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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Am I mad to get a puppy with a 1yo

37 replies

Wingingthis · 12/12/2018 19:17

I have a 14mo DD. Would I be mad to get a puppy soon? I grew up with a dog but my parents trained it etc

OP posts:

HankyPanky04 · 12/12/2018 19:20

Nope. I did it. A 4mo baby with a 5mo puppy. The puppy, at times, was easier than the baby!

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 12/12/2018 19:22

Yes. Or will nip the baby. Puppies do. Then there will be cries of you need to pts. Puppy and baby are a recipe for disaster.

missbattenburg · 12/12/2018 19:25

Realistically, are you someone with way higher-than-average spare time, patience and energy?

MrsTerryPratcett · 12/12/2018 19:28

When the 14 mo won't leave the puppy alone, or screams near the puppy, or touches the puppies eyes or ears or food, or jumps on the puppy, or won't leave the sleeping puppy alone... and the puppy reacts... what will you do?

I wouldn't have done it.

LEMtheoriginal · 12/12/2018 19:28

If you are prepared to deal with shit and piss in the house. Ensuring that your dc dont get bitten a) by an mouthy puppy - because puppies do this and they have teeth like needles. B) by a frigjtened puppy overwhelmed by an exuberant toddler. Walking puppy/dog in all weathers.

Outgoing in the region of £60-100 a month.

Extra cleaning - i cant smell it but im pretty sure my house stinks of dog

VictoryOrValhalla · 12/12/2018 19:28

Well puppies are like having toddlers and then all of a sudden they’re teenagers. It’s a lot of work to properly raise a well rounded puppy to maturity. All the while trying to raise an actual toddler. I mean if you’re glutton for punishment (and 100% sure you can do it properly and won’t rehome after a year when it’s too stressful- which it will be) then go ahead. But do your research well.

VictoryOrValhalla · 12/12/2018 19:29

I wouldn’t have a puppy again for love nor money. Harder than raising actual children.

Lucisky · 12/12/2018 19:31

In short, yes you are. Babies and puppies are very demanding of your time, I don't see how you could adequately care for both. Concentrate on your baby. There is plenty of time for puppies when your child is (much) older.

GissASquizz · 12/12/2018 19:32

Yes.

CryptoFascist · 12/12/2018 19:34

Bad idea. Puppies are worse than babies in some ways - no nappies to contain toilet accidents for a start. Some puppies won't be left alone at all in the early days. Some dogs don't grow out of this. You can't take dogs into most places so you'd end up really limited on where you could take your baby.

Ylvamoon · 12/12/2018 19:35

Depends on you.... how experienced are you with dogs? Does your partner support you? (For when the going gets tough!)
Are you quite calm. Do you feel you have the time?
It also depends on the type of dog ... a Hunter or a Companion breed? As a very crude rule of thumb the more intelligent the breed, the more time you will spend training and

occupying the dog or it will go off looking for entertainment elsewhere! (That is usually being destructive or a nuisance.)
I have had a puppy with a 1y old ... It worked out well!

GrowThroughWhatYouGoThrough · 12/12/2018 19:44

I think it depends on what breed of dog you want tbh something high maintenance lots of exercise etc probably isn't going to work well for you. Also consider that the majority of rescue centres don't rehome to families with young children so you will be looking at buying a puppy from a breeder probably and then you will have further costs ie injections flea treatments etc.
I have recently got a Dalmatian she was 8 weeks when I got her it took 3 days to fully house train. I have 2 children 3&6 who she has great fun with it's not all bad just take everything into consideration.

Ethel80 · 12/12/2018 19:48

I think you'd be mad, yes.

IMO, your children should be at an age where they know how to behave around a dog. Toddlers pull tails and put fingers in eyes or ears and you've then possibly got a situation where a puppy ends up nipping your child.

Depends on the child but I'd wait until they are at least 4 or 5.

