Shall I get a dog?......

[LiamsMummyJaz]

I have always wanted a dog! And I personally think that now is the right time as I am on maternity leave until June, therefore have time to train a pooch! I do have 3 cats (really well behaved) and a 4 month old DS. I know I am building a rod for my own back but it is what both me and DP want. My DM thinks I'm mad. Am I?

Do you like long walks in the rain, wind and snow? Do you think your house could benefit from a bit more mud, hair and actual twigs and pebbly shit? Do you find the smell of pungent farts and dog breath appealing?

I think, quite possibly, we are all mad

Would you consider a slightly older dog, rather than a pup? A lot less work, a lot less stressful, and still lovely.

There are lots of threads in this section on exactly how much hard work it is!! am speaking from experience as the owner of a 12 week old pup who we've had for 3 weeks and I'm exhausted . But it's also wonderful and very rewarding. For warts and all accounts, this is a good recent thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/1415709-I-understand-that-puppies-are-hard-work-but-in-what-way Good luck!

Not all dogs like long walks in bad weather, or provide too much in the way of mud and hair - my dachs doesn't.

A 4 month old baby is somewhat of a lull before the storm of toddlerhood - if I was you I'd get a calm, cat-approved pretrained adult dog.

I used to have a staffie. I know how hard it is. It's the walks and companionship I want one for. Shall I do it??? Just go for it. My mum has a 13 month old border terrier so he will have a play mate too! x

Well dog or puppy. Am I still being completely barmey!

If you're into Staffies can I reccomend you contact these people?

They're bound to have dog that will suit your family.

D0oin is spot on! I adore my dog, she means the world to me and is very much a member of the family....however, dogs are hard work. I tend to think effort in= the rewards, when it comes to dogs. You HAVE to accept that they need walking EVERY day - no matter the weather. Mine needs twice per day, although Elibean is right about the merits of older dogs - they do need less lengthy walks as they get older, but this is also when they start to fart and be stinky ha ha! They also are not cheap (if that's a factor) food isn't too bad but our annual boosters are over £70, plus a trip the vets for even minor things is at least £60+ .. and you can't plan for that! My last dog ended up on HRT for several years after hormone issues, very expensive but it gave her a much better qualityof life.
They do traipse mud n' sticks, n' leaves etc. in with them...but they don't mean to :) Winter is much worse than summer for this. Plus they generally need trips to the dog groomer (£40+) per visit (unless you do it yourself - although not so easy as you might think!), plus reasonably regular baths and they need to be played with, much as children do. Having said all of that, they reward you with cuddles, loyalty and love and I wouldn't give mine up for anything...just be aware that it's not easy, some dogs are much easier than others. My current dog only barks when I throw sticks or balls, and is as quiet as a mouse the rest of the time and loves all visitors (she thinks they all come to see her). My last dog barked non-stop at ANYTHING and tried to eat all visitors - luckily she was smallish! So just be aware that all the training in the world doesn't mean you can influence a dog's personality...and boy do they have personality! One of the reasons I love mine :) (my dog, not my personality)
If you're still sure, go for it! Oh and be sure the whole family is up for this, don't be saddled with all the work yourself, e.g. who will walk the little fella if you are ill?

Ah I see you've had a dog before..sorry I didn't mean to be patronising...just trying to help :)

No no not patronising. Thank you for your replies. My heart is yelling at me yes!! But my head is just thinking no.... :( I don't know why though. I just thought that now I'm on maternity it would be the best time have a dog. And I walk my mums dog twice a day with her and he goes for a walk with my dad in a morning so mine won't be short of walls x

For me the hardest part was 2.5-3.5 yrs, as the kids don't want to be in the buggy, can't walk far but the dog still needs walking. My dd is just starting to get something out of having a dog at 3.5. Might be worth waiting, esp if you are on your own with the kids a lot so can't get out in the evening or morning on your own with the dog.

I would in your situation! But only you can decide if it's the right time for you and your family. If you've had dogs before you should have a reasonable idea what you're letting yourself in for :)

Agree an adult dog might be better than a young pup, especially as you have a small child. Think as well about what will happen when you go back to work in June, e.g. who will look after him if you're out all day, will you still have the time and energy to devote to walking and training?

Honestly, I didn't find my pup that much hard work at all. Yes, taking her out to pee every couple of hours was a pain in winter. And she was awful when she was teething. But that is it. I love taking her for walks, I loved training her as she has a real stubborn personality, and she is my comfort when dh is traveling (although she is a fraidy cat and expects me to protect her )

I don't mind the mud too much, and with a young dc, you can restrict your pup to onlythe living room and kitchen, or spaces where dc will not be crawling about.

If you feel ready, go for it.

Now I remember, there was another thing that she did to totally attention seek and it would drive me crazy! She would pull the clothes off my drying rack outside. You could see the expression on her face when she did it 'see, now you have to pay attention to me' and she would run away with a sock, hoping I would run after her

Mud is good for the kid's immune system.

True, Grimma.

I actually think I have the perfect pup for a family with young children. My girl has given birth to pups and one of them is the most gentle, gracious darling.

However, the whole family is going to France, so we will be looking for homes there. The pups are wee at the moment, and mum (basque sheepdog) and dad (lab and golden retriever mix) are both intelligent, loving and gentle and LOVE a cuddle, no matter how boisterously administered! Pups are also used to cuddles from the day they were born and are happy and well adjusted.

Fingers crossed, I can find good home for them there. I apologise for the thread creep! But I do get nightmares about not finding homes or worse, them going to families who mistreat them

Oh my. Please don't tempt me!!!

"Would you consider a slightly older dog, rather than a pup? A lot less work, a lot less stressful, and still lovely."
If you do this, please make sure you know what you are taking on.
We had exactly this thought and it is (currently) backfiring on us - bigtime. We have a 2-3 year old dog who, unfortuately, has turned out to be really hard work. It's too late now, but a pup may well have been far easier...
Best of luck.

oooh that's what I always think tbh. You can bring a pup up how you want it...

You can bring a pup up how you want it...
not necessarily - our first dog we had from a pup was inherently quite highly strung and was terrified of traffic. We couldn't get him to walk along a road.

Second dog, 10 months - he was a 'known quantity' - same breed, way more laid back. Obviously you have to be careful selecting an older dog but same applies to a pup.

I did, DD was 7 mo when we got our dog, we've had him just over a month and he's absolutely brilliant! He's a greyhound (even though his 4 weeks free petplan insurance docs say Alaskan Malamute). I love walking him every day, and it's doing wonders for my baby weight!

I never heard of someone mistaking a greyhound for a malamute before!

OP, it sounds like a good time for you to get a dog, and that you know what you are letting yourself in for. I would have a think about what it will be like when your maternity leave ends, and if it will still work then.

I know! They're not even slightly similar :o

No, don't do it, enjoy your baby. Really enjoy your baby, you'll never have that time again.

We've just got a dog & the past week has been ALL about her. But my Dc's are at school, so it's (just about) ok.