is it a bad idea to get a puppy during the school holidays?

[LovelyMuffins]

I am only asking because, despite having our name down for a litter due in August and ready for October, I have seen a litter t(via Champdogs) and there are three pups left (all boys). They will be ready for their homes in August. I got all excited thinking how wonderful to bring a puppy into our lives when we can all get to know it etc. but then it occurred to me that we wil pretty much be housebound until after the jabs and I would be like a wee and poo ninja and not able to concentrate on my children. It would also put paid to any lie ins (such as they will be with a 5 year old!). But I feel so ready. What do you think?

Thank you HDWL - Very interested to see how she is doing now....

I just found her thread. The first one at least. she sounded terrified..... I do hope it is working out well for her. And Gorran. I am very very very very very excited

I take my puppy out to school run and out side the front when the kids are playing with their friends (i carry her) she gets loads of fuss from kids (and the parents) - and there's plenty of noise over the school for her to get used to.

I have taken willow to my friends house who has a staffie 4yrs old (twice now) they look so sweet playing together, also to visit my neighbours dog - also staffie. she loves it!

by being restricted i mean the first few weeks i feel i need to be home to bond with pup and make sure i can train her as often as possible-showing her where to wee, whats where and getting her settled in. i would carry pup to the larger parks with the kids but i have a toddler to push on the swing and run after so i couldnt do it :( so i have to stick with the field/park out near my home so i can pop willow back in when my DD is getting fed up of me not being able to play with her properly. certainly couldnt go out for the whole day in the hols like i normally would, to get back to pup.

but yes - every ones situation is different and its up to you really to know what you feel you can or cant take on, all the best.

thats the 3.15 school run not the morning as im never dressed in time hense the boys going on their own lol ( less then 5mins walk away)

We got our cocker spaniel over the xmas holidays. It worked well for us as it meant we were at home during the day. However we don't have any Dc that live with us. My DPs children came to stay but are old enough to look afer themselves so no problems there.

I think getting a pup in the summer holidays will be tough - no long days out and no long lie ins!

We really think getting a pup in the winter helped with the toilet trianing. If he was taken out for a wee and it was freezing, he soon worked out the only way to get back into the warm was to do a quick wee!

He now wees on command 'be quick'.... mainly because in mid December thats what we would say when we were stood outside in the freezing cold!

Enjoy your new pup whenever you get him/her!!

Just wanted to agree with Daisy. I have had Goldies for over 25 hrs ( best dogs in the WHOLE world! ) it is really important that you use that time to socialise them.
As for carrying them , well make the most of it ! They grow SO quickly it's a very short window of opportunity.

I can understand your reluctance to wait until October...don't know if I could !

Your puppy will think it's the luckiest pup in the world if you live on a beach.

Good luck with it all , and keep us all informed, despite having 2 gorgeous boys I am very envious xx

Hello Puppypanic here!!!

I've had him 3 weeks today and I would say it has definitely been a crash course in responsibility and I have two children and two horses so not exactly unused to responsibility. It's just that they are in your house living with you all the time and I'm finding it quite hard to get my head around tbh.

I don't wake up in the night panicking like I did in the first week but I do find it very hard to do anything like unload the dishwasher, hang out the washing etc without finding I have a little helper with me...