Thinking about getting a puppy.

[molly29]

Hi,
Any advice greatly appreciated.
We are considering getting a pup in the summer (we need to get our garden secure first). We are a young family, i am mostly at home so would be able to puppy train. But i am scared about getting it wrong. I have considered the time and money factors. But what breed? Looked into a cockapoo, because they are a medium size dog, good with kids, easy to train ect. I have a bad back so i don't want anything that will pull to much on the lead. Can anyone tell me their experiences with this breed? I want to weigh everything up before deciding.
Thanks.x

Considers if I do spend that much time with the puppy and its not too far out at all, especially if you add in the rest of the family taking turns too.

Blimey!

VERY well said spud

Just read other thread about Spuddog in the river - blimey and lol

Can I just mention yet again, that many rescues will have the most beautiful puppies, if that is what you want? Pregnant bitches are often abandoned and then have their pups in experienced foster homes - this happens regularly and the pups are beautifully looked after by skilled rescue volunteers who realise more than many profit grabbing "breeders" the importance of good vet care and excellent socialisation. Similarly there are also often young dogs available for rehoming that have not come from poor circumstances. Typical reasons for rehoming include divorce, emigration, redundancy and the arrival of children - none of these have anything to do with the individual dog but are more a reflection on the people involved.

Spud's post is an excellent one about the reality of life with a pup. Have you thought about a whippet or a lurcher, or even a greyhound? Pointies make excellent family pets, and quite a few MNetters with young DC have them and they are much loved family members. They are also very healthy, long lived dogs (an important consideration) - lifespans to early/mid teens are common, virtually no HD and very few inherited nasties to worry about, unlike many of the pedigree breeds.

I wrote a really long post and lost it! But it basically said what Spud said.

My DCs are 6 and 4, the puppy is now 6months. I love the dog but I would not do it again. We have good days and bad days! Puppies and young children are really hard work.

I've said before in here that I'll never have another puppy - He's my 5th dog, but my first tiny puppy. I've always had adult or 6 month plus rescues before and I never want to go through the mouthing or teething stages again.

I love dogs, the two years before getting this one was the longest I've ever been without one, it was all well prepared and planned for - I just hadn't realised exactly how hard the reality of it was.

I remember having 2 toddlers and a puppy, it was very hard work.

One day I found a puddle on the back door step, I cleaned it up and wondered how the (female) puppy had managed to wee there, then it dawned on me it wasn't the puppy it was a (male) toddler !

I think i'm going to have a wonder round my local rescue place and have a chat with them, before deciding.
Needastrongone, i'm considering a cockapoo because ,
1: all the reasons i listed in OP.
2: because ............i just love them, when ever i see one my heart melts:)

molly have you looked at the clip on the 'not my feet ' thread . If that doesn't convert you to a pure show cocker nothing will . I'm sure the OP on the thread could recommend her breeder.

Just watched! I want one! What a lovely doggy:) heart melting!

Lots of helpful advice and info here about puppies and poodle mixes. I have had spaniels, mongrels, cross breeds, german shepherds in the past and loved them all. I fully accept poodle crosses are not for everyone, and agree the cost of cockapoos is ludicrous. Despite this, my current dogs are a 4 year old labradoodle and a 10 month old cockapoo. The doodle was a real challenge, she has a high prey urge, was distractible, stubborn, high energy, high need for mental stimulation and by the time she was 15 months old, I'd found a local trainer to help me with her. Her temperament has always been gentle and kind fortunately. At 4 years old, she is a joy, responsive, affectionate, loyal and clever. The cockapoo pup benefitted from the stuff I learned with my labradoodle but also, he doesn't have the prey urge and is a calmer pup than she was. If you are considering a poodle cross, look at the labradoodle trust and the cockapoo owners sites. There are so many of these dogs needing re-homing, often as young as 7 - 10 months. Do not buy from preloved/gumtree etc as many of the pups on there are from puppy farms. Puppies are very hard work, it's been 40 years since I had an 8 week old pup (had rescue dogs for years) until my cockapoo arrived - it's a full time job for a while, but great fun and I'm enjoying having a pup who arrived having been properly bred and cared for, and who unlike all my rescue dogs, hasn't ever had people hurt or frighten him.

My folks have recently rescued a just over one year old chocolate lab. I've just looked after him for the weekend as they were going away, he is a beautiful lovely soppy thing but, by'eck, is he hard work! Needs at least two hours walking/playing a day, he is a Velcro dog, has to be under your feet all of 'the time. I can't imagine what hecwas like when he was a baby.
He and his brother ended up in rescue as the man who owned them had died and no-one else in the family wanted to take them on. Having met his brother, who was the more energetic of the two, I do get where they were coming from.

molly29 Thu 14-Feb-13 19:05:25
Just found a breed quiz that just gave the result of a cocker spaniel!

Molly do you have a link to the quiz please?

There is a litter of Labrador crosses at Many Tears at the moment (may be crossed with a spaniel Dad, although they're not sure) Have a look - would be hell of a lot cheaper than a "bought" cockapoo www.manytearsrescue.org/display_mtar_dog.php?id=6170

Also, Four Paws Animal Rescue has some staffie cross puppies www.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/page2.html Could try looking at Hope Rescue as well. Google Dog Pages and find relevant pages for rescues in your area.

Please do go to your local rescue and see what they can recommend for you.

It's great that you're asking for advice, so many people rush into getting a dog without thinking.

When my parents got our dog, he was a puppy and it was hard work - and that was when me and my brother were in our late teens so there were four people on-hand to train him. I would definitely recommend going for an older dog as they're calmer and you can see their temperament.

Hope Rescue and Four Paws Rescue are both excellent rescues who insist on all their dogs spending time in a foster home before adoption. This is an excellent policy which means that all dogs have time to be thoroughly assessed before rehoming, particularly important for homes with children. Both charities are very well run, with good teams of highly committted volunteers and I have regular contact with both (though not directly a volunteer for either). In fact I am seeing people from both at a meeting tomorrow with Welsh Govt. If you adopt from either of these organisations, you can do so with confidence.

Brilliant sites, thinking there should be more organisations like this, as it is a worry to adopt a dog when you have small children, will be keeping a beady eye on them.x