Advice re getting a puppy (Eurasier)

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Apologies for the long post and if a lot of this has been covered in other threads.

Looking to get a puppy, will be a first time owner (as an adult, had one as a child but not in charge)

Am moving house so will finally have a garden which is why I have held off getting one before.

Potential issues are I have a baby (under 1) and normally work full time.

Baby is why I want a puppy rather than an older rescue I don't know the history of.

Re working full time would take time off when getting the puppy to settle and then look at dog walker/day care. Realistically is this practical/fair on the dog?

Having looked at the Kennel club breed quiz one of the suggestions was the Eurasier, medium sized, approx 1 hour exercise per day, supposed to be good with children. Does anyone have any experience with the breed and children?

Any advice/suggestions welcome.

I don’t have a kid and I do have a DH to split the load and the two of us were exhausted for months after getting our puppy. And my mum had him one day a week and he went to a dogsitter two days (I WFH the other 2) and my DH could wfh if I, dogsitter or DM had conflicting appointments. All four of us were on board with house training and taking him out every hour to pee (every half hour when he was very tiny). He housetrained quickly but you literally couldn’t take your eyes off him for weeks while he was awake or he’d be peeing and you’d miss your chance to reinforce that pees went outside. I found it was exactly like having a small baby - one that howled when I left the room, bit and scratched and didn’t wear a nappy! Are you really sure you need to do this now?!

Honestly I don’t think it is fair to get a puppy whilst you are working and then it goes to daycare- never mind the fact you have a one year old.A puppy needs time- it may hate going to daycare- May be terribly anxious- you might not appreciate a puppy is very hard work.
Better to wait until your child is older and it would be safer to have a puppy around an older calmer child too

I have a Eurasier..she was one last week, and we got her at 9 weeks of age, from a very lovely and very responsible breeder ..only had one litter from her bitch and is planning one more for next year from one of my girl's siblings (who went to her own daughter).. no puppy farming going on.

The good bits... they are wonderful dogs. Utterly devoted to their own family. Mine was toilet trained by 11 weeks, slept through the night from 10 weeks has never chewed anything up, she's daft and goofy and has a real sense of humour (never brings a ball back but runs up with it 'boops' me with it and runs off again. Her recall is pretty good , although a bit selective now in adolescence! She learned basic commands within a week.

She adores every member of the family but is timid with strangers until she knows them, barks very very rarely (but it's a HUGE woof when she does) and she loves to play with other dogs..has a 'best friend; cockerpoo who she adores.
We don;t have little children but she is always gentle and interested in ones we meet in the park and I suspect most Eurasiers would be very good with kids.

The not-so-good bits..
Eurasiers are family dogs. They don't like being left, and certainly not for hours on end. If you have a puppy you would HAVE to have puppy day care and not just someone popping in..and many places don't accept small puppies because they can't be walked for long.

They shed..a few times a year and then they do, it's EPIC. I could stuff a duvet cover with what I have raked off Orla this last month as she is blowing her winter coat..they are double coated and look awesome but you have to start grooming them early..mine tried to eat the brush at first but now she just lies there and enjoys it!

They can be picky with food..and they are clever.. they will hold out for cheese (or that might be mine)
Whatever the breed standard says, they tend to have quite a high prey drive.. mine doesn't hassle OUR cat but a random cat in the street...or a squirrel, or a deer... if she's off lead she WILL chase.
They can be stubborn. Mine wont toilet in the garden and so has to go out late at night for a last wee... she puts on an oscar winning performance every night.. climbs on me, rolls around being extra cute and pretending she doesnt need a wee.... then goes as soon as we cross the road to the green by us

She is our first dog.. and honestly I cannot tell you how much joy she has brought us, how many friends I have made, and just how much she enhances our lives. BUT she has also tied us down completely. I work 4 days a week, but my ds2 works afternoons, so hes with her most of the day and she is left for 1 1/2 hours on her own..and we worked up to that. She actually cries with happiness when I come in.. that's how much they NEED their family to be there.

I have no regrets getting a Eurasier (and I love how people comment on her..she is stunning and unusual)

PM me with any questions and also tips on who to avoid.. there are not many breeders but some are, shall we say, more notable , than others!

Oh and they DON'T slobber... no idea where the other poster got that from, but Eurasiers are not dribbly dogs at all!!!!
I've only had to shower mine once from a poo incident... and that was after my son fed her a couple of spicy pepperarmi....

