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

Getting a dog IS a lifestyle choice.

It was not a case of we all "presumed" your 7 year old would be walking a dog alone. Your first post says your daughter wants a dog "to pet,look after and walk". There was no mention of family involvement. I made it work with 3 puppies, but I worked nights (nursing) and had very little sleep in the day. That was for the child care, but worked for the puppies as well. It was a commitment, just like having kids. I know a lot of people who got "lockdown puppies", every single one regrets it. Most of the dogs are in daycare all day every day.

Exactly. OP seems to think a dog / puppy is just going to slot into their existing life and nothing will need to change. Anyone with a dog knows this isn't the case.

Everything the OP has posted shows they're not a suitable home for a dog, and the fact they're stubbornly ignoring valid points is a huge red flag.

I'm not sure how other working people manage when they get a puppy - give up work for a few months maybe?! I'm in a fortunate position to only be in office two days a week.

This is how the people I know make it work with puppies

• Full time working from home
• Two people working from home but opposite days out the house
• Shift workers so only ever need to be left a couple of hours max
• Not working/retired
• Parents looking after dog for days at work

I don't know anyone who was expecting to leave a puppy for 5 hours for the first year, even only 2 days a week.

We have three adults at home, and everything revolves around the dog. Two do a mixture of wfh and in the office. They coordinate their days so someone is at home. When they both have to be in the office, we get a dog sitter (cost us a hundred pounds last month). They also stagger their lunch hours to be with the dog at lunchtime.

it’s easier now he’s nearly two, but when he was a puppy, having to take him outside for a wee etc (puppies have small bladders) was disruptive to their working day.

The answer to your question is that no dog suits your needs though. You simply cannot leave a puppy or a dog alone in a house for hours on end. It's cruel.

Go to a Discover Dogs event and you can meet all sorts of breeds but more importantly talk to owners about different needs. Look into doggy daycare, which it sounds like you are doing. Quite often breeders of show dogs may decide to rehome a bitch or dog that they have decided is not right for the show ring or breeding. As long as the dog has lived in a home environment rather than kennels, then that might be a good bet. Looking at breed specific websites is recommended.
Puppies are furry tyrants with teeth and younger children often have an idealised view of puppy sleeping on their bed, etc but the reality is teeth and sharp scrabbly claws. They then become easily put off. Is this a dog that you may be sharing with your mother as well?

It's the combo of not long walks and being left that doesn't work OP. If you knackered them out with a massive walk, say 2 hours, mine would just conk out for 4 hours and then be OK for a couple.more, leaving the radio on and none of that crate nonsense, having the run of the kitchen and living room. But not at puppy age. For the first year, someone's got to be there for company and puddles and I wouldn't leave them more than 2 or 3 hours.

I sponsor a lifer at my local Dog's Trust. I remember my gran used to sponsor horses and donkeys for us. We got the certificates and updates and it felt special. (Obviously the money goes to all the animals but I felt like it was my little horse!) Would that be an idea until your daughter is a bit older?

Most 7 year olds want a dog. It doesn't mean you should get them one though, if your home situation isn't compatible.

Today we went shopping, normally just over an hour,we then leave 8 year old and 9 month old border collies "free",older one is fine.i had to rush back to the toilet,DH in the car. In a hurry, forgot to close door from living room to hall. Big main shop, 90 minutes.puppy has chewed wire and plug from fairy light twigs in vase, luckily not plugged in,in the hall.i put it there out of her way. We have left her an hour to go shopping, regularly, they have a dog flap 50 ft of garden fenced off for them. Normally when we come home,sofa cushions are on the floor and the mats have been moved.

Tamagotchi type pet would be ideal.

The golden rule is don't get a puppy if your child wants one. The novelty wears off very fast with young children. My teenagers are fine walking the family dog but the younger children at home can take or leave the family dog.

DH myself or the teenagers are all involved in caring for the dog.

You can't leave any dog for that length of time, any more than you would leave your 7 year old. Also, they aren't toys, to be picked up and put down. Dogs need exercise and training, including walking every single day whatever the weather. Your idea has not been properly thought through. What you are planning is cruel.

