How much did your life change when you got a puppy?

[Beaverfeaver]

DH things we won't be able to go in holiday abroad again.

We both want a dog though and from choosing decent parents with a pregnant mother it will be 4/5 months before actually bringing one home, so lots of time to prepare and get ready

Also worried about our cuddly cat not liking it much

You need lovely parents who will look after puppy while you work (part time), go on holiday or want a night away.

You can get pet passports too for EC countries.

This is our first dog. Yes he is hard work but has given us more than he has taken away. Dh suffers from bipolar disorder, this puppy has given him so much more than he could get from medication. Our kids are pre teens. We have spent more time as a family this Christmas because of this dog.

I am a bit of an organiser and house proud. Turning into my bloody mother. Puppy has made me chill and go with the flow.

Getting a dog didn't change my life but getting a puppy was a whole other story.

Cats moved out for 4 months - they're back now but live upstairs away from the dog.

The puppy stage drove me mad - you forget how totally hectic it can be, out every half hour for toilet training, less in the night but still exhausting, biting, no recall, training, puppy mania, can't leave them on their own for long.

Having said that, once they get past that stage, it's so much easier in general but days out can be a pain if not dog friendly, walks in the rain is fine but add in the cold and the dark, kennels are an extra expense at holiday time, vet bills etc.

I checked with family that they would be willing to dogsit but find that I'm reluctant to leave her for more than a week to go on holiday and it's a hell of an imposition on someone. I'd love to take her with me but won't give her the rabies vaccination so that's out. Am seriously considering a motor home and sticking to the UK.

But she's now family, even to my parents and friends, and I can't imagine not having the big eejit in my life. She gives so much and there isn't a day that passes where she doesn't make me laugh out loud ( usually swiftly followed by tears and frustration but I'll just gloss over that....)

You seriously need to consider the possible effect on your cat . I have several friends who had cats then got a puppy and without exception it has had a detrimental effect on the life of the cat . They do get harassed and many end up either living upstairs or spending much more time outside . I always feel quite sorry for the poor cats as their position in the house is usurped by the dog and at the end of the day realistically it won't be the dog who has to adapt to the cat because they can't just be let out to roam .

I haven't read all the responses to your post so this might have been mentioned already, but please consider the cost of kennels and/or travelling with a dog.

We took our dog on vacation to Northern Europe a few years ago and it cost well over £1000 pounds, what with plane tickets, vet bills and Heathrow's ridiculous fees. We would never be able to leave her at a kennel, she has 'issues'!

We love her and would never want to not have her, but she is an expensive hand full!

I always thought getting a puppy would be the right way to go for the cars sake.

Would it be better to get an older dog? Say a year or 2?

I think whatever kind of dog you get, established cats aren't going to like it and it is most likely going to have a negative impact on their lives. I had three cats and got a puppy - one has moved out permanently and it took a year for the other two to get back to some kind of 'normal'.

Maybe an older dog would be better as the puppy had to be trained not to run after them. That was quite stressful for all. However, they are totally the boss of the dog now and she is actually quite scared of all cats, but they have only just started to come back downstairs and sit on sofa when she is around - I got her Nov 2011!!

Puppies are cute but a nightmare. Our two year old dog, now past that stage, is a delight, all our lives are better with her in our house. She doesn't stop us doing anything, but sometimes planning is required.

Getting a puppy was not my best ever idea. Wish I'd got an old gentleman from a rescue needing a sofa to humph on to be honest. The cuteness of the puppy never really did it for me, and the amount of work/energy/diligence it brought shocked me. And he was really an 'easy' puppy!

I have two cats. One has moved out and has become an outside cat, the other has only 'just' moved back in. the puppy is now 10 months old.

Holidays etc can easily be catered for. What I find much harder is dealing with the unexpected things that crop up that you have to work around, like the children being ill.

I don't regret getting a dog, but I do regret getting a puppy. Never again!

Completely changed but totally for the better. I have 2 great home boarders we use for holidays plus she comes for long weekends.

She has helped my anxiety and is a great friend for my kids. Best decision we've made in past 2 years!