Personally I wouldn't recommend an eurasier with a young child, im a dog groomer and my experience of them are that they can be nervy dogs, very aloof, usually accepting of one person and protective of that person, i only have experience of a couple of them and they both display those traits,

I'd disagree with nervy... I go on walks with the Eurasier Society and they are most enjoyable, but I would agree than many would not like being left with a groomer as they need their family pack with them..they don't drop and roll for strangers, but they aren't 'one person' dogs they are 'my family' dogs.
Mine's good at the groomers but tbh I rarely need to use them as I maintain her coat myself so she only needs her nails clipped now and again.

Getting a puppy when you have a 1 year old and work full time is a recipe for disaster.

With bells on. Pure madness

I’d have a think about the practicalities of a toddler and a dog , wouldn’t it be lovely to just be able to let your toddler out in the garden without having to check for dog poo , have a paddling pool that’s not been jumped in or peed on by a dog , be able to just go out to farm parks etc without having to worry about who is looking after the dog . We didn’t get our dog until our dc were much older and past the needing to be entertained / go to a theme park every 5 minutes stage .

^^
This! I have a one year old, a six year old and a seven month old puppy. What I'd do to not have to worry about poo in the garden or wee in the paddling pool! In fact we've just had to section a chunk of our garden off with a gate so that our dd has somewhere she can play safely.
Don't get me wrong our dog is the best, she's so lovable and friendly we wouldn't be without her but having a puppy with a baby isn't easy at all, in hindsight I'd wait until your youngest is at least 5.

We got a puppy in January. Due to dh working away I had her on my own for first 3 weeks, I was able wfh, have no kids, and it nearly killed me. I did no work and was a shambling incoherent wreck.

In hindsight there was stuff I could have done to make life easier, enforced naps etc. But I’d never had a puppy before.

She’s adorable but training her. Looking after her, grooming etc takes money time and really is a tie.

We are both at home now wfh and she’s still taking up a lot of time. Also full time puppy care, they need a lot of sleep and running round all da6 any puppy care when v little isn’t great for them, also who trains them?

We also have in laws and dh grown up kids who are delighted to have her when we need to do stuff.

Anyway outs is off to puppy day care for an afternoon a week to get her used to it.

I agree with almost everything StillMedusa says. Especially about the cheese!

My girl doesn’t have much of a prey drive. She adores cats (they’re less keen on her!). She loves to chase birds and squirrels but she only runs after them once she’s absolutely sure they’re already running away and definitely won’t accidentally catch one!

I would describe her as a bit nervy or highly strung. I put a lot of effort into learning about body language, but some of her signals are very very subtle. I think we understand each other now, but it’s taken almost three years and I have definitely made mistakes. I would absolutely hate to have had a toddler to look after at the same time.

I had to do the first week and a bit with our puppy on my own as my DH has a family emergency and needed to travel. I had school she kids and it was an absolute bloody nightmare. I cannot imagine doing that alone, for longer than that, with a baby.

Toilet training, basic training, relationship building, boundaries etc all take time and effort. If you have to be giving your child substantial attention you cut into that with your puppy.

Honestly, I'd wait until your daughter is old enough to both understand the boundaries and so she can be involved.

I'd contact the breed club, they may have meet ups with other owners so you can get the know the breed and if they are for you. When shows are back on I'd also go to some of them to meet breeders and get to know them.

I would advise a Bichon Frise . They are small . Don't moult , and ours had a very lovely nature. They are not messy . Gorgeous dogs

Whichever breed u eventually choose please wait until you have the time to do it and your child is older-
Honestly you won’t have any time between work and a young child to look after a puppy without a small nervous breakfast 😂 also my personal opinion is that it is slays better and have a dog when someone can be at home with them most of the time during the day and not go to doggy daycare.We waited years to get a dog so that we wouldn’t either leave at home for hours a day or dropped to daycare

Nervous breakdown not breakfast 😂

Nervous breakfast made me smile

Thanks for the advice.

I think with regards to working full time, so long as I research and find a good doggy daycare it's no more cruel than sending a baby to nursery. And I will see the puppy more as it will have a later bed time and she spends time with her dad.

Also realistically this is unlikely to change for decades so not using daycare would effectively mean never having a dog.

Regarding my daughter I can see both sides on the one hand very full on but on the other I am used to being very busy and not at home a lot pre-baby. So I find myself bored with a lot of time on my hands in the evenings after she goes to bed and during the day when she naps. I think having something positive to focus on and be productive could be good for me and hopefully lead to a well trained puppy.

I have contacted the breed club and plan on attending some of their events and discover dogs (🤞 it doesn't get cancelled) to meet some Eurasiers, owners and breeders to get more information.

Realistically by the time I've done that if I decide it is the right breed for me I will still have a long wait for a puppy so daughter will be older or I can wait a bit and then ask to be added to the waiting list.

