Dog owners, please come and share the good and the bad

[Dancergirl]

Thinking about getting a dog. Our only pet at the moment is a beloved 3 year old cat. We've never had a dog and I wasn't brought up with dogs so it's completely new territory for me.

I want to think it over very carefully before we get a dog so what do I need to think about? A cat is obviously a very easy pet, she comes in and out as she pleases, doesn't need walking etc. I realise a dog is a much bigger responsibility.

I'm a SAHM at the moment and we live in a quiet road with a garden. Lots of open spaces nearby for walks. What do you do when you go out and about at the weekend? How long can you leave a dog alone for in the house? What do you do when you go for a longer day out where you can't take dogs, e.g. a theme park?

Do all dogs need you to be up at the crack of dawn to take them out?

I've seen from friends how much love and companionship a dog can give, they really are members of the family. I just want to make sure I understand the commitment involved.

Dogs are a lot of commitment. Here are the things I would consider if I were you..

• If you are used to going out for the whole day with the kids and have no one to leave the dog with
• You need to be organised, dogs need regular flea treatment, injections etc (all of which can be expensive)
• If your children are 14+ then don't bother getting a dog for them as the novelty will be over in a heart beat (trust me) especially if they haven't grown up with dogs
• Dogs are dirty. If you are clean freak it could be a problem!

Look into the right breed. I did my homework and found something that fitted the bill for me. I didn't want a dog that would need constant walking or a dog that moulted. You usually find you have to compromise somewhere - my dog loves company so he really does not like being left any more than a few hours a day (personally I wouldn't like to know any dog was left more than that anyway).

My kids LOVE our dog and play with him all the time. In fact my daughter actually says 'the boys are being naughty mummy' which is the dog and my son. I find it hilarious how he literally is one of the family.

A dog does make a home.

Dogs are wonderful pets. I have grown up around them and so it was only fitting I got my own when I moved out :) some things to consider (sorry if x posting with others):

Cost - yearly booster injections, insurance, grooming, food, flea prevention/treatment and wormers every couple of months, vets bills when they are unwell/injured (mine normally costs around £35 a visit). Also add on the cost of kennels or taking them with you on top of any holiday.

Commitment - puppies can't be left more than an hour or so and dogs can't be left for more than 4 hours so if this isn't practical a dog really isn't for you.

Exercise - dogs need walking twice a day come rain or shine - I have just got back from a 40 minute walk with my lab, I'm 21 weeks pregnant, severe hyperemesis and it's pissing it down - dogs need exercise regardless of whether it's raining or you're not feeling well.

Mess - dogs aren't the cleanest of animals. Mine sheds so much hair it's unreal, no matter how many times I sweep and mop there is a light dusting if dog hairs on my floor.

Space - do you have space in your kitchen/utility room for a dog crate and/or bed?

Thank you all for posting, some lovely posts here, nice to hear about your dogs

I think a rescue dog might be a good bet for us, I've heard puppies are harder work than children!

Still need a lot of thinking though, I don't want to rush into anything. I think the early mornings might worry me, although dh is usually up earlier than me.

One more question - is it important for you and your dh/dp to be in total agreement about getting a dog? I think it is but I've known people to persuade their dh into it.

I'd like to add another comment as I'm a clean freak and that's been mentioned a few times, with good reason.

I'm fortunate in the I have adult, house trained dogs. However, I keep super absorbent quick dry towels by the door as well as special doggie wet wipes (that I think are meant to smell of lavender!). If it's been wet and I want to dry or wipe them I simply keep their leads on them and attach the handle to hooks on the coat rail. They can sit while I see to the other one without me feeling anxious they'll run off and muck up the house.

I make sure that whenever I feed them I am available to take them for a poo 30-60 minutes later. I'm training them to eliminate on command and it's beginning to work. There's been one wee in the house - I soaked it up immediately and used a light vinegar spray. I keep them in beds in my bedroom at night with the door closed so they can't sneak out and eliminate. At first they woke every two hours but now they sleep almost all the way through the night but I preferred it to either crating or feeling anxious that they'd make a mess.

