We are going to get a dog...

[Shattereddreams]

I've put it off for years, but youngest DC is 3 and loves dogs.
My mum has puppies, we are going to have one. This isn't spur of moment, my mum has had three litters from three dogs over last 6 years and we have always resisted.

It's a boy cocker, black, white bib and two white back paws. He's five weeks old.

DS has called him Scruff.

So exciting. But I think I am barking (ahem no pun intended) mad. I'm a clutter free clean freak...... How will I cope?

What is essential reading? I'm not a spoil your dog type, this dog comes from working stock and will be visiting his relatives often.

I bet there are, and that doesn't make it right. It's cruel to leave an animal that thrives on company in solitary confinement all day. Owners who do that deserve to have their carpets peed on or their furniture destroyed by a bored, lonely and stressed dog.

If you're not prepared to make arrangements for the dog when you're going to be out all day, you shouldn't have one. Get a cat or small pet instead. It's not like there isn't much choice about what pet to get if you're desperate to own an animal.

Well I've had 5 babies including twins so a puppy doesn't scare me at all. All insurance abd vet been looked into aswell as food etc

Im not scared at alk about getting our puppy im at home all day and have all the time a pup needs :)

Hollow laugh from puppy owner who thought she was quite prepared...

My dog could easily last that long (glances at puppy who went from 4pm yesterday afternoon until 6.30am without a wee, despite me jumping around in the garden in a slightly hysterical way at 10pm trying to get him to wee, convinced I would be up in the morning to an accident), he has a bladder of steel. However, I don't think I could leave him that long tbh.

I do have three sets of friends who have wonderful, well trained, happy, loved dogs who do leave their dogs longer than recommended. One was a redundancy situation meaning shift work had to be taken, the others have always been left 8am til 3pm and been fine (both 3 days a week) All three have been walked before being left and are walked and fussed on return.

So my heart tells me it's too long but RL tells me different

My point exactly, although needastrongone put it better than me. If the dog is happy with being left that long then why have a go at an owner for it. There must be loads of people who could rehome a rescue dog and give it a good life but are turned down because of over strict rehoming policies. Obviously I wouldn't leave my dog for 5+ hours every day, but if we want a day out (farm park etc) now and again where we can't take the dog, I will leave her (after a good walk etc) and not beat myself up over it.

It depends how often you leave her confused. How the hell do you know she's 'happy' to be left all that time? Does she tell you? Dogs are nit solitary creatures, who can watch the telly or read f they feel bored or lonely.

no need to be aggressive....if the dog is not having toilet accidents, is not inappropriately chewing and their behaviour is good...I would say they are 'happy'...wouldn't you?

No I wouldn't say she was necessarily 'happy'. Housetrained dogs don't like to soil their homes and will hold on even if uncomfortable, and some dogs don't chew anyway. Even if bored rigid.

Anyway OP good luck with Scruff and I hope you enjoy him. Puppies are just adorable

Its funny, whenever i see posts on here about folk getting a dog, there is always a barage of "noooo, don't do it, it will ruin your life, you dont know enough about dogs, you wont look after it properly and you'll end up rehoming it" I find it really frustrating.

I have two dogs, they fit in with us, not the other way around - i don't work at the moment so they are not left that much but i will quite happily leave them up to about six hours, if i know im to be a long time i arrange for my mum to let them out for a piddle. They sleep in our bedroom, one on the floor, the other on the bed - they are JRTs, i have shared my bed with a rottie before though

The only real bind for us is holidays as i wont leave them in kennels and my mum can't really cope with them both for extended periods, so they have to come with us. The only reason kennels is a no no for us is one of them is a rescue.

Maybe because i have not been without a dog for more than a month since i was seven, i just don't see them as hard work, even the toilet training was plain sailing. Yes there have been accidents - the best one was when my big dog got stuck in the toilet one evening, got stressed and got explosive shits everywhere, i had to, in this order - strip to bra and pants (it was really easier) rudimentary clean of bath and bathroom floor - bath dog, dry dog, clean bathroom properly, bath myself!

So long as you research breeds that fit in with your lifestyle, get dog from reputable breeder, rescue, ensure they have food, exercise, veterinary care - its not rocket science. Its FUN!

It sounds like you would not have problems with holidays, im sure your mum would step in, you will have plenty of advice from your breeder and Scruff is a bloody brilliant name!

puppy broodiness

Confused so unless a dog is showing active signs of distress, like soiling the house, then it's "happy"?

Dogs are adaptable creatures and most will cope with being left alone (ie learn not to soil the house, tend to sleep for long periods). Coping is not the same as being happy. Given the choice, they would like to be around people. Look at how excited they are at the prospect of a walk, or a game of tug or fetch in the house. They thrive on interaction with their human family, and to deprive it of them for the majority of the day is cruel. I don't really see how it's possible to argue otherwise. People can delude themselves all they want, but that doesn't make it right. Having a dog and working full time is only reasonable if you have plans in place for the dog to be walked during the day.