No no no! You cannot and must not leave a dog alone for 7-8 hours a day! Not even 5! I have 2 dogs and wouldn’t dream of it and they are 2 now! It’s cruel and animal cruelty! Also dogs are not toys just to be pulled about and petted constantly that’s a recipe for disaster.

Sounds like the OP has experience with dogs and also horses so knows about the commitment involved. At the end of the day as long as you are happy to take full responsibility for the dog and have a plan in place for the puppy stage I don't see a problem.
I leave my 3 alone for 13 hrs 2 nights a week and they are still alive! Also no chewing, no separation anxiety or any other behavioural problem....they just sleep when I'm out.
Although there are problems with this. I didn't leave them all night until they were at least 6mths old and it wouldn't be fair to except them to hold their bladders that long so I had to commit to indoor potty facilities.

It's totally possible to work and have a happy healthy dog, you just have to make sure that when you get home the dog takes priority!

You're very brave. I hope you have a hard hat!

I agree with you and my dog is left on Saturdays for a good few hours and Mondays all working day. He couldn't care less.

I used to rehome for a large UK charity. Some of our rules were

1. no rehoming to anyone who had to leave dog more than 4 hours (this includes travelling to/from work)
2. had to have sufficient finances for insurance
3. never rehome a dog because the children want one

I'd add in a couple of other things, just as I'm hugely into canine behaviour. I'd advise doggy day care with caution. Most people in this unregulated sector have no idea how to stop a dog fight; it's vital they do. In lots of these places their energy is high, and this is what drives dogs behaviour to go to extremes; even the most timid dog can be scared into aggression if they are overwhelmed and space is in short supply.
I also advise learning canine behaviour BEFORE you get the dog. This is different from basic training and comes into its own when the dog is maturing and hormones are taking over its brain! From 6 months onwards, you have a teenager and they can be very difficult at this stage - hence it was the most common age for people to give up and hand said pup back to our charity. The novelty had worn off and they weren't prepared to put the time and effort in.

Re breeds: Will Atherton is on You Tube and Instagram and does a lot of stuff on different breeds. If you get that far, he'd probably recommend a Cavalier King Charles spaniel as a beginners breed. They do have some health issues, but most breeds have a few.

I think a cat for children, is the best pet ever. They are affectionate, know their names, come for cuddles (as long as they aren't semi feral) and don't need walking. Funny and playful, just the right size for a child to interact with, and learn when not to pester.

Lastly, please NEVER use the words 'baby' a dog. This, above all else, causes the biggest issues with behavioural problems. You must lead; you must give clear, consistent boundaries they need you to do this in order to be happy and confident. Nobody should ever get a dog just to cuddle-it's not what they need. Good luck.

For a loving lap dog that's great with kids and can be left alone for a few hours, here are some of the best dog breeds to consider:

1. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
2. Bichon Frise
3. French Bulldog

These breeds are affectionate, low-maintenance, and perfect for your family’s needs.

Please don't get a french bulldog as advised above.bichon frise is lovely.

Or any kind of spaniel... 🤦🏾‍♀️

@CommeUneVacheEspagnole why not any kind of spaniel?

I’m not sure a dog suits the criteria if you’re getting a puppy. Ours was 2 before we left him for more than 3 hours. Now he’s 4 we probably could leave him for 8 hours and he’d just sleep but I wouldn’t unless it was a one off.

@TeenLifeMum my understanding is they need a lot of walking. Like a lot! Happy to be told I'm wrong as I don't know about the kings Charles

I guess it depends what you call a lot. We have a cocker spaniel and he can walk for hours but in general he gets 30 minutes first thing, an hour at lunch, 30 minutes in the evening. Yesterday it rained so hard he wasn’t keen to go and neither were we so he only had 2 walks missing the lunch one. Today we’re going out for a few hours so it balances. I guess it fits our family life so we don’t think about it’s a hassle.

Looking after a puppy is a nightmare! I love dogs, but the puppy months are really hard work - and it is months before you manage to get any peace! They need so much attention and training, you really do have to devote lots of time to their development. Eventually, if you put the time in, you will get a lovely well-behaved dog, but it takes months and months. And leaving a puppy alone for anything more than 2 hours is a definite NO NO.