advice on adding to our family

[wishingstar123]

Hi

After 2 years of consideration my husband and i have decided we feel ready to add a puppy to our family. He/she will be my dog mainly as my husband is in the military so away on and off. We also have a 2 year old daughter who loves dogs and is fairly used to them but i am aware that she will need to be tought to respect a dog and give it space etc.Both my self and my husband grew up with dogs me labs and bichon frise's, he staffys and labs.so understand the full leval of responsibility care and time a puppy takes.Im at home full time except 1/2 hours a day in toddler groups/classes and enjoy walks in all weather as does my daughter.we live in a medium 2 bed semi-detached house with enclosed garden in a small village in so lots of access to the outdoors.

we would quite like a smallish puppy that isnt yappy and but full of personality but also not to difficult to train.we dont mind if its a pedigree or not just im leaning towards a bichon frises through my own posotive experiences of them also quite like westies and pugs but am open to suggestions if anyone has any or any advice in genral.

thanks in advance

If you are after a certain breed, do the research! Go to dog shows, talk to people, ask the vet... Find a good breeder if you are getting a puppy. You will also probably find a training class useful and you will need a vet. Ask as many questions as you can think of. If you are going down the 2nd hand route, visit the centres and let them know what you are expecting of a dog. This can be quite enlightening, and you may end up with a breed which you'd never though of.

Read some of the new puppy threads on here.

You will find that growing up with dogs compared to getting a puppy of your own, can be the difference of having grown up with a younger brother or sister compared to having your first baby!

i have a cocker spaniel, and as i have said on here a thousand time she is the best, with my daughter, (who is 16 months) we have had the dog since she was 6 months and is a rescue dog,

she is amazing with kids,

personaly after just getting a second dog (a puppy) i wouldnt think twice about getting a older rescue dog and missing out the puppy stage, even though im very sad i missed my cockers puppy stage,

read the puppy threads and see what you think,

have you got a breed in mind?

xx

thanks for the replies

Im now going to have a look at cocker spaniels online as its not a breed id even thought off,my grandfarther had springers are they similar in temprement? As there were very energetic ?

Ive found a few local training classes ,vets and even a club type group to introduce new dogs/puppys to others so they are well behaved and socialised.The rehoming centre said they will not concider us due to our daughters age and i understand due to some circumstances with how and why they our rehomed we might not be suitable.

I love the bichon or bolognese but the only ones ive found available are either over 1000 or from puppy farms and ideally id like to get a puppy where they are in a home enviroment and have a budget of around 400/500.

thanks
x

My friend bought a bishon frieze this year and its the most cutest pup ever, its 8 months old now and as good as gold, really sweet temprement and just does as its told all the time, aahh.