There is a sofa they can come and go from as much as they want, they have to be invited on to the living room sofa - this is because I want human company to be able to sit there when they come. I put a blanket to cover the sofa from dog hair when they are on it.

I've carpeted the house with them in mind - dog hair is invisible on it.

I'm a fastidious house keeper. The only time my house really smells of dog is when they are wet, and the smell goes when they dry.

The only problem that I see if the smell of dog food - I've got rid of entire purchases because the stuff smelled so awful!

The early morning thing, I've genuinely never had a dog that I needed to get up early for (once they were housetrained adults). Yes, I can't lie in bed till midday or anything, but, well, that's not happening anyway, lol.

I hassled my DP into getting every dog we've had together, he likes dogs, he just doesn't want to look after one, so he doesn't and I do, he will of course step in if I'm ill or unavailable - but mostly he just does playing and cuddling.

I think dogs are only early risers if you have trained them to be. If you have to walk your dog before going off to work for instance, then your dog will be up and ready for an early morning walk.

I'm retired and do not get up early. I have a leisurely breakfast and take my time in the morning. My dog does likewise.

I think she'd be pretty damned put out if she was suddenly expected to start running around a field at 6.30am, as would I.

The earliest I've ever taken her out for a walk is around 9/9.30 but it's generally much later.

r2d2 - that's very useful to know. I too don't want my house to smell of dog. My puppy's a schnauzer cross and so far doesn't seem to shed, so that's one plus. I'll be looking out for the lavender wipes Is that why you spray with vinegar or is that to deter them from weeing in a particular place? Eliminating on command is very impressive - I'll add that to my list of requirements!

That's good to hear pigs!

WHAT, vinegar is supposed to be a smell they don't like to puts them off returning to that spot. I made a weak mixture but have only used it once. I gained in confidence when they got up to 8 hours between their last night wee and first morning wee.

As for training them to eliminate on command has been a slow development as mine aren't food or treat motivated. So every time I see them wee or poo I'm lavishing the most amazing praise and using the code word - embarrassing when out but will be worth it if it works. I paired this with controlled access to outside so that 1) I'm more likely to be there for the event and 2) they are more likely to need to go. Yesterday on their walk I began using the code word at the point/location in the walk I want them to go and they did within 10-60 seconds. I'm hopeful. I suppose like any dog might be, they are so excited when out, and as there are two of them one can distract the other from doing her business if they seem to have sniffed their way to something amazing.

Biological stuff for washing clothes is better than vinegar...it doesn't smell like vinegar for starters, lol.

Or simple solution.

Isn't vinegar supposed to eliminate the smell of ammonia which is what can cause them to urinate in the same place over and over?

That's great, thank you - I'm on a mission now.

Sorry x-post.

Vinegar might do that, but so does bio washing powder/liquid and simple solution and they don't leave that chip shop smell. (I really don't like the smell of vinegar)

I do use a very watered down solution but I'll try that next time Tabula! (fingers crossed it doesn't happen!)

Sorry that made it sound like you shouldn't be using vinegar when it's working for you...I just really don't like the smell of vinegar, lol.

Simple solution is made to get rid of the smells that only the dog can smell and I quite like the scent of it anyway and bio washing stuff breaks down all the ammonia and what have you as well.

Is simple solution available in supermarkets or pet shops?

Pets at home have it, and amazon...I don't know about supermarkets.

Thanks.

For me the puppy phase was very hard and a total shock. Dpup was a bit of a nightmare.
I would have gladly handed him back. As a first time dog owner I didn't understand that when it got better it would be so worth it. It has and it is.

Worst things...the never clean kitchen floor and occasional fox poo roll (bleurgh) bit inconvenient finding someone to look after the pup when we go out for longer than a few hours.
At the start though the list of worst things was way longer. I was a wreck!

We all totally love him now!!

Sorry for the length of my essay.