Would someone who doesn't think a dog can be left alone for more than 5 hours during the day please tell me why it's ok to put them to bed at 10 pm and then not get up until the morning but not ok to leave them for a similar period during daylight hours ? I'm not being facetious I would really like the rationale explained . My dog is rarely left for more than a couple of hours but that's due to my fortunate circumstances but like confused I would be happy leaving him longer because he has never shown any signs of being unhappy about it. He also has a cast iron bladder and bowels and often only wees on walks so sometimes goes from 10 30pm to 9.30 am despite having access to the garden from 7.30 am.

I was a clean freak and two years ago got a cocker - best thing I did. She has helped me relax and realise that a bit of dirt on me isn't going to kill me. Cockers are amazing family dogs, very gentle and playful but highly trainable.

If I were you I'd buy a book on clicker training (or go online) and start the basics with clicker from the word go. I think most folk will advise crate training but this didn't work for us but certainly hasn't been an issue.

Just remember that cockers are also called Velcro dogs because they stick to you like glue although I've certainly had no separation anxiety issues.

Another massive plus is no casting - no dollops of fur all over the place . Enjoy, I'm so envious of you, I'd love another.

That's not actually an explanation , in my case if I were to leave him for longer during the day I would stay up later with him at night , as it is my dog generally goes to bed at midnight and is up at 7 . But if someone for example worked nights and left the dog home alone but was in during the day albeit asleep for part of the time would that be as frowned upon as leaving the dog during the day ?

General question, do dogs have a sense of time?

Also - when they 'shut down', are they doing what they would do in the wild and chillin' or sleeping until something happens that is interesting? A bit like they do even when you are around but not interacting, they kind of doze, waiting for action anyway?

I think I am with Mrs Wolowitz, better a dog that has a secure loving family with no chance of being rehomed, who is exercised and stimulated when folk are around but who is left a little than an environment where they are rarely left but whose other needs are not being met.

Not trying to start an argument but I see so many dogs around here, many who are rescue, who are absolutely lovely (issues or not) but whose owners work or are out longer than they 'should' be and I find it interesting, that's all.

Dogs sleep for 10-15 hours a day anyway...depending on breed/age. Most of the time dogs are on their own they doze/sleep.

floral dogs need to sleep too. So if they sleep overnight, they don't exactly need interaction then. Surely you can see that's not the same as leaving them all day, full of beans, and alone?

But lots of dogs sleep all day ,I think I will agree with MrsW , she seemed to sum it up perfectly .

This isn't a sarcastic comment so apologies if it sounds like it.

I completely understand puppy's are hard work I have dine so much homework in the tyoe we are getting and most of my friends have dogs and given me fab advice. Me and dh both grew up with dogs. . What is it people find most hard?
Puppy poop training isn't going to be fun but it has to be done im expecting crap and wee alot of the time id not most of the time till he gets the hang in it.

Im fully aware that if its rainning, snowing he will still need a walk (often stroll out woth friends when they walk there's)

I also know it will take a lot of work on our part ti nake sure he is happy well trained and looked after. . Getting him trained seams very much the way you try and teach toddlers abd try to earn respect .. im looking forward to teaching him new things and watching him earn.

Also that he will need company. I am at home all day have a crate ready as well as everything else.

Also holidays and getting little fella looked after wont be a problem if we ever do go.

The only real thing im slightly anxious about is how the little ones handle him. But they will be told from the get go how to treat the puppy.

Is there anything else?
Just seams there is so many anti puppy people out there? Surely everyone has to have there 'first' dog no body is born with the experience.

Apologies for awful spelling im using my phone should of checked before sending.

I think it is easy to underestimate the intensity of puppy ownership. It is having a baby but you can't take the puppy along to the same things that you can a baby. If you want a flavour of how it will be then between now and getting your puppy don't leave the house for longer than 30-40 minutes. Even if it means turning down the most exciting invitation.

And don't leave the room without being sure you have seperated the kids. For added realism you need to have to get someone to pee on the carpet and if longer than 30 seconds rip up something of value.

Occaisionally bite the kids, drawing blood maybe every half dozen goes if you have a nice puppy.

Don't take relax or sit down between now and then and don't put anything down in puppy reaching distance. Don't many visitor and randomly scream at your kids for doing the things they have always done and forget about just nipping out for tea.

I loved having a puppy as I planned to make my life revolve around him but that was the reality. I couldn't just take up invites to meet friends with ds for months. We had no social life unless it involved the pup. Just be prepared for a lack of freedim way bigger than havung a baby. Dogs aren't welcome in places that babies are but are just as needy.