Should we take on this dog?

[stripeyreds0cks]

Through no fault of the dog, a family member is rehoming his dog.
It's about 12 months old, I haven't actually seen it yet but dh has.
Dh and ds1 (who doesn't know we're even thinking about this) have always wanted a dog.

We live in an first floor maisonette so house is big enough but no direct access to outside although once downstairs we do have an enclosed garden (shared but neighbours either side have dogs too).
Dh is out the house from 10am till 10pm and me 8-2 so the dog would be left a max of 4 hours alone during day.
We holiday in UK so would just look for pet friendly places in future.
We have an indoor cat so would need to see if they got on if we did take the dog.
3dc with the youngest being 5.
Good idea? Bad idea? I just can't decide

Sounds to me that you are thinking it through properly. Really, co ordinating daily dog walks with 3 kids may be tricky but people do it. It's a life changer but it sounds like you know that.
Holidays abroad are possible if you can afford a dog sitter but we are holidaying in dog friendly places in the UK. It's great.
I would do it.

Dog is coming home with dh tonight, eek
Other two dc are older so could be left while I walk the dog, ds1 might moan but the exercise will be good for us.

The issue for me would be the cat , what type of dog is it ,is it cat friendly , is it crate trained so that the cat will be safe whilst you are out ?

I have no idea of the breed, very mixed

How's it going so far? Good luck with it all!

YABU to not have posted a pic of new doggy yet!

Pic pic pic

Not here yet, dh is due home around 10 and I've already been clock watching for hours

Don't force the cat and dog to interact and make sure the cat can get away and sit high up if it needs to to get used to the dog. Cats tend to like to watch from above!

The cat claimed the top bunk as his spot the very day we got him and is a fiesty (and at times vicious) thing so I'm not worried about that. Ds2 is asleep in bed and as I mentioned earlier other dc are older and have been told not to crowd dog.

She'll be here within the hour

How's it going? We need a picture of the dog! We have two dogs and two cats (and guinea pigs!) who all live in total harmony, so it is possible. The cats rule the roost, but even the guinea pigs can run around without being bothered by cats or dogs, in fact, our biggest dog loves them and gives them kisses on their noses Sorry, bit of a tangent there, but just illustrating that cats and dogs can live together happily. Hope the dog is settling in okay

How exciting

Our cat was 20 when we got the pup. Fun times! The elderly, tiny and 3 legged cat remained 'top dog' though, even when the dog was fully grown - the cat was still her bossy grandma.

Hope all is well.

Not sure why they said she was a total mix of breeds, not that I'm a dog expert but I'm pretty sure whippet?

She got a swift bat across the nose from cat when she got to close and they've been fine since.
Vet appointment tomorrow for a check up and pre op for getting her spayed.

Oh bless, yes a little pointy dog. As long as she gets her exercise daily she will not take up much room at all.
But you won't be able to not walk her for a day.
She looks a bit stunned poor thing but I'm sure will soon find a soft spot on the sofa :)

We've got her bed now, she hasn't moved from it since family member dropped it off. She's very timid and wasn't too good on the lead earlier but we'll get there.

She's lovely. I think you come across as having thought it through very carefully.

I don't know much about dogs but do have a vague idea that things like whippets are actually pretty quiet and lazy; given one good gallop a day, they'll happily snooze on the sofa the rest of the time. Happy to be corrected though.

She looks slightly rough coated in that photo, I reckon she's probably a whirrier (whippet x some kind of terrier) or whippet x whirrier. She's a sweet little thing 😍

I've got whippets and Sapphire has pretty much got it spot on, a good blast around the fields and mine are done for the day!! On average mine get about an hour a day but from day to day they're very flexible, they'll happily settle after a 30 minute walk but equally will go all day if they get the opportunity. They're very much fair weather dogs. Cold and dry is ok (providing they're well wrapped up), drizzle is tolerable but full on rain? Forget it 😂

I've never heard of a whirrier but having googled, it does look like she is. Her coats longish and wirey in patches.

She looks lovely. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun times with her.

Bless, she looks lovely.

a lurcher baby!!! They are the best

It takes a while to create a bond, they are very discerning dogs and you need time to build trust, but you will get lots of love!

good luck, what a sweet little thing!

Aww, she looks very sweet. I've got a crossbreed whippet and she can curl up and be practically invisible, its very funny. She hates the rain though, refuses to go out in it!

A new photo to share and a question to ask.
She's getting spayed and chipped tomorrow and I was told by the vet she'll need to take things easy for a fortnight. I was wondering if she'll manage the stairs ok straight away? Not so much in the house as although she has been upstairs she's not too fussed.
As I mentioned previously we're on the first floor, will she be okay going up and down for going out?