No idea about dogs - but going to look at a puppy today - HELP!

[CantThinkofFunnyName]

I had a dog when I was a teenager. Can't say that I remember ANYTHING about training it, looking after it etc. But my 11yr old son is animal mad and a few years ago, after a few too many glasses of vino, we promised him he could get a dog. Time is now up and we can't evade anymore! I'm allergic to dogs however (lumps/bumps, itchy eyes - hayfever like). So we're going to look at a labradoodle puppy - the wool/fleece coat variety for minimal shedding - I do realise there are no guarantees so I have my piriton at the ready. Oh, I also have a new 12 week old baby!

We are preparing the house to be puppy proof, getting wooden flooring put in too downstairs to minimise allergy.

My questions to all you lovely people is, what are the first things we need to do when we get the puppy home? Injections, pet insurance, puppy pads, crates for journeys in car? Aarrgh - so many things to think of and I really don't know what's essential and what isn't. I also don't know what injections are for, when they need to have them etc.

Any fonts of knowledge are v v v v welcome . Am a tad excited though

first point i would say is dont do it, you have a 12 week old baby.

you need to get that under your belt first.
the stress of one baby keeping you up throughout the night is quite hard, are you ready for the stress of a second one doing the same thing?

not to mention all the possible weeing indoors, constant toilet training required, nippy puppy teeth, chewing indoors, training, constant socialisation.

you could never leave kids and dog togehter unattended

very very hard ask

a lot of ethical professional breeders would tell you the same, so one would question the standard of the breeder/breeding that you are going to see?

is it a puppy farm? back yard breeder?

many puppies end up in rescue from this situation.

I would agree to hold off for a bit. We got a puppy on Wednesday this week, we have been planning on getting one for years and knew exactly how much work it would be, but you have to dedicate so much time.

Ours is a toy breed puppy (CKCS) which has made things easier as she is very little and not bounding about knocking small people over and very calm.

I have to watch her constantly and 3 days in today we aren't having and wee/poo accidents inside for 2 days now but that is because I am watching her like a hawk and have the time to spend half the day stood out in the garden, is that something you will be able to do (even when it's cold and rainy with such a small baby to care for too?)

I would not want to be woken up at 5am in the morning to take a puppy out for a poo if I also had a 3 month old baby.

If you know nothing about dogs/puppies then you really should wait until you do know the answers to all your questions before getting one.

I would wait.

Labradoodles are gorgious puppies, but they grow absolutely enormous unless they're miniature doodles ie a lab crossed with a miniature poodle as opposed to a standard poodle. And the non shedding is a bit of a mith esp with first generation dogs.

Also be careful about where you're getting this dog from as labradoodles are essentially designer dogs and often breeders breed them for the cash rather than taking care to breed from good stock. What do you know about the puppies' heritage? Are the lab parents kc registered? Have they had their hips/eyes etc checked? Labradors are very prone to hip displacia and other conditions with their eyes, and what could be a cute puppy now might be a dog in total agony two years down the track and needing to be put through extensive surgery or possibly even be pts.

And that's all before you take into account the fact that you have a baby to contend with who will be starting to toddle just as your puppy reaches his biggest and most boisteress phase.

Have to agree that I don't think now is a good time. I have a 11week old baby and a dog(who is 2.5 years old) and dog time is really reduced at the mo! Dog is a labrador and is totally mad (but is very good with baby).
I dont think you will have the time/energy to train a puppy. A bored dog will become a distructive dog, do you think you could cope with dog distroying your house whilst dealing with baby issues?
Research your breeds temprement, exercise requirements etc. Vaccinations are usually 8 & 10 weeks, puppy will need flea and worm treatment too. Too much to put here, your local vets should have puppy packs (normally free) full of info.

Have you got a friend with a dog, that could maybe come to stay whilst owners on holiday? This way 11 year old could get his dog fix, and you could see how a dog could work with your family life. (a kind of try before you buy!) This would also buy you some time untill 12 week old a little older!

