Just how much of a commitment is a dog?

[googgly]

I want a dog. I love dogs. The dcs want a dog. DH is just starting to come around.

We live in a big apartment right next to a huge park. We have a live-in housekeeper who likes dogs and is willing to walk it. There is almost always someone in the house. I don't mind getting up a bit earlier and taking it out first thing. I have friends lined up for dogsitting.

So is there a reason not to get one? Is there something I'm missing? It will need 3 walks per day, feeding, a bit of grooming, company. Can be left alone for a couple of hours if necessary. Is it OK if the late night walk is just a short toilet opportunity?

Wisdom please from dog owners. Especially those who find it a pita.

hey hatwoman! I'm pushing cocker spaniels again. I'm loitering on park corners whispering 'hey, want a cocker spaniel'

re breeds - look at petplanet.co.uk - it has very good breed profiles and you can even do a questionnaire on what things are important to you (eg length of walks, child-friendly, hair, size etc) and it'll suggest a breed.

a dog is a massive commitment but you sound like you're ready for it.

They do need lots of training to make them sociable and easier to live with...really really important and this takes time

waves to a hundredtimes. the lady down the road has got a cocker and it's barmy. and completely gorgeous.

There is a discover dogs show at Earls Court which is very good, you might be able to find it on the web. You can go there and see all types of dogs and that may help you. Some dogs do not need to much excercise others do. Do try and see the parents to judge temperments. (We have a Dalmatian, did have two last year, they are lovely dogs full of character though they do need LOTS(!) of excercise.

DC love our dog and think shes a great climbing frame, having said that we wont be replacing her when she has gone.

B4 DC dog keeping was dead easy, didnt mind taking it for walk 3 times a day, getting up 45 mins early to go out in rain, all the furniture they chewed through the endless hoovering/mopping floors and washing dog towels, not to mention grooming/picking up poo etc. Since DC it does just seem like an endless list of chores when you add it in to the things u have to do for kids aswell.

The only real logistical problem I have is school holidays, not because of going away but my DD1 is a lazy child who will not walk the distance the dog needs so she ends up getting short changed.

You sound fairly well researched and have thought about most bases, good luck.

they pong.

that's vile.

that was useful expat

It will be different at first, but you will quickly adapt with the right dog. You sound pretty clued up to me.
We have cavalier spaniels, they are pretty easy i think. They have two short walks and one long walk per day, but they decide when they have had enough, and are very easy to tire out.
In this weather they get dirty very quickly (as soon as we are outside, coats train through puddles) so need lots of cleaning and grooming, but they are small enough just to scoop up and put in the kitchen sink lol! I just brush their ears(get the twigs out - dont know how they manage it) and trim their feet in the summer though.
They don't eat much, if you buy in bulk it works out way cheaper.
Like others have said, you will get used to it really quickly because of having dcs. Good luckx

I'm finding my 2 a bit of a hassle at the moment despite loving them to bits.

They NEED at least an hour's exercise every day. Which often means loading 3 children under 5 and 2 dogs into the car to drive somewhere where they can be off the lead without any risk of cars/ dog-haters. On arrival at destination, if peeing down with rain, get kids into waterproofs/ wellies/ hats/ gloves. Do same for self. Assemble pram, wrestle with cover. Drag toddlers and baby round filthy muddy park (at least one of them ALWAYS falls in a boggy ditch!) Try to deter dogs from rolling in fox poo (happens at least once a week). Try to keep bitch from running off on a sniffing spree (they are beagles, and ruled by their noses- if they do go, it can take 2-3 hours to get them back!) Back to the car, wrestle with wet raincover, wring out children and remove 3 layers of wet gear (so have car full of mud, muddy wellies, muddy raincoats, more mud, muddy pram, a bit more mud...)Drive home with windows open if haven't managed to intervene between hound and fox poo (there really is no smell worse in the whole galaxy) Whole exercise takes the best part of the morning. And that's BEFORE you come back to wash poo-covered dog, muddy clothes etc. So when my friends are meeting in the morning, I can never make it.

On the plus side, my kids get plenty of exercise and fresh air! And we have lots of fellow dog-walkers who we meet and who are lovely

Our bitch is a bit of a problem dog, in that she likes to pee and poo in the house if she is displeased about something, which is just lovely in the morning when trying to get the kids breakfast/ dressed etc. They will also raid the bins if they get the smallest chance.

Our old boy is going a bit senile now (he is 13) and often needs lifting in and out of the car- great when I am already seeing a physio about my back! He is also very dopey, and takes forever to come to where you want. Oh, and he is deaf too, so has to be on the lead now. He is also getting smelly as he gets older, despite me having his teeth done last month.

They cost more than you think- food, vaccinations, vets bills (well, I'm a vet, so don't worry too much about that ), but even if you are insured, there are excesses, which get steeper as they get older. Kennels are a huge expense for us- if we get a cheap deal, sometimes it can cost more for the dogs' holiday than ours!

Having said all that, I really can't see myself without dogs, ever! So there must be something good about them

jooly, your advert for dog owning has made me pmsl,

thankyou

i have a geriatric dog,

i love him all the same,

we have had years of smelly, muddy, dog haired, vomit filled moments,

i wouldnt change a thing...

It's so hard when they get old, isn't it? Murph was never the sharpest tool inthe box, but now he really is like a smelly decrepit canine version of Forrest Gump!

