanted us all to just ignore the potential issues in leaving a dog for 5-8 hours, that your child wants to baby it and we were meant to all be psychic in knowing your child wouldn't walk the dog alone?

The reason people haven't suggest a breed has been explained numerous times but I shall reiterate once again. Anyone with even an ounce of dog knowledge won't suggest a dog breed to you because your set up doesn't suit any breed of dog.

No WAY should you leave a dog alone for 7 hours!

Please don't get one.

SO many alarm bells in your post OP.
You're getting a dog - a 15 year commitment- for a child, who should have no say in it whatsoever. It sounds as though you're planning to leave the dog's care to your child too.
You already plan to leave the poor thing alone for entire working days. We leave our dog alone for 2 full days a week, but were able to build up to it over 7 years.
I would go for a pot plant instead.

Yeah even 5 hours is too long.

Please don't.

@Ronnie1234 - have a look at young kennel club with your DD before you proceed.

While the dogs welfare is entirely down to you, there are ways to help ensure that DD is having the imagined relationship with the dog. But it takes time and commitment. My DD has had her dog since age 7, but we are a doggy family and I was able to guide her in the early stages.

There was a series ‘ 12 puppies and us’ on tv which showed families getting puppies, including the good and the bad (although generally good), such as someone sleeping downstairs for three weeks.

They suggested a Norfolk terrier to one family.

@ZipZapZoom neither did I say we were letting 7 year old walk alone - you all just presumed I was!
When in reality she doesn't leave our sides!

@Ylvamoon thank you yes I will take a look at kennel club for youngests. We also enquired locally about dog walking at refuges but they are inundated with volunteers locally at the moment.

@Riverlee thank you that sounds good for us to watch I will see if I can find on sky / online.

Getting a dog is nothing to do with a 7yr old. Do not get a dog.

Have a look at a Lhasa Apso OP. My DFriend has a rescue. Happy to be left, loves cuddles and is loving. The only thing that perhaps wouldn't fit is that they don't require much walking.

If you're in the midlands there's a dog show this week at Stafford County Showground.

@Ronnie1234 It was a BBC series.