I love having a dog, and I always try and think of the situation through dogs eyes

I would question most breeders of labradoodles, not many of them are in it for anything other than the money.

Is the breeder aware that you have allergies or a 12 week old baby? As a breeder myself, I would be very, very concerned about this, as although I would always take any puppy back that I bred and the new owners couldn't keep, I would obviously want to do mybest to ensure a permenant home int he first place, and sadly, due to experience I know the chances of that being a home with both a 12 week old baby and allergies are slim.

Labradoodles are not hypoallergenic, no breed is, they can be (not always!) non shedding. That is not the same an hypoallergenic as people are not only allergic to the hair, but also dander and saliva. Also, some puppies in the litter may be non shedding, some not, and if the breeder has told you any different, they are lying. If you really want a non shedding dog, why not go for a Poodle, or Bichon Frise?

I would also want to know about whether the parents were health tested. A lot of 'doodle' breeders will say that the parents don't need health testing as 'cross breeds are healthier', but that is rubbish, and certainly those Labradoodles which have been hip scored show there is no room for complacency. Parents should be both hip scored and eye tested and preferably elbow scored too. If they haven't done this, then walk away, there is no reason not to other than money/greed/not caring about the health of pups they have bred and the breeder saying the parents are 'vet checked' or 'really healthy' is no substitute for proper health testing.

That is just the start. Most people find their first puppies much harder than a baby, even if they feel prepared and think they know what to expect. You need to constantly take a pup out for toileting, give it constant supervision, be able to gradually et it used to being let alone, give lots of short periods of training throughout the day... can you really do all that with a new baby, including having tog et up what could be several times with a pup during the night? Or can you cope with the fact that if you don't you may end up with a pup that is still toileting in the huse at 7/8 months? Can you cope with a pp youhave to have with you, who is undoubtedly (because that is what puppies do!) going to leap all over you and your baby and be nippy, so could bite the baby? You won't be able to just shut the pup out of the room when you need to change nappies etc.

There are very, very few occasions on which I would even consider homing a pup to anyone with a very young baby, for all the reasons above. That's not becuase I'm some horrible cow, but because I know only too well what it is like to have a puppy and how it is likely to turn out.

However,if you do decide to go ahead, please for the sake of the dog and your family, make sure you go to a good breeder.

Very good advice from everyone else who are all more experienced than me in dog ways but I am going to chip in as well. Please have a look at the Labradoodle Trust website, there are a fair few dogs recently added, they also will have some in foster homes being assessed. There has been a big increase in the number of Doodles going into rescue recently, due in no small way due to the hypoallergenic myth. Also, as said, they can get very big and by nature are very very bouncy.

My 10 month labradoodle and I have just got back from training where the whole class kindly stayed an extra 15 mins being stooge dogs for mine who was being utterly appalling at recall today and jumping on everyone, despite being good as gold last week. Trainer was saying that she sees a lot of labradoodles and cockapoos who come as puppies, really easy to train as they are pretty intelligent, then hit teenage years and become a nightmare. She's had people walk out they are so embarrassed, despite her begging them to stay and pointing out this is exactly when they need the training.

If you google UK labradoodle there is a helpful forum and also Doodle Post was set up by a breeder to promote responsible breeding, eg as Midori said with hip and eye scores etc. When it comes back online Doodle Times is very helpful. There are various meet ups throughout the country and there's a Show thingy in the New Forest in the summer (I think one up orth) where you could go and chat to lots of owners.

I really think that getting one now with a new baby would be a complete recipe for disaster and do hope you have a re-think on this.

Sorry to go on, if you look at the Labradoodle Trust site there is a bit about allergies which is very helpful. For an idea of how different the coats can turn out there is a thread on the UK labradoodle forum called "Snuggles". It's very long but is worth spending some time reading through, it goes from waiting for them to be born up to 9.5 months which they are now. Will give you an idea of the trials and tribulations of puppy ownership. Would do you links but can't on this, sorry.

