Really want to get a puppy....advice please

[mamayaya]

Hi there

We really want a puppy ... both dh and I always had dogs as children and love them. DD is 20 months old. Any thoughts on that people?

Also, how do people who work cope with dogs? I won't want to leave it alone but I work 3 days / week. It would be possible to pop home for 1/2 hr at lunchtime but would the dog be ok by itself?

We're quite outdoorsy people but not sure whether to go for something like a king charles cavalier as maybe a labrador would be too much for us with dd and work... again, any thoughts?

Thank you!

If you're going to leave the dog alone for several hours at a time and you're considering one of the smaller breeds such as a Cavalier King Charles then why not get two?

One of our dogs is a Cavalier and they really are the most even tempered dogs which is what you want when you also have a young child.

ive got cavs - 2 of em. they are brilliant with kids and lovely lovely little dogs. mine are left for 1/2 a day at a time when i work, and DH is home at lunch time. they are lovely but quite fussy, and one of mine was quite nervous when i got her - she had been mistreated by previous owners.

they are beautiful and with a guaranteed good temper, you know what your getting with a cav, mine have had little in the way of health issues but research the breed. Also at 20 months youd have to watch your little one with it! they are so tiny as pups, my DD was 3 when we got our first one and i was terrified she would fall on him!

Sorry to ride on the back of this thread but we're also considering getting a puppy - though maybe not just yet and I was wondering what other smallish breeds are similar in ease and temperament to cavs?

What about cavadoodles/cavapoos? or cocker spaniels? or norfolk terriers or any others that might be good with children, and tolerate a few hrs away from owners? I work from home but am unavailable in meetings for blocks of up to 4 or 5 hrs at times. DSs are almost 9 yr old twins.

We have a labradoodle - absolutely great. She is even tempered and very docile - very sweet. Quite easy to train but she does need a fair amount of walking.

She has a good 1 or 2 hour walk in the morning - often with a swim - and then about an hour in the afternoon. If I am working then the dog walker comes in so she is never left longer than 4 hours on her own.

Training a puppy is going to be hard if you are not there all the time.

My friends got two Pugs specifically because they were told Pugs are great at being left alone... they're cheeky and full of personality but they're also BIG sleepers! They're good with kids too - they play quite boisterously, but they seem to sense when there's a child around and are infinitely more gentle, it's lovely to see.

I got a mini Dachshund puppy who is just beautiful but my goodness is she high maintenance and very, very needy - she needs to be involved in everything and is not good at being left alone. I was really quite shocked at what hard work it was. It has been totally worth it and I wouldn't be without her, but there were moments of "oh god, what have I let myself in for??!"

You should definitely research breed before you take the plunge. Good luck and enjoy!

OK.....thank you all for your advice! Been doing lots of research about dogs and now thinking of going for a labrador. My firm is happy for me to work afternoons from home (as long as dd is in nursery - mutually agreed!) so pup would only need to be alone in morning, dh will take it out for a good run / walk two mornings / week and I'll do one before work then do long walks on my two non-working days.

He is v keen on labs. I can see the advantages as we like long walks and are generally pretty active. We can pay for dog-walker on days when I'm at work when I'm back in the office.

er, thoughts??!!

I have to say I think labradoodles are great if you have kids - ours is a sweetie and will let all the kids ride on it or pull it's hair out - of course we do not advocate this.

I would get a crate too for it so it has its own space - never let it upstairs or in certain rooms so the kids always have a safe room to go to get away from the dog. Feed it dry food - not as smelly in all respects.

Their fur isn;t as bad for allergies also - labs moult notouriously and although my doodle does it is not irritating hair but very soft hair that is easy to get off - and she is not as heavy as a lab as she is tall and thin like a poodle.

Thanks Madame ... we're on the idea of a lab at the moment but maybe a labradoodle'd be better with kids??

OMGoodness I think I have a problem, have done nothing but think about and look at dogs for about 2 weeks and no closer to getting one!!!

I haven't seen one get as heavy in terms of barrelshapedness and although our doodle is very strong she hasn't got the weight behind her a lab has so DD will be able to walk her in a couple of years but I don't think she would a lab.

If DC take our labradoodle for a walk she does not pull on her lead like when DH and I take her out

Really important to have a crate where they can go to get away from hurly burly of family life.

Not sure about difference in temperament of lab vs labradoodle but all the doodles I have met are complete softies.

According to the dog training lady today the chocolate ones are the calmer ones...which leaves me slightly in awe of those with black or apricot ones...

Go to the Labradoodle Trust for more info.

Sorry and our doodle sheds a lot less than my parents lab.

Claricebeansmum, I am rolling on the floor at the chocolate ones being calmer. The idea of others being worse than my chocolate one is too much to comprehend!

I have a 14 mo black lab. He is lovely - I really cant fault his temprement and he really tolerates children well. Although he can be boisterous when playing with adults, he is so careful and gentle when my 3 yo plays with him - its as if he senses the difference between an adult and child.

He is quick to learn which has helped alot with training and he is so intelligent its almost unbelievable.

They do need alot of mental stimulation as well as physical and mine seems to shed constantly Would also agree with others that labs are very, very strong.

You have to be very careful where you get them from as they are such a popular breed that puppy farms and careless money-grabbers are rife and and subsequently their litters can have health problems (mine has hip displasia which our vet thinks has been genetic).

I know Midori knows lots about labs (I think she breeds goldies), so if you need help finding a reputable breeder she is the person for the job.