Am I mad to get this puppy with a baby?

[Greyhorses]

DH is no help and tells me to do whatever makes me happy.
I am not an inexperienced dog owner. I work with dogs so am not clueless but I can't decide what to do.

My dog died. He was young and silly and died unexpectadly. I had him from finding out I was pregnant with DS, so coped throughout the newborn baby stage fine.

I am so sad without a dog, although admittedly I have more time and life is simpler. Still, I miss having a friend, I miss the fun and silliness. We have another old dog who is also miserable without a companion, he has never been alone before. I miss walking them together and enjoying lovely days out with my dog and baby.

I really want another dog, a puppy as i don't want a rescue after the heartbreak last time. I want a specific breed from a specific breeder. She has a puppy available now that someone had dropped out of. The waiting list is usually a mile long.

My heart tells me to go now and buy the bloody dog. That it will make me happy and fill the hole left by ddog.

However, my head says I have a 1 year old son. DH works away a lot (part of the reason I got dog in the first place) and I will be alone with dog and baby most of the time. Can I train a dog with a toddler wandering around?

I can crate train and am experienced with dogs so that isn't an issue.
How would I cope with a bitey puppy and a baby- would the dog feel neglected?

On the other hand, babies grow, they go to nursery eventually...puppies also grow don't they?

If I don't get one I'm basically resigning myself to a dog free life for the next 4-5 years which seems so sad

Has anyone done this and it actually worked out.

Please someone give me a shake and help me decide what to do

Thankyou everyone interesting to read different opinions.

I would be intending to crate puppy as we do with dog1 so one in each crate.l wouldn't be leaving them together.

I can see that it's a pretty insane idea though so I'm not disagreeing with anyone who says so.

It's just such a long time to wait for a 'replacement' of my dog. Seems there's never really a good time as there's always an obstacle

I used to love running and doing agility with my dog who died and now all I can do is walk with older dog (who isn't actually that old-5 but he has hip dysplasia and can't compete or do high intensity stuff)

Also in a few years time dog1 will be old and probably won't want a puppy bothering him so I'm just going to have to accept that I won't be having a new puppy for about 5+ years

I don't think I will be going ahead but it was a nice dream while it lasted!

I say go for it. You know it's going to be hard work but it will also make you very happy.

I wish I could be one of those people who buys a dog from whereever with no research and lets everyone get on with it. It always seems to work out for these people but I am a worrier and overthinker. I always try and do things to the book and yet things never seem to go right for me

We got our second dog (first was four yrs) when dc1 was 8 months, had dc2 eight months later.
All was fine , lots of sleepless nights and we have a lot of baby gates to seperate everyone as needed.
We are a few yrs on now and they are all great friends, I'd deff do it again.

But the dogs can't be in the crates for very long. It's during the day you would have the issue when they all need your attention.

That's true Wolfie. I mostly leave dog1 sprawled out in the kitchen with the back door open. Him and dog who died were best friends though so it wasn't an issue.
The routine tended to be quick morning walk, play while DS has morning nap, long walk with DS, run around farm in evening then bed.

It would be a bit more hectic trying to keep the two dogs seperate but I didn't seperate them for more than a week last time just let them get on with it bad parent alert!

Do you not have any outside safe space with kennel to leave at least one dog at a time each day?

We have a garden that's 6ft fenced and secure and we tend to just let them loose in it, it's full of dog toys and digging holes. Basically like a huge kennel with grass

Other than that it's crate or loose in kitchen!

A small bit of garden out front for the baby and I'd deff go for it myself.

If the breeder waiting list is mile long how come you have been offered this pup?

@Greyhorses my dog eats almost anything we drop unless we say "Leave" in time - I'm still working on her not going for the food in the first place. I've got a few months yet before my son is on solids but I see your issue. We also have 2 cats that I haven't managed to stop her seeing as playmates no matter how much they tell her off.
My sister trained her dogs around horses and in that trains they became to most obedient dogs I've ever seen, completely ignored small children. I think with the right dog and training you can make it work but it will need time and dedication which only you can decide if you have enough of both to spare.

You can't shove a puppy in a kennel for hours at a time.
Your other dog wasn't a tiny puppy though was it? Little pups don't sprawl out. They bite and chew and pee and poo and hooligan!
And remember little pup can't walk too much. But will need lots of training. And their walking needs may always be very different.
Hooligan as evidence!