I am very interested in what happens at a nervous breakfast though 😂

I think with regards to working full time, so long as I research and find a good doggy daycare it's no more cruel than sending a baby to nursery

Some dog breeds, and from what I am reading here the Eurasier is one, are ‘aloof’ and bonded only to their family.
For such a dog, being separated from their family, even if still with people and other dogs can be distressing for them.

Past puppyhood, a lot of dogs aren’t actually that sociable with other dogs unless they know the other dog/s well.
Some dogs will find being in close proximity for hours with strange dogs they don’t know very well intensely stressful.

Some dogs find the environment of daycare way, way too stimulating and stressful.

Even the very best daycare in the world will not suit all dogs.

I’m afraid you can’t be sure that nap times are going to coincide with being a good time for dog training, or that you’ll even feel like it, or will become one more chore

Wait until your child is at school

I don't think my comparison to children and nursery is unreasonable, some children don't do well in nursery and different nurseries will suit different children.

By daycare I do mean daycare/dog walking/dog visits at home in various combinations. Do you really think it is unrealistic to think some combination of the above would allow me to have a dog and have a happy me, baby and puppy?

Reading about the Eurasiers bonding to their family is something to consider and one of the things I would ask owners/breeders. Potentially meeting the people at daycare whilst young and doing the equivalent of settling in sessions may help. If it turns out to be unsuitable for a Eurasier (from research not getting one and hoping for the best) I agree I would need to consider other breeds.

I'm not trying to fit in training around naps as such, I would have most of my evenings (her bed time is 7/7.30) and she is at her dad's 1 day of the weekend so only 1 full day to work around her as such.

When you say wait until she is at school is this more from an age to be able to interact with the puppy or time she is out of the house point of view?

The issue you have, is from the sounds of it, you can’t realistically have a dog without daycare.

Some dogs love daycare, others hate it..

Unfortunately that is just the way it is.

If you buy this puppy and it matures into one that doesn’t like it, what are you going to do then?

There are always exceptions within breeds, dogs are individual.
There will be labradors out there for instance who have no time for anyone other than their owners and they’ll be Eurasiers out there who love everybody they meet.

Until the puppy matures, you aren’t going to know what you’ve got.

If it likes daycare/home visits there is no problem.

And regardless, i would strongly advise against a puppy with young children.
It’s way too stressful imo.

When you say wait until she is at school is this more from an age to be able to interact with the puppy or time she is out of the house point of view?

Both.
The majority of dog bites are by family dogs to children under 5.
A lot of very normal child behaviour is unsettling for dogs; the sudden fluctuations of calmness, extreme excitement and upset/rage, the sudden movements, the lack respect for personal space, roughness etc.
Young kids and dogs are just a nightmare imo.

And training wise, you say your DD goes to bed at 7 so you have the whole evening.

Except that pups need taking out for toilet on waking in the morning, after eating, after playing, after every nap and before bed.
That can be quite difficult to do if you have a young child requiring your attention.

On the naps, pups need a lot of sleep and kids tend to want to keep playing with the pup.
Puppies that haven’t had enough sleep in the day are a fucking nightmare come night!
Zoomies, barking, chewing, lunging and biting you...

I second all of the above. You seem to have a rose tinted view of what it is to have a puppy. They are cute for 10 minutes and mostly a nightmare for about 18 months, then if you’ve done enough of the right sort of training you should have a lovely dog but it’s a hard, hard slog. They don’t sit patiently waiting for you to have the time and inclination to train them, they’ll be chewing the curtains, your child’s toys, peeing and pooing everywhere if you don’t watch like a hawk for the signs they need out, as well as taking them out as detailed above (after food, nap etc). You will more than likely grow to hate the puppy at some stage, just read some of the puppy regret threads on here and save yourself a whole load of grief

When your child understands how to be around a puppy no screaming, running about, trying to hug the puppy etc, then think about it

Puppies can be exhausting to housetrain, initially you might need to be accompanying your puppy out into the garden every 20 to 30 minutes, and staying out there to ensure its gone to the loo so you can praise it etc. It's not really compatible with having a baby to care for as well as far as I can see. Puppies really need your full attention.
What will you do when you want to socialise? Not everywhere is dog friendly. It really means that all your days off will find you tied to your home and dog. Dogs are a terrible tie. You can't do anything off the cuff because you always have to think of the dogs needs first. That day out with friends, trips out with your child, then later, the needs of school and associated social activities, all these will will have to be balanced with you being there for your dog.
Considering how little time you will have for a dog, and the expense it's going to put you through, I really can't see the point in having one, sorry.