Considering getting a dog - what haven't I thought of?

[QueenOfCwtches]

As the title says, basically. DH and I are hoping to get a dog sometime in the next year (not rushing into anything!). We're hoping to have a small rescue dog, but as we have children aged 5yo and 8yo obviously it needs to be a good fit for the dog as well as us.

I'm looking into the costs of insurance, food, vet bills etc to make certain we can afford to add to the family. We live in a terraced house with a small garden, close to fields, woods and countryside so we'll be able to provide lots of exercise. Someone is at home most of the day and we only holiday in the UK.

Basically I guess I'm asking what YOU think I need to know - what might I not have considered about this?

All I would say if you are getting a rescue dog make sure that you choose one that is used to being with small children. Many rescues can be nervous and seem aggressive and children will try and cuddle them, which they could react badly to.

We didn't go for a rescue dog for this reason. Our kids aren't as young as ours, and we have a cat, so we knew we wanted a dog without any 'baggage' and behavioural issues, so we went for a puppy. Next dog we get may be a rescue as the kids are more grown up and the cat will probably be gone by then.

I think an adult rescue dog can be the best choice for a family with young children, provided its from a good rescue. You might have to search for one though as some have blanket policies on not rehoming when there are children under a certain age.
Smaller rescues tend to place dogs wtih foster carers so behaviour can be assessed in a family environment.
When I first saw my dog (1 yr old, GSD) he was in a garden playing with

two small boys and a ball, there was a cat sitting on the patio watching them all running about.
He came to me fully trained and is a perfect dog - unlike my stubborn greedy lab that I've had from a puppy .
Puppies tend to bite, leap about and destroy things and it's not always easy to train them when there are children about.

Look for rescues that foster so you know what the dog will actually be like. When you say home most of the time what does that mean? Can you take time off to gradually settle a dog? An adult and settled dog can't be left for more than about 4 hours.
What about holidays and days out? Training?

Wolfiefan my husband is disabled and doesn't leave the house much, so there's almost always someone home. The only exception is occasional trips to the local cinema.

As for holidays, we usually rent a cottage in the UK once a year, and there are lots available that welcome dogs. There's a kennels near where I live that does training courses for adult dogs as well as puppies.

As far as rescue places go, there's a Dogs Trust shelter about half an hour away, and two RSPCA places a bit further than that.

Have you considered a Lurcher? Lovely with dc and manageable for dc holding the lead!

Be aware that your dog will need to gradually be left. So always having someone home and then leaving for several hours isn't good. You do need to build it up slowly.
Not sure those rescues do foster. Also good to go with somewhere that supplies support after adoption.
Training isn't for the dog! It's for the owner. (Trust me I'm a newbie and need all the training I can get!) Avoid anywhere that mentions dominance or pack theory. I think it's apdt or similar you're looking for. Reward based and positive.

Dogs trust has ongoing behaviourist support after adoption and now run training classes too (there is a specific one for those taking on a rescue dog).

It's worth having a look around to see if there are any smaller, independent rescues local to you. These tend to be foster-based rather than using kennels which means they have a much better idea of how a dog will behave in a home (often family) setting than rescues whose dogs are exclusively kept in kennels. Decent rescues will also offer back up, both in terms of supporting you with the new dog and having a behaviourist they normally work with to help iron out any issues.

There are also foster based rescues who have dog (and rehome dogs) nationwide. These are often breed or type specific. If there are any breeds you're particularly interested in it's worth looking at the breed club rescues. The vast majority of breed clubs have a rescue network and will often have dogs needing homes being fostered with breed enthusiasts all over the place.

Not all rescues are good ones so it's wise to do as much research as you can on them. The vast majority (if not all) RSPCA branches aren't actually funded or regulated by the main charity and their quality can vary wildly.

When finding a trainer it's best to go through one of the organisations on this list to be sure you're you're getting someone reputable. The dog training industry is completely unregulated and there are plenty of trainers about still using outdated and potentially harmful methods.

Have you scoped out local vets yet? It's a good idea to do so, the closest one may not necessarily be the best and prices can vary quite a lot between practices. It's also sensible to find out what options there are locally for out of hours care. Not all vets run their own 24 hours service and if you pick a vet that doesn't you need to find out where they send emergencies when they're not open.

I would definitely recommend getting a rescue dog from a rescue that uses foster carers rather than kennels - that way the dog will be properly assessed in a home environment.

Have you thought about breeds of dogs as the care needed varies based on different breeds.