And I can't believe I forgot to mention the hair!! Having to hoover at least once every single day is a pain, and your car will never ever be saleable! On the plus side, noone will ever want a lift from you!

joolyjoo-lol you have described it brilliantly!

think op has someone who will walk the dog for her though

Hi there

Yes, it sounds like you are ready for a lovely furry friend...

Would like to say, however, that in my experience (dogs all my life) neither pedigrees nor rescues can be guaranteed in terms of temperament. I have had pedigrees who weren't safe with my dc, but my most bombproof dog ever is a GSD cross who we got from a reputable rescue centre when she was 18 months. She had been fully child-tested by the home and if I would ever trust a dog 100% with my dc it would be her. If you are getting a puppy you have to be very thorough about socialising them, or an older dog has to have been checked out by a properly qualified behaviourist.

Good luck!

The walking with the dog has been brilliant for me. I love that I get out walking everyday as before I wouldn't have bothered.

I love coming back to the house and find him there waiting for me.

Dc's love him to bits but they are pretty much no practical help with him.

We have a non shed dog and it makes a huge difference. Especially when you have guests over that aren't doggy people.

I think your situation is good for a dog.

Puppies chew your furniture, wee (or worse) on your floors, track mud everywhere and demand lots of time and energy training them.

They grow into big dogs that smell and require a high commitment to walking .

You will not be able to lie in bed for whole mornings or go away for a day or night on a whim.

However, they are loyal friends who will love you unconditionally. They will give you a lifetime of companionship and memories and your children will love them with passion.

A dog requires a lot of commitment but the returns are immeasurable.

Waves at Bella29

Howdy newpup!!!

How's your girl doing? My pup's a big lump of loveliness & I totally agree with your precis of owning a dog. Big downsides but huge returns too.

Waves at hatwoman too - training guru

Bella, my girl is fab!!

Sounds like your boy is well!! I am loving the walks, even in the rain. Feel 10 years younger for all the exercise!

Hello Hatwoman

I not only have someone to walk the dog, but also someone to hoover for me

Well, noone has put me off yet, though I'm concerned about not having the time and energy to train a puppy properly, so will have to think that through first. We don't have a garden, but we live right next to a giant park, so it's perfect for easy dog walking, and the dcs are not lazy about walking. They will soon grow up into stinky teenagers, so having a stinky dog too is probably not such a big deal. The hair - that's a point. My childhood dog was a ridiculously sheddy yellow lab. But then everyone in my family was too lazy to hoover, which probably didn't help! As I remember he only really stank when he'd been swimming, or when he got ancient and pooed on the carpet all the time.

The reason I really want a dog is exactly because I know the dcs will love it with passion.

So what's stopping you googly?! Go for it, girl! If I had someone to hoover for me I would have 10 dogs!

Agree re walks, newpup, especially as I am walking my two separately at the mo to concentrate on pup's heelwork. Double the exercise [halo twinkling with righteousness emoticon]

Dogs are fab.

As are cats.

And hamsters, horses, tortoises, gerbils, rabbits, guineas...

You get the idea of where I am coming from

ooh it's like a doggy reunion on here. hello puppy people . The only thing I would say googly is that if you get a pup house training might be hard work in a flat. we got our pup in summer and he spent all his time in the kitchen with the door wide open and every hour or so I took him outside to wee - we hardly had any accidents at all doing it like this. If you're in a small block I guess it's do-able, but big one it might be awkward. also if you do get a pup who will be doing this? will the housekeeper be happy acting in loco parentis? through this initial period? could be an argument for getting an adult

"The reason I really want a dog is eaxctly because I know the dcs will love it with passion"

Not trying to be a voice of gloom (although seem to be doing surprisingly well so far!) but a LOT of children aren't that bothered/ keen after a while. My dd1 (4) used to love our dogs when she was younger, but now she isn't really interested, and doesn't like the smell of them. She's even started getting scared of other dogs and moaning about the time we have to spend walking round the park . dd2 still loves them, but she has a different nature. And the jury is still out on ds (11 months!)

I've always been crazy about animals, and was sure my kids would be the same, but dd, although she loves the idea of dogs, seems to find them a bit of an inconvenience. She never plays with them, and is more interested in her colouring books. I'm still hoping she will come round, but deep down I think she will never be a doggy person.

That's a shame Jooly. I have 3 dcs as well, so one of them should be pleased with the dog though!

Hatwoman, I was wondering about the housetraining thing. I guess we'll have to take the pup outside every hour during the day, and everytime she pees/poos inside - it's not very far. It will be really annoying to do, but not much choice really I suppose.

I have a candidate adoptee - she's a cross between chocolate labrador (well she's chocolate, with ginger eyebrows (!) and legs and green eyes) and something houndish that looks like beagle to me. She's 3.5 months old. Looks fab in the photo - we're going to meet her on Saturday

My dcs love spending several hours in the park playing football so that shouldn't be a problem for the next few years at least.

expatinscotland so do humans! thats even more vile anyway more importantly as has been said by many the pluses far outway the minuses. but please do not forget the rescue homes. many are the reasons for the dogs to be there and not always for aggression reasons. yes and i`ve had many smelly, muddy, vomit filled moments then i got a dog so i was used to it all.