We got 2 older rescue dogs, one with late stage kidney failure and one with only one eye. The maximum benefit any insurer would give us per year was 800 quid, for a 350 quid payment, as they had unknown medical history and were both 9 years old.

They have their own bedroom, and we have tiled floors. This has helped contain mess, as even older dogs are not always great with bladder control and the other way too, especially when they first come to a new home. Their bedroom is their safe room, kinda like people use crates but is 2.5m x 3m with an attached shower room so plenty of space for a 32kg dog and a 24kg dog for their 'safe room'. The only people we allow in their room are me, DH, and the dog walker, so they know they can go and hide in there if ever they feel intimidated, like if we have lots of people in the house or the first few days with a new houseguest.

I'm out of the house for 9 hours per day on average at work, DH around 11-12 hours. We have the dog walker who comes in every day and takes them out for 30-60 min walk weather dependant (we're in the middle east so over summer it was too hot in the middle of the day for a long walk, so he came to just play with them in the house and take them for a short poo/waz break). If we're off out at weekends for long days, we've been known to send them into the doggie hotel for 3 nights when we had visitors, as we knew we'd be out and about for 10-12 hours each day so it was best for them to stay there. They love it there, and would have been doing daycare anyway whilst we were out galavanting without them. They get to play, gallop around with other dogs, and the adore the handlers there. Or just to daycare at the same place, which obviously needs pre-booking, costs a reasonable amount of money, and cannot always be arranged so means we can't do things on-spec.

Weekends we go to the park and they gallop around, or to the beach although GirlDog can't swim. BoyDog loves it. Again, all weather dependent though. There's a lovely on-lead walk that DH does with them, around 12km round trip. Have to be on-lead but he uses the long-leads for them so they can explore a little more.

DH also goes running with GirlDog at night. BoyDog isn't well enough, but he's starting to do C25k with me.

Away from the running and any galloping they have 3 walks a day, of around 5km per walk. This takes a lot of time, and they well, GirlDog believes that 5:30am is a lie in and they don't understand what Weekend means in the morning. They love Weekend when it means 'pack day' when the 4 of us just lollop around the house, watching TV, playing tennis ball, extra long walkie, and at least one of us being there at all times..

The downside:
They've been living with us for 9 months now. They still chew, and no matter how long we have spent with trainers, they still fucking chew. They don't like rope toys, and only like ones they can destroy which costs us more than the vet bills for BoyDog with renal failure GirlDog has colitis too, so her shite is fairly grim if she gets stressed with anything. BoyDog has very special dietary requirements which is expensive. The hair everywhere is horrendous. They shed all the time. The hair all over our black work suits is terrible. I have lint rollers everywhere - car, desk drawer, in the cupboard in the hall next to the front door, and every room in the house. I feel tied. As DH works longer hours with a longer commute, it is all up to me in the week and I hate not being able to nip to the shops on the way home. I always have scented candles on, as despite having cleaners in 3 days a week and me sweeping all weekend and changing their bedding weekly more if necessary, I still feel like the house smells and we don't have soft furnishings - everything is wooden blinds, leather, hard floors, and still I feel like it smells of dog. I'm always tired due to the early morning yips to wake me up. When we've been out to dinner at weekend nights, we're out walking them at midnight/1am and they still get up at 5:30!

So far, in 9 months, they've cost us around 4,000 quid without special diets, day care, dog walker - thats just in vets bills as BoyDog has monthly blood tests which at one stage around the time of diagnosis, were weekly, plus ultrasounds, medication etc, and the time GirlDog ate her dogbed and needed hospitalisation.

I hate not being able to just go away for the night, which is difficult as we live around 2 hours drive from most of our friends. It costs us around 50 quid per week for the dog walker, but he comes every day and both of them absolutely love him. They've never taken to someone as quickly as they took to him. Worth absolutely every single penny.

The upside:
They're my doggies. That's all that really needs saying. Its all worth it to have my big awesome BoyDog shouting me and my lovely little sweetheart GirlDog twirling around and grinning with her big goofy grin on her face when I get back home from work every night.