Don't do it, because I can virtually guarantee that in a few months time I or some fool like me will be trying to find a rescue place for your puppy. If you don't believe me, speak to Barbara at the Labradoodle Trust rescue, where I recently placed a pup which a MN-er couldn't cope with alongside a baby.

A novice owner, an 11 yo keeping you to a promise (how long til the novelty wears off for the 11yo?), a babe, an allergy and an active, intelligent breed pup ... it's a recipe for disaster.

Sorry to sound harsh but I've rehomed/found rescue places for/been involved in the same when novice owners with babes realise that they've made a mistake so many times, including here on this forum, I owe it to the dogs to speak out. In fact, I'm in the process of trying to find rescue for a dog whose owner can't cope with him and her 12 mo baby right now.

Don't want to put you off, I love dogs, but, have you seen this thread?

darcymum. OP, more seriously, have a look at THIS THREAD or, if you can find it, the fairly recent post on here about the lady who couldn't cope with her Lab x rottie pup and who considered him aggresive to her son.

I found a new owner for that pup through my rescue contacts. Pup now lives with a single man and another dog and has NEVER shown any sign of aggression whatsoever since he got there. This new owner has had no problems with 'coping'... but then again he isn't juggling children and dogs, neither is he a novice owner. Again, sorry to be so blunt, but if I were to homecheck you, you'd fail the check. That's not to say that you wouldn't pass in the future, but at this stage in your lives no responsible rescue worker or breeder would allow you to take a pup home.

I think that thread was in chat so has prob disappeared by now.

A Labrador x Poodle will be a VERY high energy dog, needing hours of exersize a day (preferably about three hours) plus the weeks of toilet training (every hour plus feeding 3 times a day)

He'll also have to be socialized with other dogs and people (possibly training classes)

if you're not ready to do that, I'd say go for an older dog. (have you considered a greyhound? they are very easy to look after and so low shedding that a lot of people with allergies can tolerate them even though they aren't technically a hypoallergenic breed)

Please don't do it.

Dogs are SO much work, even if you
(a) know what to expect
(b) have some degree of knowledge and experience about how to handle and train a dog
(c) are not allergic to them.
(d) don't have a new baby
(e) are getting a dog because YOU desparately want one to complete your family, rather than to honour a drunken promise to a child (one of the worst reasons I have ever heard for getting a dog btw)

Everything is stacked against this working out.

If you really care about animals, please do some more research. Start by reading the threads linked to below and the many, many hundreds of others by MNers who got a dog and then went off the idea.

Getting a dog should not be a reversable decision.

I can definately see where you are coming from in wanting a puppy, and I know how exciting it all feels to think about it but the reality is different as everyone else has said.
Juggling with babies and puppies is exceedingly hard work and can be tiring enough when you are getting a full nights sleep, I definately wouldnt recomend it having such a small baby and the lack of sleep they bring
I have been fostering a Spoodle puppy for the last 4 weeks and she is a very high energy dog who I exercise twice a day to keep her out of trouble.(Excellent way to lose weight and get me back into a walking routine!) I also have a 7 yr old Golden Retriever who is the worlds best dog and no trouble, a cat a 5yr old DD and a 2 yr old DD.
She is going back for Adoption next week and to be honest I will be glad of the rest.
She is a beautiful intelligent dog and I have thoroughly enjoyed having her and training her but I had the time to do so.
I have also broken out in eczema all up my arms,on my chest and on my face since having her (I have been allergic to certain breeds before) I never would have thought I would be allergic to her though.
She did come froma puppy farm though so has a dodgy background in regards to breeding lines.

Dont let this thread put you off ever having a dog, just wait a while until you have more time. They are wonderful rewarding animals and can be great friends for life.

Also, just to add, when dogs are "no trouble at all" it is never because they just happened to turn out that way. A lot of effort goes in to socialising and training a dog to be calm and obedient and a joy to be around. Some dogs are much easier to train than others, but this is a personality thing as much as breed tendancies.

Def agree MaMight!
She is still the best dog in the world
But she could have been a complete nutter with no training.

