Advice re getting first dog

[alicewasahorse]

Had 2 dogs growing up and loved them and think they completed our family. Been thinking about getting a dog now but don't know where to start.

We always had rescue dogs when I was a child but I'm nervous about this as I have a 4 year old child and would prefer a puppy.

I want to make sure that we get the right breed to suit our family. We have a large garden but both work so would be looking to get a dog Walker to help during the week. We're not massively outdoorsy and wouldn't want a dog that's too energetic and needing more than a couple of big walks a day (by big walk I'm thinking max an hour).

My parents are retired and have said they'll help with holidays etc. They'd love a dog of their own but it's too much full time for them.

My childhood dogs were a lab and a collie and I have a preference for a larger dog not a tiny one.

Can anyone help with the basics like how to find a reputable breeder and what to consider breed wise? We're in the central belt but would be happy to travel to get the right dog that we could give a lovely home too.

You'd be better posting on The Doghouse rather than Scotsnet.

You may or may not be aware that demand for dogs has gone through the roof since lockdown. Puppy prices have tripled, sometimes more. Rescue centres are overwhelmed with applications. It's a dodgy time to get a dog as every opportunist with in intact bitch can be breeding and it's puppy farm central. Wrt needing to travel, we got a puppy in October and travelled to Liverpool for her (also live in central belt). The rescues may be full of dogs in a few months once the cute puppies hit adolescence and get difficult, or once people go back to work. A lot of these are likely to be poorly trained and poorly socialised and I'd be reluctant to take one in with a small child, if you can even get considered.

You'd be best researching breeds. Once you find one that suits, look at the Kennel Club site to find breeders. Reach out to them. You'll likely be added to a waiting list and have quite a long wait, if you're lucky enough to find someone planning a litter. Champdogs is also quite good. Avoid Pets4Homes and Gumtree. Although Pets4Homes has a section listing breeds and has short descriptions of them so is a decent place to start looking for what breed would suit.

Two one hour walks a day is actually a lot of exercise so you're not ruling many breeds out with that. One other thing, puppies take a lot of attention and training. While they're young a dog walker is unlikely to be enough so you should factor in the cost of daycare.

Thanks so much for relying and I'll ask for this to be moved.

We have a St Bernard puppy, really good natured dog. Doesn't need lots of walking each day, likes to lounge around the house. We found our breeder through another breeder on Champdogs. Our puppy is very sociable, loves people and other dogs.

Are you sure you want a dog ?

Things that jumped out is that you both work - so ddog might be on its own quite a bit, and that you aren't terribly outdoorsy - unfortunately having a dog, particularly a bigger breed, means you're committing your family to at least one outdoor walk every day of the year regardless of the weather.

I'm not saying it to be mean, but it is the reality of owning a dog.

Who's going to look after the puppy if you're both out at work all day?

You can't leave a puppy on its own and just have a dog walker come in for an hour.

I don't think a dog walker would work but day care might.
Our dog is 2.5 now but even though he is older he wouldn't like to be left all day with only an hour seeing someone.
I work shifts, part time. If we were both full time Monday - Friday I don't think we would have a dog. Daycare is pricey and full time would be quite expensive.
We are outdoorsy but even we have days when we wish we could stay in the house instead of having to walk in all weathers regardless of how your feeling.
The puppy stage can be intense. We couldn't leave our pup at all for the first few weeks then you have the teen stage which can be very trying not to mention constant training.
I'm sure it can be done but would need a lot of thought and planning.
For me personally it would be too expensive and time consuming having young children, working full time and having a dog.

Thanks for all your comments. I am currently wfh full time and whilst I know this won't continue long term I am confident my employer will allow a blended model going forward so I'd be home I think at least 2 days and my parents are very willing to help with the puppy stage. They would completely love it actually!

Looks like there is a huge demand at the moment anyway so we may be best waiting until next year when DS starts school and I'll be looking to change my hours so I'm able to do at least the drop off or pick up each day. This may be a better time to get one as I'll be about more.

Don't underestimate how demanding a young puppy is. Your say your parents couldn't cope with one full-time, so would they really want to do all the work three days a week? Toilet training, mouthing, accidents, the teenage stage, barking, chewing...it's tough.

My in-laws help out with our dog but they refused to have him as a puppy as he was just too much work for them. Depending on their age they may really struggle with a young dog for eight+ hours a day.

Could you look into your local daycares and see if you like the look of any of them, so at least your parents have the option of saying no?

Mine went to daycare until he was two, and since then my in-laws have had him when we've both ben at work. I run my own business now so they only have him a few hours a week.

My in laws don't want a dog of their own, but adore ours and take it out from about 11 to about 4 most days. It lounges around their house rather than ours. And they take it on an hour or longer walk every day.

Dog sharing works.

But the first few months were really hard, I don't know how people have puppies and work full time.

It only worked for us because of lockdown and wfh.