What breed is it?

I've got a pup with a 2 and 4 year old and honestly I could cry some days

Really wished I had waited until they were older.

Soubriquet my youngest was 6 when we got our pup. I can't imagine coping with a pre schooler and wolfie pup!

You've mentioned horses and farm - do you have your DS with you around that? I only ask because I had ponies when DS was a baby and toddler and I think generally if you can be responsible with a DC around a farm and horses, then you can cope with other animals, even puppies more easily - at least that's how I felt and what I've seen in other horsey people who have had DC and still kept their horses.

I'm a single mom and I've done puppy with a 1 & 4 yrs old DCs in the house (and I didn't rush/get him on a whim). It can work but definitely go into it with your eyes open. The fact you've already have delt with dogs and baby/toddler, means in all likelihood you'd be ok.

Food wise my, now 1yr old dog, has always gone in his crate when the DC have food (I've never let my DC walk around with food - they sit, they eat and any leftovers go straight into kitchen). Dog stays out whenever its just me eating though.

Toilet training is the most difficult part I was lucky to have a car canopy (to keep us dry) attached to the house so that DC played out there whilst me and pup were waiting for pup to do his business.

Don't think it will be easy and go into it with your eyes open.

Yeah it's been hard

She's calming down now at 5 months but there's been times when I've felt so frustrated because she's knocked the dc over and and in her licking frenzy, nipped them.

She may only be a chihuahua but on her hyper mode she's bloody fast and strong when it comes to knocking them off their feet

She's also a bugger for their toys. Had to throw out so much because she's got hold of them and chewed them

I got our puppy when my youngest was just over one.
It was hard work, and I did regret it on days - but now puppy is calming down at 15months and is DD2 best buddy :) so I'd say go for it.

Mean I work in the veterinary profession and we tend to get to know breeders quite well. I met the pup at its health checks and she knew I was in love with it but it was booked at the time.
She does have a list but the pup probably isn't show quality so that's ruled a few out. Also the pup is female and the first lot waiting want boys. I know the bitch personally and she is a lovely dog so I have no doubts about the breeder or temperament of the dogs.

I would definitely say the dogs and I have a different relationship than pre DS however I have always made sure I made time for them and spent time with them without baby. They were (are) very good at switching off though as I've always taught them that house time is relax time- a puppy won't know this though!

Old dog never touches food but young dog was terrible so we used to have to put him away while DS eats. He would steal anything if I wasn't watching! I think I would have to revert to this rather than the current method of allowing older dog to clean up scraps that fall as he is to polite to be a theif

Older dog is so easy it's barely like having a dog. He follows our every word and has never caused a moments trouble in his life. He loves everyone and everything but he really is sad when we leave him behind now. He also misses someone to wrestle and run with I think as he tends to just walk quietly now rather than run and play. He can't chase balls due to his hips so I think walks must be more boring now!

I do have horses and baby. Baby chucked in pram and we get on with it
He's walking now so it's easier as he potters in the stable as I deal with horses.

The breed is a groenendael.

Wolfie no we got dog2 at 9-10 months so not a tiny puppy. I have fostered lots of pups with dog1 though and he's never bothered so I would trust him. I would probably crate at times though to give him peace from babysitting!

Ah ok, not suspicious at all then. I was imagining a scenario where a "breeder" had posted on FB saying they had one pup for sale as had been letdown by buyer.

Oh crap. I wouldn't get one of them with a very little one. Need lots of exercise and also mental stimulation. No way can you shove that in a crate.

Wolfie I don't shove my dogs in crates. They are out most of the day on the farm of lying around the garden
I do use crates for an hour or two at a time though!

They are clever and high energy much along the lines of a GSD or collie. I'm used to these types of dogs but they are not for people who don't have an interest in training and stimulating them properly! I do love training and working my dogs though. Dog1 is a sweetie and is more laid back than most labradors

I don't know a huge amount about groenendaels...other than that they're similar but not as drivey as mals, but as you're comparing them to GSDs and collies...

They're all breeds known for being particularly mouthy and active as puppies.

you're potentially looking at 4+ months of preventing it biting your baby every time they're in the same room.