Obviously it's different when the dog is there first but even then there can be problems when a baby comes along. I've known a couple of much loved dogs that have been rehomed when the baby arrives.

missbattenburg · 12/12/2018 19:48

it took 3 days to fully house train

Be aware this is far from the norm and most puppies don't have sphincter control until about 12 weeks old. I think about 5 months old for toilet training is more usual - and some dogs can take a few months more than that.

shiningstar2 · 12/12/2018 19:54

I wouldn't. My daughter with a full time job and a three year old and 5 year old decided to get a gorgeous puppy retriever. Lovely dog but definitely the wrong time. We kept saying wait a while ...but no ...now she concedes ...although we all love the dog, that waiting a bit longer would have been better for training, fair amount of time and play given, walks ext. Dogs are great ...but wait a while.

Phillipa12 · 12/12/2018 20:05

I have. I had ds1 age 3 and dd1 age 9 months, ddog1 was 4 and we got a puppy (both working cockers). I was under no illusion how hard it was going to be and i was right. A puppy from when you collect it to it being toilet trained and reasonably trained is seriously hard work and time consuming. In all about 18 months till he was shoot ready. If i had to do it again i would wait till youngest was in nursery as my youngest is now 3 and we look after my sisters jack russell pup 2 days a week and its much easier, even when the dog is being a twat!

adaline · 12/12/2018 20:26

Our puppy was relatively easy (compared to what I've read on here) but I wouldn't do it with a 1yo!

Puppies jump, mouth and nip. They poo and pee everywhere in the house and need taking to the toilet 2-3 times a night for a good 6-8 weeks on average. It means getting up, schlepping outside (no fun in the middle of winter) standing in the garden and waiting for the dog to pee/poo, praising like mad and settling it back to bed again.

They require constant supervision, training and separating from the baby unless you are right there to keep them apart. What are you going to do when your 1yo starts walking and wants to chase the dog, pull its ears/tail, climb on it, hug it, sleep on it...

GrowThroughWhatYouGoThrough · 12/12/2018 20:30

missbattenburg I know it's unusual maybe it's because I have two other dogs. She was also crate trained from 2 days in too. I was just trying to say having a puppy isn't always bad

90mammasophie · 12/12/2018 20:37

Yes x

Wolfiefan · 12/12/2018 20:39

I wouldn’t. Mine wouldn’t sleep unless she could see me. She ate through a wall when I left her so I could pee. We had holes in all our clothes and sometimes us as well.
That’s the pup BTW. Not my kids.

Greystar · 12/12/2018 20:57

No no no ... glad to help!

Fannyfanakerpants · 12/12/2018 20:59

I got a collie x with a 6 yr old, 3yr old and was 5 months pregnant. I'm a complete gluten for punishment. I did my research, spoke to a trainer before we got the dog, had a trainer in from week one and still go to training at least once a week. There are times the dog has saved my sanity. She gets me out off the house every day and gives me something to do other than house work and babies. She is a good, calm dog but she is such hard work, far more than 3 children and even with daily walks and training, if I'm honest, I don't give her the attention she needs.
If you do decide to do it, then please think about long term training, walks in all weather, giving the puppy and children their own space and the on going cost.
Think about what you'll do if you want to take dc out for the day, or your dc is ill and you can't get out of the house. I don't regret getting our Dog and I love her but I'm still not at the stage where I'd never be without her.

wheelwarrior · 14/12/2018 09:06

I never do puppy route again and mine was older yes now at 4 he is fab

But when my niece and nephew stay longer than overnight he goes to my home boarder for his sake as while they are good but at 3 and 1 .Need constant supervising around him also struggle take them and him out for his long walks in all weather's

So he goes to stay (he loves them they also my dog walker /)

MamaTT · 14/12/2018 09:26

I have a 17mo dd and we bought a beagle puppy 3 months ago. It's been brilliant and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. DD absolutely adores the puppy. The puppy isn't particularly well trained yet but she's brilliantly gentle with Dd. I put DD in a baby carrier on my front to take the dog for a walk and she loves it.
You'll have people telling you you're batshit to get a puppy with a toddler but honestly, it's been fine for us.

LegoandiPads · 14/12/2018 19:26

Depends how In control of life you are. If you are total on it, calm patience and bags of energy then go for it. Otherwise wait a while.

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