Do not do it right now, a puppy is just like having another baby in the house. The puppy will be a full time job in its' own right.

Oh, I remember the lab-rottie puppy thread, Valhala. I'm so glad that turned out well, it could so easily have wound up in the dog being PTS.

I'd just echo everyone else TBH, dogs are fab but I really wouldn't have coped well going through the last 4 months with a baby. A lot of stuff has had to take a back seat to get my pup to the stage he is now and it has been hard work. You'll be the one doing most if not all of the dog care and work in all liklihood as your keen 11 year old morphs into a grunting lump of teenagerhood who is only interested in lie- ins and going out with his spotty mates !! Which is fine if you are nuts about dogs and have the time to dedicate to bringing one up then looking after it long after your son has fled the nest.

I am just going to echo everyone else!

12 week old baby and a new puppy!!!!!
12 week old baby and a labradoodle!!!!!

I would definately wait for a while longer before commiting to a puppy. Make very sure a labradoodle is for you, I know 2 quite well and they are large, strong willfull dogs who require a lot of attention.

I got a labrador puppy 20 months ago and my DDs were 9 & 6 and I do not work and she was a gem to train BUT it was still hard work! I can not imagine doing it with a small baby and a dog that possibly was not so easy to train!

I would take heed of the good advice on here!

Don't do it! I wouldn't touch with a bargepole any breeder who was happy to let a puppy go to a house with a small baby, tbh.

Tiny baby plus puppy might just be doable, if you have a puppy with a very good temperament, lots of time and enthusiasm to train, can face even more sleepless nights, and have a baby who is happy to go for long walks in a sling.

Toddler plus puppy is a nightmare, ime. Dogs don't like it when babies start moving. You can't leave the two of them together. It gets difficult when you have friends with babies and toddlers round. And walks get really difficult when it is raining, when the toddler starts walking and refuses to go in a pushchair but can't walk far enough., etc.

I had 2 dogs when ds`1 was a baby and it was a nightmare. Even now just 1 dog and a 2 and 3yo is tricky. I would dearly love another puppy but am going to wait until ds2 is in pre-school every day (3 years ish).

Thanks everyone for your input - although I was more asking about opinions on the things I need to buy/arrange .

I certainly won't be doing this alone and indeed am very unlikely to be the one doing most of the work. My husband works from home and is very keen on getting the dog. He had dogs all of his childhood. We have six children between us so are really "old hat" at the baby stage and this new one is no exception.

Everyone in the household is exceptionally keen and DS who is quite animal mad (11yo) has for the past couple of years been walking neighbours dogs and puppies for around 2 hours every night because he loves it so much. We have sat on this for at least 3 years and done the research into work involved, breeds etc. Rather than wade through more research or googling, I thought I would just ask here for quick replies on what I need to buy and when the injections are needed etc and indeed, different opinions on crates vs beds which is something that I thinking about now. That being said, I can understand that my OP would have given the impression that I really didn't have a clue what I was taking on .

For those worried, and I totally understand, I already walk the 2 miles to and from school every day, just for the exercise and the kids ride their bikes alongside me or walk. It is a green belt walk where lots of people walk their dogs, so the dog will certainly get their exercise and socialisation on the school run alone, without taking into account the 2 hours that DS will then take them out for early evening. I have already investigated local puppy training classes, vets, pet insurance etc. We are very prepared to put in the time and effort required.

Sorry OP, you just came across wrong in your first post, I think everyone assumed you were being a bit naive.

I reckon a crate would work well for you as it would give the dog somewhere safe to escape to especially once the baby is toddling. Jabs were at 8 weeks IIRC and booster 2 weeks later.

I'd go for an insurance policy that will pay out for the dog's lifetime if they develop a chronic illness - some will stop paying after a year which would wind up horribly expensive if your pet develops something like epilepsy.

HTH

Thanks liath. Yes, re-reading the post it did look bloody stupid actually ! Think it was just a panic as I decided in about 10 minutes to go and view a puppy and do a 200 mile round trip!

Sorry
Good Luck

In that case, Good Luck